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Boon Island - Kenneth Roberts [32]

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not; and the next Day the said Master John Dean would have run the said Ship Nottingham on Shore, provided he thought the Insurance would be paid, and then declared his Brother had 300 £. assured, and Mr. Whitworth 200 £. assured, and so put out some Goods into the Board (which was then in the Tackle) to save, altho the Deponent Langman and the Men declared the said Ship was within so small a way of her Port, and might escape, which she did accordingly. That after her departure from Killybags, when she came on the Banks of Newfoundland was chased by the Pompey, Captain Den, at which the said John Dean and Mr. Whitworth seem'd to rejoice, believing him a Privateer; but proving otherwise, they appeared disappointed. That when they came on the Coast of New England, falling in with Cape Porpus, the Mate and the men declared that it was not convenient to stand in the Shore, but to bear away to the Southward. That upon some Words arising John Dean with a Perriwig Block struck the Mate Christopher Langman Three Blows on the Head, which made him lie bleeding. That the same Day the said Ship Nottingham was run ashore upon a most desolate Island, call'd Boon Island, (which had they miss'd they must have run ashore on the main Land in a few Hours, which makes this Deponent believe in his Conscience the said Ship was

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designed to be lost) where the Men had been lost had not the Mate, who was then bleeding, came on Deck, and the Mast being cut down, under God saved their Lives. In which Island one of their Company, being the Cook, died, and the Carpenter dying next, they being reduced to Hunger, eat him, when Two of the Ship's Company went on Shore with a small Rafter, one was never heard of, the other was found dead in the Woods, by which the Country understanding a Wreck, came off with a Canoe, whereby they had Fire after the 22d Day, by which they broil'd the rest of the Man until the 24th Day after their being on the Island before relieved.

GEORGE WHITE.

Predict. Depon.

Christopher Langman,

Nicholas Mellen, and

Geo. White, Jurat.

fuerunt 1st Die Aug. Anno Dom. 1711.

Coram me,

W. WITHERS.

FINIS.

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The John Deane Account (Revis'd)

A Narrative of the

Shipwreck of the Nottingham Galley, &c.

Publish'd in 1711.

Revis'd, and Re-Printed with Additions

in 1726, by John Deane, Commander.

The Nottingham Galley, off, and from London, 120 Tons, 10 Guns, and 14 Men, having taken in part of her Loading in England, and part in Ireland, sail'd, on a Trading Voyage, for Boston in New-England the 25th of September, 1710; but meeting with contrary Winds and bad Weather, they discried not the Land of New England, then cover'd with Snow, 'till the 11th of December following; and then, in a Quarter of an Hour, lost sight of it again by the Fogs and hazey Weather, that had prevented their taking an Observation for 10 or 12 Days before; which with the unaccountable Currents here met with, they could not, with certainty, determine what Part of the Coast they had seen: however, the Wind being N.E. and the Land lying N.E. and S.W. they concluded it both Safe and Adviseable to steer S.W. 'till 10 a Clock at Night, and then lie by 'till the Morning, with the Head of their Vessel off from the Land. As it blew hard, accompanied with Rain and Snow, they carried but little

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sail; and about 8 or 9 at Night, the Mate being slightly indisposed, the Master, upon deck, going forward, saw to his infinite sirprize, the Breakers ahead very near them; and instantly called out to the Steerman, to put the Helm hard a Starboard, was so ill obey'd in the sudden astonishment, as to have the very reverse perform'd' tho', had it been otherwise, they were too near to avoid the impending Danger; so the Ship struck, with great Violence, against a Rock call'd Bonne Island, about 7 Leagues Eastward from the Mouth of Piscataqua River. The Night was so dark that they could discern no Land; and the Sea running very high, soon heav'd the Vessel along side of the Rock, where, still continuing to make

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