cleared away for a few moments, and gave us
a glimpse of the land not far from us. We now thought of nothing but saving
our lives. To get the boats out, as our masts were gone, was a work of some
time, which when accomplished, many were ready to jump into the first, by
which means they narrowly escaped perishing before they reached the shore.
I now went to Captain Cheap, (who had the misfortune to dislocate his
shoulder by a fall the day before, as he was going forward to get the fore-
yard swayed up) and asked him if he would not go on shore; but he told me,
as he had done before, that he would be the last to leave the ship; and he
ordered me to assist in getting the men out as soon as possible. I had been
with him very often from the time the ship first struck, as he desired I
would, to acquaint him with every thing that passed; and I particularly
remarked, that he gave his orders at that time with as much coolness as
ever he had done during the former part of the voyage.

The scene was now greatly changed, for many who but a few minutes before
had shewn the strongest signs of despair, and were on their knees praying
for mercy, imagining they were now not in that immediate danger, grew very
riotous, broke open every chest and box that was at hand, stove in the
heads of casks of brandy and wine as they were borne up to the hatch-way,
and got so drunk, that some of them were drowned on board, and lay floating
about the decks for some days after. Before I left the ship, I went down to
my chest, which was at the bulk-head of the ward-room, in order to save
some little matters if possible; but whilst I was there the ship thumped
with such violence, and the water came in so fast, that I was forced to get
upon the quarter-deck again without saving a single rag but what was upon
my back. The boatswain and some of the people would not leave the ship so
long as there was any liquor to be got at; upon which Captain Cheap
suffered himself to be helped out of his bed, put into the boat, and
carried on shore.

[116] Captain Cheap has been suspected of a design of going on the Spanish
coast without the commodore; but no part of his conduct seems to
authorize, in the least, such a suspicion. The author who brings this
heavy charge against him, is equally mistaken in imagining that
Captain Cheap had not instructions to sail to this island, and that
the commodore did neither go nor send thither to inform himself if