His Majesty's ship Pelican was driven upon the Morant Quays: the crew were saved except four. His Majesty's ship Ulysses Annual Register, 1781, p. 92. Come, pump away, my boys: Carpenters, get the weather chain pump rigged.' All ready, sir.' Then man it, and keep both pumps going.' "At two o'clock the chain-pump was choaked: set the carpenters at work to clear it; the two hand-pumps at work upon deck. The ship gained upon us while our chain-pumps were idle; in a quarter of an hour they were at work again, and we began to gain upon her. While I was standing at the pumps cheering the people, the carpenter's mate came running to me with a face as long as my arm Oh, sir, the ship has sprung a leak in the gunner's room.' Go, then, and tell the carpenter to come to me, but don't speak a word to any one else.'-' Mr. Goodinch, I am told there is a leak in the gunner's room; go and see what is the matter, but don't alarm any body, and come and make your report privately to me.' A little after this he returned: Sir, there's nothing there, 'tis only the water washing up between the timbers that this booby has taken for a leak.'-' Oh, very well; go upon deck, and see if you can keep any of the water from washing down below.' Sir, I have had four people constantly keeping the hatchways secure, but there is such a weight of water upon deck that nobody can bear it when the ship rolls.' "Shortly afterwards the gunner came to me: Mr. Archer, I should be glad you would step this way into the magazine for a moment.' I thought some damned thing was the matter, and ran directly, Well, what's the matter here?' -The ground tier of powder is spoiled; and I want to show you that it is not out of carelessness in me in stowing it, for no powder in the world could be better stowed: Now, sir, what am I to do? if you don't speak to Sir Hyde, he will be angry with me.' I could not but smile, to see how easy he took the danger of the ship, and said to him, Let us shake off this gale of wind first, and talk of the damaged powder afterwards.' "At four, we had gained upon the ship a little, and I went upon deck, it being my watch. The second lieutenant Who can relieved me at the pumps. attempt to describe the appearance of things upon deck? if I was to write for ever I could not give you an idea of it: a total darkness all above. the sea on fire, running as it were in Alps, or Peaks of Teneriffe-mountains are too common an idea; the wind roaring louder than thunder (absolutely no flight of imagina tion); the whole made more terrible, if possible, by a very uncommon kind of blue lightning. The poor ship very much pressed, yet doing what she could; shaking her sides, and groaning at every stroke. Sir Hyde upon deck, lashed to windward, I soon lashed myself alongside of him, and told him the situation of things below; the ship not making more water than might be expected with such weather; that I was only afraid of a gun breaking loose. I am not in the least afraid of that; I have commanded her six years, and have had many a gale of wind in her, so that her iron work is pretty well tried, which always gives way first Hold fast! that was an ugly sea; we must lower the lower yards, I believe, Archer the ship is much pressed.'"If we attempt it, sir, we shall lose them, for a man aloft can do nothing; besides, their being down would ease the ship very little. The mainmast is a sprung mast I wish it was overboard without carrying any thing else along with it; but that can soon be done, the gale cannot last for ever, 'twill soon be daylight now.' "Found by the master's watch it was five o'clock, though but a little after four by ours; glad it was so near daylight, and looked for it with much anxiety. Cuba, thou art much in our way!Another ugly sea!-Sent a midshipman to bring news from the pumps: the ship was gaining on them very much, for they had broke one of their chains, but 'twas almost mended again. News from the pump again—she still gains! —a heavy sea! Back water from to leeward half way up the quarter-deck-filled one of the cutters upon the booms, and tore her all to pieces; the ship lying almost upon her beam ends, and not attempting to right again. Word from below that the ship was dismasted. His Majesty's ship Southampton was dismasted, and driven to Wreck Reef, to leeward of Port Royal. She had Annual Register, 1781, p. 92. still gained on them, as they could not stand to the pumps, she lay so much along. Said to Sir Hyde, This is no time, sir, to think of saving the mastsshall we cut the mainmast away?'