A RELATION of a Remarkable Deliverance, after a Shipwreck of Uncommon Distress, received by Captain John Dean and Company. [Communicated from himself.]
JOHN DEAN bound from Ireland, in the Ship Nottingham Galley, about 120 Tuns, with 14 Men, laden chiefly with Provisions, for New-England; after we had been out above 9 Weeks we made Land to the Eastward of Piscataqua, about the beginning of Decemb 1710 & haling something Southerly for the Massachusetts Bay, betwixt 8 & 9 at Night, on the 11th. under a hard Gale of Wind at N. E accompanied with Rain, Hail & Snow, and a very dark Air, we run upon the East end of a Rock called Bo•n Island; about 4 Leagues to the Eastward of Piscataqua: after two vehement Thumps upon the Rock, a third Sea hove the Ship along the side of it; the Sea running very high, and violently beating upon us, laboured the Ship so excessively, that we looked every Moment when she would fall to pieces; and the Weather so dark, that tho' we were not above 20 or 30 yards off, yet we could see nothing of the Rock: so that there appeared to us but a very small possibility of escaping with our lives; and we were ⟨p. 51⟩justly thrown into a consternation at the sad prospect of immediately perishing in the Waters.
After we had spent some time in earnestly committing our selves to the Divine Mercy and Protection, we cut our Main and Fore-mast by the board, which Providentially falling to the Rock, I desired some of the Men to try, if by the help of the Masts they could recover the Shore; and let us know their safety by their Calls to us: Two or Three of them did so; but the fierceness of the Wind, and the roaring of the Sea, perfectly drowned their Voices, that we concluded 'em lost: However the Ship bilging, the Decks and Beams opening, and all things swimming out of the hold, obliged us to make the same attempt they had done before us, which through' the wonderful goodness of God, we did with success; tho' much torn and bruised by the violence of the Sea against the Rock. When we had joyfully met those that left us, we sought for shelter to the Leeward of the Island, but found it so small, inconsiderable and scraggy a Rock that it would afford us none; nor indeed room enough to walk, to secure us from the Injuries of the Wet and Cold.
A RELATION of a Remarkable Deliverance, after a Shipwreck of Uncommon Distress, received by Captain Iohn Dean and Company. [Communicated from himself.]
JOHN DEAN bound from Ireland, in the Ship Notingham Gally, about 120 Tuns, with 14 Men, laden chiefly with Provisions, for New-England; after we had been out above 9 Weeks we made Land to the Eastward of Piscataqua, about the beginning of Decemb 1710 & haling something Southerly for the Massachusetts Bay, betwixt 8 & 9 at Night, on the 11th. under a hard Gale of Wind at N. E accompanyed with Rain, Hail & Snow, and a very dark Air, we run upon the East end of a Rock called Bo•n Island; about 4 Leagues to the Eastward of Piscataqua: after two vehement Thumps upon the Rock, a third Sea hove the Ship along the side of it; the Sea running very high, and violently beating upon us, laboured the Ship so excessively, that we looked every Moment when she would fall to pieces; and the Weather so dark, that tho' we were not above 20 or 30 yards off, yet we could see nothing of the Rock: so that there appeared to us but a very small possibili•y of escaping with our lives; and we were ⟨p. 51⟩justly thrown into a consternation at the sad prospect of immediately perishing in the Waters.
After we had spent some time in earnestly committing our selves to the Divine Mercy and Protection, we cut our Main and Fore-mast by the board, which Providentially falling to the Rock, I desired some of the Men to try, if by the help of the Masts they could recover the Shoar; and let us know their safety by their Calls to us: Two or Three of them did so; but the fierceness of the Wind, and the roaring of the Sea, perfectly drown'd their Voices, that we concluded 'em lost: However the Ship bilging, the Decks and Beams opening, and all things swimming out of the hould, obliged us to make the same attempt they had done before us, which thro' the wonderful goodness of God, we did with success; tho' much torn and bruised by the violence of the Sea against the Rock. When we had joyfully met those that left us, we sought for shelter to the Leeward of the Island, but found it so small, inconsiderable and scraggy a Rock that it would afford us none; nor indeed room enough to walk, to secure us from the Injuries of the Wet and Cold.
