t was about break of day, and not above a musket-shot
from the shore. Launched the barge, cutter, and yawl over the gunnel, cut
main and fore-mast by the board, and the sheet-anchor from the gunnel. The
captain sent the barge ashore, with Mr S----w, the mate, to see if the
place was inhabited, and to return aboard directly; but, without any regard
to his duty, or the preservation of the lives of the people, he staid
ashore. The barge not returning as expected, the lieutenant was sent in the
yawl, with orders to bring off the barge. The lieutenant tarried ashore,
but sent off the boat. As soon as the boat came on board, the captain being
very ill, was persuaded by the officers to go ashore: With the captain went
the land-officers, mate, and midshipmen, the officers remaining on board
were the master, boatswain, gunner, and carpenter: The boatswain, who was
laid up a month before the loss of the ship, became of a sudden very
vigorous and active. At night it blow'd very hard at north, with a great
tumbling sea, we expected every moment that the ship would part, fetching
such jirks and twistings as shock'd every person aboard, who had the least
care for the preservation of life; yet, in the dismal situation we were in,
we had several in the ship so thoughtless of their danger, so stupid and
insensible of their misery, that upon the principal officers leaving her,
they fell into the most violent outrage and disorder: They began with
broaching the wine in the lazaretto; then to breaking open cabins and
chests, arming themselves with swords and pistols, threatening to murder
those who should oppose or question them: Being drunk and mad with liquor,
they plunder'd chests and cabins for money and other things of value,
cloathed themselves in the richest apparel they could find, and imagined
themselves lords paramount.

Friday the 15th, the ship was bilged in the mid-ship, on a great rock; we
took care to secure some powder, ball, and a little bread. In the
afternoon, the carpenter and myself went ashore with several of those
imaginary lords in the rich attire they had plunder'd yesterday; but upon
the purser, and Lieutenant Hamilton of marines, presenting pistols to some
of their breasts, those grandees suffer'd themselves very quietly to be
disrob'd of all their greatness, and in a few minutes look'd like a parcel
of transported fellons. On our coming ashore, we found the captain had
taken his lodging in a little hut, supposed to