. Aye, as fast as you can.' I accordingly went into the weather-chains with a pole-axe to cut away the lanyards; the boatswain went to leeward, and the carpenters stood by the mast: we were all ready; when a very violent sea broke right on board of us, carried every thing upon deck away, filled the ship full of water; the main and mizen-masts went, the ship righted, but was in the last struggle of sinking under us. As soon as we could shake our heads above water, Sir Hyde exclaimed, We are gone at last, Archer-foundered at sea!'-'Yes, sir, farewell; and the Lord have mercy on us!' I then turned about to look forward at the ship, and thought she was struggling to get rid of some of the water but all in vain- she was almost full below. 'God Almighty! I thank thee, that now I am leaving this world, which I have always considered as only a passage to a better, I die with a full hope of thy mercies, through the merits of Jesus Christ thy Son, our Saviour!' I then felt sorry that I could swim; as by that means might be a quarter of an hour longer dying than a man who could not, as it is impossible to divest ourselves of a wish to preserve life. the end of these reflections, I thought I felt the ship thump, and grinding our feet: it was so. 'Sir, the ship is ashore.' What do you say?' The ship is ashore, and we may save ourselves yet.' By this time the quarter-deck was full of men that had come up from below, and, the Lord have mercy upon us! flying about from all quarters. At "The ship made every body sensible now that she was ashore, for every stroke threatened a total dissolution of her whole frame; found she was stern ashore, and the bow broke the sea a good deal, though it was washing clean over at every stroke. Sir Hyde- Keep to the quarter-deck, my lads. when she goes to pieces 'tis your best chance.' vidential circumstance got the foremast A pro --- : eut away, that she might not pay round broadside to lost five men cutting away the foremast, by the breaking of a sea on board, just as the mast went that was nothing every one expected it would be his own fate next. Looked for daybreak with the greatest impatience: at last it came — - but what a scene did it shew us! the ship upon a bed of rocks, mountains of them on one side, and cordilleras of water on the other; our poor ship grinding, and crying out at every stroke between them; going away by piecemeal: however, to show the unaccountable workings of Providence, that often what appears to be the greatest evil proves to be the greatest good, that unmerciful sea lifted, and beat us up so high among the rocks, that at last the ship scarcely moved. She was a very strong ship, and did not go to pieces at the first thumping, though her decks tumbled in. We found afterwards that she had beat over a ledge of rocks, almost a quarter of a mile without us; where, if she had struck, every soul of us must have perished. I now began to think of getting on shore; so stripped off my coat and shoes for a swim, and looked for a line, to carry the end with me. I luckily could not find one, which gave time for recollection : This won't do for me, to be the first man out of the ship, and first lieutenant; we may get to England again, and people may think I paid a great deal of attention to myself, and did not care for any body else No, that won't do ; instead of being first, I'll see every man, sick and well, out of her before me.' was "I now thought there was not a probability of the ship's going soon to pieces, therefore had not a thought of instant death: took a look round with a sort of philosophic eye, to see how the same situation affected my companions; and not surprised to find the most swaggering, swearing bullies in fine weather, were now the most pitiful wretches on earth, when death appeared before them. Several people that could swim went overboard to try for the shore; nine of them were drowned be. fore our eyes. However, two got safe; by which means, with a line we got a an engagement with a French frigate off Cape François. Many houses and piazzas were blown down. His Majesty's ship Thun Naval Chronicle, vol. xii. p. 183. 