gathering, which I expected every moment to burst upon us, we got her in
with all possible expedition. It was indeed happy for us all that no
time was lost; for before she could be got into her place the squall
came on, which in a moment laid the ship down in a surprising manner,
and broke the mizen gaff just where the sail was reefed; so that if
another minute had passed before the boat had been got in, we must
inevitably have lost her, and every soul on board would have perished.
This wind and weather continued till midnight, when it became somewhat
more moderate, so that we were able to set our courses and top-sails. In
the mean time I had enquired of Mr Gower how it came to be so long
before he returned to the ship, and he told me, that after he had got to
the place where he intended to fill the casks, three of the boat's crew
had swam ashore with them for that purpose; but that within a few
minutes the surf had risen so high, and broke with such fury on the
shore, that it was impossible for them to get back to the boat; that
being unwilling to leave them behind, especially as they were stark
naked, he had waited in hopes that an opportunity might be found for
their coming on board; but that, being intimidated by the appearance of
the weather, and the uncommon darkness of the night, he had at last,
with whatever reluctance, been obliged to come on board without them.
The situation of these poor fellows now furnished another subject of
solicitude and anxiety; they were naked, upon a desolate island, at a
great distance from the watering-place where their shipmates had a tent,
without food and without shelter, in a night of violent and incessant
rain, with such thunder and lightning as in Europe is altogether
unknown. In the evening of the 19th, however, I had the satisfaction to
receive them on board, and to hear an account of their adventures from
their own lips. As long as it was light, they flattered themselves, like
their friends in the boat, that they should find an opportunity to
return on board her; but afterwards, when the darkness of the night was
broken only by the flashes of lightning, and the tempest became every
moment more violent, they knew that to reach the boat was impossible, if
it still remained in its station; and that most probably the people on
board had provided for their own safety, by returning on board the ship:
To reach the tent of their shipmates, during the darkness and tempest,
was equal