Boon Island: including Contemporary Accounts of the Wreck of the Nottingham Galley

by Kenneth Roberts

  Page 60

  September 25. 1710. we sail'd from this Port, bound for Boston in New England.

  December 11. 1710. we being then on the Coast of New England, and close on Board of Cape Porpus, the Mate told him, That he did not know any business we bad so nigh the Shore, and that it was his better way to bawl further to the Southward. The said Master would not take his Advice if the Ship went to the Bottom.

  At or about Eight this Morning the said Master came to the Mate and knock'd him down with a Block, such as Barbers make Wigs on. We all thought that he had kill'd him, for he lay dead some time, and lost a great deal of Blood.

  Between Eight and Nine this Night the Ship run ashore, the Wind at E.S.E. and a moderate Gale. The Mate being then in his Cabbin, and hardly done bleeding, got on the Deck, tho' badly able, and ordered the Masts to be cut away, which we did, and by God's Assistance got all ashore, it being a desolate Land, about Three Leagues from the Main. We then steer'd W. and by S. so that if we had miss'd it we should have run ashore on the Main. This Island is called by the Name of Boon Island. We remained on it Twenty-four Days, and suffered a great deal of Hardship; at which time we were fetched off by a Piscataqua Boat, and carried ashore.

  Some Days after the Master drew up a Protest, which the Mate and Boatswain signed, the Mate being then very ill with a Flux and Fever, and the Boatswain and George White declares, That the Protest was false, and hardly a Word of Truth in it, but for fear of being put out of his Lodging, he then being very Sick and Lame, sign'd it.

  As soon as the Mate recover'd, we all and every of us declare, and give our Oath, That this is the real Truth, and the said Master's Protest to be false; which we now before the Worshipful Justice of the Peace disavow and give our Oaths, That this is the Truth; and that if the said Master had taken the Mate's Advice,

  Page 61

  the Ship, with God's Assistance, might have been in Boston Harbour several Days before she was lost.

  CHRISTOPHER LANGMAN, MATE.

  NICHOLAS MELLIN, BOATSWAIN.

  GEORGE WHITE, SAILOR.

  Christopher Langman, Nicholas Mellin, and George White, personally appeared before me the Subscriber, one of Her Majesty's Justices of the Peace at Portsmouth in the Province of New Hampshire in New England, and Member of Council within the same, this 9th Day of February, 171011. and made Oath to the Truth of what is above written, Captain Dean at the time of taking this Oath being present.

  SAMUEL PENHALLOW.

  Christopher Langman, late Mate of the late Ship called the Nottingham, of the Burden of about 120 Tons, whereof John Dean was Master, Nicholas Mellon, Boatswain, and George White Sailor, all belonging to the said Ship, do severally make Oath as followeth, viz. And first, the said Christopher Langman for himself saith, The said Ship being designed on a Voyage from London to Killybags, and from thence to New England, she departed from the Nore the 7th of August, 1710. in company with her Majesty's Ship Sheerness, which they left off of Whitby. That on the 21st of the same Month they saw Two Sail to the Leeward, which gave chace to the said Ship Nottingham for about the space of Three Leagues; in which time, (notwithstanding this Deponent told the said Dean they were Enemies) he often would have bore down upon them; that the Day following they saw the Privateers again, when the said John Dean (contrary to the Will of this Deponent) would have brought the said Ship Nottingham

  Page 62

  to an Anchor, which if done, she would in all probability have been taken. That they then left the said Privateers, and arrived with their said Ship that Night at Killybags aforesaid, where they deliver'd what Goods were thereto consigned. That on the 29th Day of September, in the Year aforesaid, they departed with the said Ship Nottingham from the said Port for Boston in New England. In Prosecution of which Voyage, being on the Coast of New England, the said John Dean, without any Provocation, came to this Deponent and knock'd him down after a very barbarous and inhumane manner, and between Eight and Nine of the Clock at Night of the same Day, the said Ship Nottingham was run on Shore on the Coast of New England, (contrary to the Advice of this Deponent) where she, with the chiefest Part of her Cargo, was utterly lost. And lastly, This Deponent believeth, that the said John Dean, according to his Working of the said Ship in the said Voyage, design'd to lose her.

