Chap. VIII.]
QUARTER-MASTER DROWNED.
233
1842
tude 67° 36′ W., Diego Ramirez rocks bearing N. 33° W., distant sixty-seven miles.
As the gale increased, we close-reefed the topsails, and were in the act of reefing the courses at 2 p.m., when James Angelly, quarter-master, fell from the mainyard overboard: the life-buoy being instantly let go, he swam to and got upon it with apparent ease, so that we now considered him safe. Although there was too high a sea running for any boat to live, yet Mr. Oakley and Mr. Abernethy, with their accustomed boldness and humanity, were in one of the cutters ready to make the attempt: I was obliged to order them out of the boat, for the sea was at this time breaking over the ship in such a manner as to make it evident that the cutter would have instantly filled, whilst, by making a short tack, we could fetch to windward of the buoy, and pick him up without any difficulty; we therefore made all sail on the ship, and stood towards him: but just as we got within two hundred yards, the wind headed, and obliged us to pass to leeward, so near, however, as to assure us of being able to fetch well to windward, after a short board. He was seated firmly on the buoy, with his arm round the pole, but had not lashed himself to it with the cords provided for that purpose, probably from being stunned or stupified by striking against the ship's side as he fell overboard. In a quarter of an hour we again stood towards him, with the buoy broad upon our lee bow; but, to our inexpressible grief, our unfortunate shipmate