6 hawser on shore, and made fast to the rocks, upon which many went, and arrived safe. There were some sick and wounded on board, who could not go this way; so we got a spare topsail-yard from the chains, and got one end on shore and the other into the cabin window, so that most of the sick got ashore this way. As I had determined, so I was the last man out of the ship, which was about ten o'clock. The gale now began to break. Sir Hyde came to me, and, taking me by the hand, was so affected as to be hardly able to speak: Archer, I am happy beyond expression to see you on shore; but look at our poor Phoenix!' I turned about, but could not say a single word, being too full: my mind had been too actively employed before, but every thing now rushed upon me at once, so that I could not contain myself, and I indulged for a full quarter of an hour. By twelve it was pretty moderate; got some sails on shore, and made tents; found great quantities of fish drove up by the sea in holes amongst the rocks; knocked up a fire, and had a most comfortable dinner. In the afternoon we made a stage from the cabin windows to the rocks, and got out some provisions and water, lest the ship should go to pieces, and then we must all perish with hunger and thirst; for we were upon a desolate part of the coast, and under a rocky mountain, which could not supply us with a single drop of water. "Slept comfortably this night; and the next day, the idea of death vanishing by degrees, the prospect of being prisoners, perhaps during the war, at the Havana, and walking three hundred miles to it through the woods, was unpleasant; however, to save life for the present, employed this day in getting more provisions and water on shore, which was not an easy matter, on account of decks, guns, and rubbish that lay over them, and ten feet of water besides. In the evening I proposed to Sir Hyde to repair the remains of the only boat left; and that I would venture to Jamaica myself, and, if I got safe, would bring vessels to take them all offa proposal worth thinking of. It was next day agreed to; so got the cutter on shore, and set the carpenters to work on her. In two days she was ready; and at four o'clock in the afternoon I embarked with four volunteers, and a fortnight's provisions; hoisted English colours as we put off from the shore, and received three cheers from the lads left behind, which we returned, and set sail with a light heart; having not the least doubt, that, with God's assistance, we should soon come back and bring them all off. Had a very squally night, and a very leaky boat, so as to keep two buckets constantly bailing Steered her myself the whole night by the stars; and in the morning saw the island of Jamaica, distant about twelve leagues. At eight in the evening arrived in Montego Bay. "I must now begin to leave off, particularly as I have but half an hour to conclude, else my pretty little short letter will lose its passage, which I should not like, after being ten days at different times writing it, beating up with the convoy to the northward, which is a reason that this epistle will never read well; for I never sat down with a proper disposition to go on with it; but as I knew something of the kind would please you, I was resolved to finish it; yet it will not bear an overhaul; so don't expose your son's nonsense. "But to proceed. Instantly sent off an express to the admiral; another to the Porcupine man of war; and went myself to Martha Brae, to get vessels; for all their vessels here, as well as many of their houses, were gone to Moco. Got three small vessels, and set out back again to Cuba; where I arrived the fourth day after leaving them. I thought the ship's crew would have devoured me on my landing; they wisked me up on their shoulders presently, and carried me to the tent where Sir Hyde was. I must omit many little anecdotes that happened on shore, for want of time; but I shall have a number of stories to tell you when I get alongside of you; and the next time I visit you, I shall not be in such a hurry to quit you as I was the last; for then I hoped my nest would have been pretty well feathered. But my tale is forgot. I found the Porcupine had derer, seventy-four, Hon. Commodore Walsingham, Captain Nicholls, was lost, with all her crew. The Stirling Castle, sixty-four, Captain R. Casket, was lost on the Silver Keys, and only fifty of her crew saved. The Deal Castle, twentyfour, Captain Hawkins, was lost on Puerto Rico; and the Endeavour brig, fourteen guns, Lieutenant Woolridge, was lost on Jamaica. On the 26th of November, the Comte de Grasse arrived at Martinico, from the Chesapeak. He had sent a squadron to St. Domingo, to escort the French trade to Europe, and expected to meet at Martinico a reinforcement of twelve sail of the line, with troops under the command of the Marquis de Vaudreuil. In this he was disappointed: they were intercepted by Admiral Kempenfelt. The conseil souverain, the 8th of November, 1781, issued an arrêt interdicting persons of colour from carrying arms. "Art. 15. of the edict of the King, of 1685, to be executed agreeably to its form and tenor. Negroes found on Sundays and holidays in the towns or environs, or on the high