  CHRISTOPHER LANGMAN

  And the said Nicholas Mellen for himself saith, That the several Allegations, Matters and Things contained in the aforegoing Deposition of Christopher Langman, are just and true in every Particular thereof. And this Deponent saith, That at the Time they were chased by the said Privateers he was present, and did hear Mr. Charles Whitworth (then on board the said Ship, and adjudged Part Owner thereof) say, That he would rather the said Ship should be lost than obtain her design'd Port in Safety, having made 200 £. Insurance. And this Deponent saith, That the said John Dean at the same time declared, That his Brother Jasper Dean had made 300 £. Insurance; and immediately after said, If he thought he could secure the Insurance, he would run the Ship on Shore; and upon the same

  Page 63

  order'd this Deponent to hoist the Boat over the Side of the Ship, which done, the said John Dean put therein all his valuable Effects, with a Design to run the said Ship on Shore, but was prevented by the Deponent Christopher Langman, by whose Assistance the said Ship arrived at her Port of Killybags, and having reloaded departed for Boston in New England, upon which Coast making the Land, the Deponent being on the Watch, call'd up the said John Dean, and told him there was Land just to the Leeward of them, and the Deponent Christopher Langman being call'd up also, desired the said Ship might be put off from the Shore, which the said John Dean refus'd if she went to the Bottom; and for the said Langman's Advice threatned to fetch up a Pistol and shoot him, and did go down, and came up behind him and knock'd him down with a Loggerhead, by means whereof he lay dead for several Minutes, and the same Night the said Ship Nottingham run ashore upon a desolate Rock, and was stav'd in Pieces: And this Deponent saith, That if the Ship had missed that Misfortune, she would have run ashore on the Main Land, which he believes was the Master's Design: And on the said Rock we should have been lost our selves, had not the Mate Langman, who was then bleeding and cutting down the Mast (under God) sav'd our Lives; in which Island the Cook was frozen to Death, and the Carpenter dying next having been reduced to Hunger, the Master skinned him and cut him up, and they eat him, when Two of the Ship's Company went on Shore on a Raft, one of which was never heard of, the other was found dead in the Woods, by which means the Country understanding a Wreck, came off with a Shallop, whereby they had a Fire after the 22nd Day, with which they broiled the rest of the Man, until the 24th Day after their being arrived on the Island before they were relieved.

  NICHOLAS MELLEN.

  Page 64

  And the said George White for himself saith, That on the 7th of August, 1710, they departed with the said Ship Nottingham from the Nore, on the Voyage to Killybags and New England, that in Prosecution of the voyage on the 21st Day of August, in the Year aforesaid, there appear'd off the Coast of Ireland two Ships to the Leeward, to which the said John Dean would have bore down, but that the Deponent Langman and the Men believ'd they were Privateers, and advis'd to the contrary, and would not consent to his bearing down. And this Deponent saith, That Mr. Charles Whitworth, then on board the said Ship, and said to be a Part Owner thereof, declared, That he had rather be taken than not; and the next Day the said Master John Dean would have run the said Ship Nottingham on Shore, provided he thought the Insurance would be paid, and then declared his Brother had 300 £. assured, and Mr. Whitworth 200 £. assured, and so put out some Goods into the Board (which was then in the Tackle) to save, altho the Deponent Langman and the Men declared the said Ship was within so small a way of her Port, and might escape, which she did accordingly. That after her departure from Killybags, when she came on the Banks of Newfoundland was chased by the Pompey, Captain Den, at which the said John Dean and Mr. Whitworth seem'd to rejoice, believing him a
Privateer; but proving otherwise, they appeared disappointed. That when they came on the Coast of New England, falling in with Cape Porpus, the Mate and the men declared that it was not convenient to stand in the Shore, but to bear away to the Southward. That upon some Words arising John Dean with a Perriwig Block struck the Mate Christopher Langman Three Blows on the Head, which made him lie bleeding. That the same Day the said Ship Nottingham was run ashore upon a most desolate Island, call'd Boon Island, (which had they miss'd they must have run ashore on the main Land in a few Hours, which makes this Deponent believe in his Conscience the said Ship was

  Page 65

  designed to be lost) where the Men had been lost had not the Mate, who was then bleeding, came on Deck, and the Mast being cut down, under God saved their Lives. In which Island one of their Company, being the Cook, died, and the Carpenter dying next, they being reduced to Hunger, eat him, when Two of the Ship's Company went on Shore with a small Rafter, one was never heard of, the other was found dead in the Woods, by which the Country understanding a Wreck, came off with a Canoe, whereby they had Fire after the 22d Day, by which they broil'd the rest of the Man until the 24th Day after their being on the Island before relieved.

  GEORGE WHITE.

  Predict. Depon.

  Christopher Langman,

  Nicholas Mellen, and

  Geo. White, Jurat.

  fuerunt 1st Die Aug. Anno Dom. 1711.

  Coram me,

  W. WITHERS.

  FINIS.

  Page 66

  The John Deane Account (Revis'd)

  A Narrative of the

  Shipwreck of the Nottingham Galley, &c.

  Publish'd in 1711.

  Revis'd, and Re-Printed with Additions

  in 1726, by John Deane, Commander.

