Boon Island - Kenneth Roberts [26]
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We cork'd and lin'd it with Canvas the best we could, and made it about Twelve Foot Long and Four Foot Wide, thinking it sufficient to hold Six of us.
After this some Controversie happen'd who the Six should be. The Carpenter pleaded his Right to be one, because he built it; the Captain pleaded to be another, which was agreed to; and the Boatswain was thought fit to be one, because he spoke the Indian Language; but at last it was concluded that the Mate, the Captain's Brother, Charles Whitworth, and George White, should be the Men; and we carried the Boat to the Shore, where we launch'd her, putting on Board such of the Carpenter's Tools as we had sav'd from the Wreck, in order to build a better when we came on Shore. We begg'd the Assistance and Direction of God, and Some of our Company went into the Boat, taking leave of the rest, and promising to bring them Relief as soon as possible. But the Boat overset, by which our Men were almost drownd, and narrowly escaped again to the Rock. The Boatswain held the Boat almost an Hour with a Rope in hopes to save her till the Weather grew more calm, and the Gunner came to his Assistance, but soon after she was stav'd to pieces, which was a great Mortification to us. We thank'd God however that he was pleas'd again to preserve so many of us, tho' the Time for our Relief was not yet come. The Captain is out in his Account, pag. [28] when he says, our Boat had a Mast and a Sail, for she had neither.
The Wind blowing hard, and there being a great Snow, we betook our selves to Prayer, and earnestly begg'd that God would have mercy on us, and consider our deplorable Condition. Being wet with our Endeavours to launch the Boat, our Cloaths freezed to our Backs, which proved fatal to our Carpenter, who died a few Days after. The next Day prov'd fair Weather, so that we could see the Houses on the main Land, and several Boats rowing to and fro, which rejoyc'd us very much; and after praying that God might direct some of them to us, we shew'd our selves on
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several Places of the Rock, and hallow'd to them, but they could not hear us. This quite discourag'd us again, for we had no Provisions but some small pieces of Cheese, four or five pieces of Beef, and one Neats Tongue that we recover'd out of the Wreck, and a small quantity of this was distributed among us every Morning when we went round the Rock to see if it would please God to send us any further Provisions. At last George White, one of our Number, found some Muscles at Low Water, for which we return'd God Thanks, and we found about as many for two or three days as six or seven came to each Man's share; but the Weather was so cold, and the Tides fell out so late in the Night that we could get no more. The Captain then told us, We must shift for our selves, there being nothing now for us to trust to but the Mercies of God. There being a piece of a Cows Hide on the Fore Yard of the Wreck, we cut it into small pieces and swallow'd it down, which reviv'd us a little. Some of our Company got Sea Weed, which was also shar'd among us, and this was all the Entertainment we had for several Days; but still we liv'd in hopes of being deliver'd from the dismal Place; and the Captain told us, If we were, he would sell the Cables, Anchors and Guns that were cast ashore, for our Maintenance. In this Distress our Mate perceiving a large Sea Gull in a Hole of the Rock, he knock'd it down with the Handle of a Sawce Pan, brought her into the Tent, and shar'd her among us, to our great Relief.
Perceiving no hopes of any Boats coming to us, a stout Dutchman, one of our Company,