roads, armed with clubs, cutlasses, or other arms, without a ticket from their master mentioning the same, to be arrested and conducted to the nearest gaol; and to be condemned, by a simple order of the seneschal, within the twenty-four hours, to receive nineteen lashes." On the 24th of November, 1781, the French King issued an ordinance concerning ecclesiastical missions in the French colonies in America. "Art. 10. The prefets apostoliques are desired to see that the Beatson's Memoirs, vol. v. p. 449. arrived that day, and the lads had built a boat, almost ready for launching, that would hold fifty men; which was intended for another trial, in case I should have foundered. "Next day, embarked all our people that were left, amounting to 250; for some had died of the wounds they got coming on shore; others by drinking rum; and others had straggled into the country. All our vessels were so full of people, that we could not take away the few cloathes that were saved from the wreck; that was a trifle, since our lives and liberties were saved. "To make short of my story, we all arrived safe at Montego Bay; and shortly after at Port Royal, in the Janus, which was sent on purpose for us, and were all honourably acquitted for the loss of the ship. I was made admiral's aide-decamp, and a little after sent down to St. Juan's, captain of the Resource, to bring what were left of the poor devils to Blue-fields, on the Musquito shore, and then to Jamaica, where they arrived after three months' absence, and without a prize, though I looked out hard, off Portobello and Carthagena. "Found, in my absence, that I had been appointed captain of the Tobago; where I remain his Majesty's most true and faithful servant, and my dear mother's "Most dutiful Son, Negroes in each quarter receive the necessary instructions, as well as that the sacrament be administered to them; and in the event of the masters being negligent of, or preventing the same, report thereof to be made to the governor and intendant." The same day the King issued another ordinance, concerning vacant successions in the French colonies in America, curateurs in office, executors and legatees. "Art. 27. Under the head of articles considered as perishable, and consequently necessary to be sold, Negroes, cattle, and moveable utensils, are never to be comprised. "28. Negroes, cattle, and moveable utensils, can, however, be sold separately from the estate to which they are attached, provided that the land and buildings do not remain unsold, and that the sale be ordered by the judge. "29. In the event of the judges giving an order for the sale, the sentence cannot be put into execution until after having been viséed by the procureur-general, who may even appeal if he think proper. Rear-Admiral Hood, expecting that the Comte de Grasse would return to the West Indies, left Sandy Hook on the 11th of November with seventeen sail of the line, and arrived at Barbadoes on the 5th of December, where he was joined by his Majesty's ship St. Alban's, sixty-four. Governor Ferguson's statement of the capture of Tobago. "The capitulation of Tobago having been published in the last gazette, without any part of my dispatch to the secretary Annual Register, 1781, Public Papers, p. 143. Capitulation of the Island of Tobago, between the Comte de Grasse, the Marquis de Bouille, and George Ferguson, Esq. and the Honourable Major Stanhope. "ARTICLE 1. The governor, staff, and other officers of the troops, and soldiers of the garrison of the island of Tobago, shall march out of the redoubt with the honours of war, and afterwards lay down their arms, the officers excepted. "2. The officers and troops, with their wives and children, shall be sent to France, except such as shall obtain the French general's permission to remain in the Windward Islands on parole. "3. The inhabitants of the island shall preserve their civil government, laws, customs, and ordinances; and the shall be continued in their functions till the peace, as long as they conduct themselves properly. The court of chancery shall be held by the members of the council in the form established, until the peace; but appeals from the said court shall be made to the council of His most Christian Majesty. "4. The inhabitants in general and clergy shall be protected in the enjoyment of their estates, and of every thing in their possession, as well as of the privileges, rights, honours, and exemptions, They shall have the free exercise of their religion, and the clergy shall enjoy their benefices. The free Negroes and Mulattoes shall be maintained in their liberty, but no slave shall be franchised |