Boon Island - Kenneth Roberts [30]
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September 25. 1710. we sail'd from this Port, bound for Boston in New England.
December 11. 1710. we being then on the Coast of New England, and close on Board of Cape Porpus, the Mate told him, That he did not know any business we bad so nigh the Shore, and that it was his better way to bawl further to the Southward. The said Master would not take his Advice if the Ship went to the Bottom.
At or about Eight this Morning the said Master came to the Mate and knock'd him down with a Block, such as Barbers make Wigs on. We all thought that he had kill'd him, for he lay dead some time, and lost a great deal of Blood.
Between Eight and Nine this Night the Ship run ashore, the Wind at E.S.E. and a moderate Gale. The Mate being then in his Cabbin, and hardly done bleeding, got on the Deck, tho' badly able, and ordered the Masts to be cut away, which we did, and by God's Assistance got all ashore, it being a desolate Land, about Three Leagues from the Main. We then steer'd W. and by S. so that if we had miss'd it we should have run ashore on the Main. This Island is called by the Name of Boon Island. We remained on it Twenty-four Days, and suffered a great deal of Hardship; at which time we were fetched off by a Piscataqua Boat, and carried ashore.
Some Days after the Master drew up a Protest, which the Mate and Boatswain signed, the Mate being then very ill with a Flux and Fever, and the Boatswain and George White declares, That the Protest was false, and hardly a Word of Truth in it, but for fear of being put out of his Lodging, he then being very Sick and Lame, sign'd it.
As soon as the Mate recover'd, we all and every of us declare, and give our Oath, That this is the real Truth, and the said Master's Protest to be false; which we now before the Worshipful Justice of the Peace disavow and give our Oaths, That this is the Truth; and that if the said Master had taken the Mate's Advice,
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the Ship, with God's Assistance, might have been in Boston Harbour several Days before she was lost.
CHRISTOPHER LANGMAN, MATE.
NICHOLAS MELLIN, BOATSWAIN.
GEORGE WHITE, SAILOR.
Christopher Langman, Nicholas Mellin, and George White, personally appeared before me the Subscriber, one of Her Majesty's Justices of the Peace at Portsmouth in the Province of New Hampshire in New England, and Member of Council within the same, this 9th Day of February, 171011. and made Oath to the Truth of what is above written, Captain Dean at the time of taking this Oath being present.
SAMUEL PENHALLOW.
Christopher Langman, late Mate of the late Ship called the Nottingham, of the Burden of about 120 Tons, whereof John Dean was Master, Nicholas Mellon, Boatswain, and George White Sailor, all belonging to the said Ship, do severally make Oath as followeth, viz. And first, the said Christopher Langman for himself saith, The said Ship being designed on a Voyage from London to Killybags, and from thence to New England, she departed from the Nore the 7th of August, 1710. in company with her Majesty's Ship Sheerness, which they left off of Whitby. That on the 21st of the same Month they saw Two Sail to the Leeward, which gave chace to the said Ship Nottingham for about the space of Three Leagues; in which time, (notwithstanding this Deponent told the said Dean they were Enemies) he often would have bore down upon them; that the Day following they saw the Privateers again, when the said John Dean (contrary to the Will of this Deponent) would have brought the said Ship Nottingham
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to an Anchor, which if done, she would in all probability have been taken. That they then left the said Privateers, and arrived with their said Ship that Night at Killybags aforesaid, where they deliver'd what Goods were thereto consigned. That on the 29th Day of September, in the Year aforesaid,