15
them; but the trial must now be made. The two ladies, one of whom had to be hurried from her bed, where she had retired for the night, were first put safely into the yawl; some other passengers and myself, with part of the crew, followed, and our weight sank it nearly to the water’s edge; the captain and others entered the smaller boat and sufficiently filled it, leaving the vessel with honourable reluctance; while the first mate, Mr Ibbetson, gallantly remained on board to the last, suggesting the best arrangements, and assisting to hand to us any article that could be got at the moment, that might be useful to us in the extreme perils we were about to encounter.
Many of the party having retired to their hammocks before the electric fluid struck the vessel, were half naked; but were supplied with trowsers and jackets, by those seamen who had been on the watch; who, in consequence of the heavy rain, had eased themselves in double or treble their usual quantity of clothing. My own dress was merely a nankeen jacket and trowsers, a shirt and neckcloth. I had lost my hat in assisting to get out the boat.
We happily succeeded in bringing away two compasses from the binnacle, and a few candels from the cuddy table, one of them lighted; one bottle of wine and ano-
