Boon Island - Kenneth Roberts [14]
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fore, concluded them lost; yet notwithstanding, I was under a necessity to make the same Adventure upon the Fore Mast, moving gradually forward betwixt every sea, 'till at last quitting it, I cast myself with all the strength I had toward the Rock, and it being dead low water and the Rock exceeding slippery I cou'd get no Hold, but tore my Fingers, Hands and Arms in a most lamentable Manner; every wash of the sea fetching me off again, so that it was with the utmost peril and difficulty that I got safe on shore at last. The rest of the men running the same hazard yet thro' mercy we all escap'd with our lives.
After endeavouring to discharge the salt-water, and creeping a little way up the Rock, I heard the three men mentioned before and by ten all met together; where with joyful hearts we return'd humble thanks to Providence for our Deliverance from so eminent a Danger; we then endeavour'd to gain shelter to the Leeward of the Rock, but found it so small and inconsiderable that it wou'd afford none (being but about one hundred Yards long, and Fifty broad) and so very craggy, that we cou'd not walk to keep our selves warm, the weather still continuing extream cold, with Snow and Rain.
As soon as day-light appear'd, I went towards the place where we came on shoar, not questioning but we should meet with Provisions enough from the Wreck for our support, but found only some pieces of the Masts and Yards, amongst some old junk and cables conger'd, together, which the Anchors had prevented from being carried away, and kept moving about the Rock at some distance: Part of the ship's stores with some pieces of Plank and Timber, old Sails and Canvas &c. drove on shoar but nothing to eat, except some small pieces of cheese we pick'd up from among the Rock-Weed (in the whole, to the Quantity of three small Cheeses.)
We used our utmost endeavour to get Fire, (having a Steel and Flint with us, also by a Drill with a very swift motion) but
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having nothing but what had been long watersoak'd, we could not effect it.
At night we stow'd one upon another (under our Canvas) in the best Manner possible, to keep each other warm; and the next day the weather a little clearing, and inclining to frost, I went out, and seeing the main Land knew where we was, therefore encouraged my men with hopes of being discover'd by fishing Shallops &c. requiring them to go about, and fetch up what planks they could get, (as also Carpenters' Tools and Stores &c.) in order to build a Tent and a Boat: The cook then complaining he was allmost starved, and his Countenance discovering his illness, I ordered him to remain with two or three more the frost had seiz'd. About noon the Men acquainted me that he was dead, so laid him in a convenient Place for the Sea to carry him away; none mentioning eating of him, tho' several with my self afterwards acknowledged, had Tho'ts of it.
After we had been there two or three Days, the frost being very severe, and the Weather extream cold, it seized most of our hands and feet to such a Degree as to take away the Sence of Feeling, and render them almost useless, so benumbing and discolouring them, as gave us just reason to fear mortifications. We pull'd off our shoes, and cut off our boots, but in getting off our stockings, many whose legs were blister'd, pull'd off Skin and all, and some the nails of their toes; we wrap'd up our legs and feet as warm as we could in Oakum and Canvas.
We now began to build our