rest of the men remained at the pumps, hut with very little success, as the leak kept gaining upon them. The island was taken without any opposition, the only people on it being a few distressed fishermen, and their families.
“Feb. 9th, at about 1 p.m. every body was safe landed, with two or three pigs and some biscuit, which were the only subsistence we had secured. Captain Wilkinson and Mr. Weymouth came in the last boat. At about 1-30, Lieutenant Pridham, Messrs. Carey, Simpson, and Thomas (warrant officers), with myself, were ordered to return to the ship, to cut her masts away, and destroy every thing we possibly could get at. On our arrival on board, the water was nearly square with the combings of the lower deck. At about 3-30, quitted her, having executed with the greatest accuracy the duty we were ordered upon; the wind still increasing, which left us but little hopes of her hanging together for the night.
“We joined the officers and crew in a little church, and this was the only place on the island where we could conveniently take up our residence. The weather was excessively inclement during the night. At day-light, discovered the ship still apparently whole. Captain Wilkinson despatched Lieutenant Pridham and Mr. Mahoney. master’s mate, with a party of men, to destroy her by fire. The other officers and people were employed in equipping thirteen fishing boats for the purpose of transporting the ship’s company, either to our fleet off Brest, or to England, as circumstances might admit. Mr. Pridham and party returned, and the report of the ship’s guns announced the execution of the duty they had been sent upon.
“On the lOth, at about 1-30 p.m., our boats were in readiness, it then blowing hard from the S.W. We all embarked in them. I had the honor to command one, with 25 men; Captain Wilkinson, with the master, leading in the barge, which was the only ship’s boat in company. We made sail out of the little creeks in which the boats had been moored, the sea running excessively high, and at about 2, the barge hauled up to the N.W. We all, of course, followed. At 2-30, or three o’clock, we bore up again; several of the boats were in distress, being very badly found, having neither sails, rigging, nor ground tackling that could be at all trusted to. Lieutenants Pridham, Lutwidge, and Barker, were to keep a-head, as no other boats had compasses. At about 5, in a very severe squall, with rain, we lost sight of the barge; and at 5-30, of all the boats. At about 6, observed St. Matthew’s light on the weather bow. The wind now chopped round to the N.W. in a heavy squall, which carried away our main-mast and fore-tye, and very nearly swamped us, having almost filled the boat with water: rove the main-tye and halliards forward, which enabled us to set the foresail and keep scudding towards Rock fort, with the expectation of falling in with some of the other boats, but were disappointed. At 11, determined to anchor in the bottom of Bertheaume bay, though with very little or no hopes of riding long, our only ground tackling being a small grapnel and a few fathoms of l&inch. We fortunately succeeded in bringing up, though most miserably situated. The weather tide running strong against a violent gale