  The Nottingham Galley, off, and from London, 120 Tons, 10 Guns, and 14 Men, having taken in part of her Loading in England, and part in Ireland, sail'd, on a Trading Voyage, for Boston in New-England the 25th of September, 1710; but meeting with contrary Winds and bad Weather, they discried not the Land of New England, then cover'd with Snow, 'till the 11th of December following; and then, in a Quarter of an Hour, lost sight of it again by the Fogs and hazey Weather, that had prevented their taking an Observation for 10 or 12 Days before; which with the unaccountable Currents here met with, they could not, with certainty, determine what Part of the Coast they had seen: however, the Wind being N.E. and the Land lying N.E. and S.W. they concluded it both Safe and Adviseable to steer S.W. 'till 10 a Clock at Night, and then lie by 'till the Morning, with the Head of their Vessel off from the Land. As it blew hard, accompanied with Rain and Snow, they carried but little

  Page 67

  sail; and about 8 or 9 at Night, the Mate being slightly indisposed, the Master, upon deck, going forward, saw to his infinite sirprize, the Breakers ahead very near them; and instantly called out to the Steerman, to put the Helm hard a Starboard, was so ill obey'd in the sudden astonishment, as to have the very reverse perform'd' tho', had it been otherwise, they were too near to avoid the impending Danger; so the Ship struck, with great Violence, against a Rock call'd Bonne Island, about 7 Leagues Eastward from the Mouth of Piscataqua River. The Night was so dark that they could discern no Land; and the Sea running very high, soon heav'd the Vessel along side of the Rock, where, still continuing to make a free Pissage over them, and the Ship therewith excessively labouring, they could no longer keep the Decks; and therefore the Master calling down all Hands, spent a few Minutes in the Cabbin in earnestly supplicating Mercy; and then, exhorting one and all to use their utmost Efforts to cut the Masts by the Board, he re-ascended the Deck with such as had Presence of Mind to assist him, and cutting the weather-most Shrouds, the Fury of the Winds and Seas, with the violent Agitation of the Ship, soon broke the Masts, and they fortunately fell right towards the Rock.

  As they could only perceive something black ahead, without being certain whether Land or Rock, the Master perswaded the Mate, and two others, all good Swimmers, to quite the Wreck, and make the first Essay to recover Land, in Order to give Intelligence of the best Place of Landing for the rest of the Ship's Company, if Providence should favour their Escape.

  At this Juncture, the Master went down into the Cabin to secure some Money and Papers that might be of Service, in Case he sav'd his Life; and having first furnish'd himself with a Flint, Steel, and a little Gun-powder, just as he open'd the Box, wherein the Money and Papers lay, the Ship bulging, her Stern sunk into deeper Water, and with much Difficulty he regain'd

  Page 68

  the Fore-part of the Vessel, where hearing nothing from the first Adventurers, he concluded them lost; however, being under a Necessity of making the like Attempt, he threw off his Cloaths to his Waistcoat, and without either Wig or Cap, cast himself, with all his might, from the Wreck, seconding the Motion of the Sea towards the Rock; and lighting unexpectedly on the Foremast and Rigging that lay in the Water, he mov'd gradually forward betwixt every Sea, 'till he touch'd the Rock with his Foot; and yet the Mast proving too short, and the Rock exeeding slippery, he was obliged once more to commit himself to the Mercy of that Element, which heav'd him with such Violence against the craggy Point of the Rock, as bruised his Body, and tore his Hands miserably; and, upon the Recess of the Wave, he was carried off again into the Sea: By this Time his Strength was near exhausted, and he had taken in much Water, yet preserving the Use of his Reason, and being, upon the next Elevation of the Sea, tost upon a more eminent Part of the Rock, and catching hold thereof with such impetuous Force, as tore off the Flesh and Nails of his Fingers, he prevented his being wash'd off again, and crept up into a Place of Security, before the next Revolution of the Sea. After a little Recovery of himself, and some Discharge of Salt-water; the Master gave Assistance to the rest of the People, who, with much less Difficulty, got safe on Shore at a more commodious Place of the Rock. Ascending a little higher, they heard the three Men that first escaped to Land; and by 10 being assembled together, they, with joyful Hearts, return'd their most humble Thanks to Divine Providence for their miraculous Deliverance from so imminent a Danger.

  They then sought Shelter, to the Leeward of the Island, from the extremity of the Cold, Snow, and Rain, but found it a mere Rock, without a Shovel full of Earth, and destitute of the Growth of a single Shrub, besides, so small and inconsiderable, as not to exceed 100 Yards in length, and 50 in Breadth at high water; and

  Page 69

  withal so craggy, as not to admit of their Walking to keep themselves Warm. In this disconsolate Condition they spent the first miserable Night.

  At Appearance of Day-light the Master went to the Place of the Wreck, proposing to find Provisions, either in the Remainder of the Ship, or in the Concavities of the Rock, but was amazed to see only a few odd Things, with some Plank, Timber, and Canvas, drove on Shore, but nothing eatable, except a few Fragments of Cheese, beaten into uncouth Forms by the violent Dashing of the Sea against the Rock; this, being carefully collected, might amount, in the whole, to the Quantity of three small Cheeses, and, at some Distance, lay the broken Pieces of the masts and Yards, with some torn Sails and Cordage, all intangled in the Cables, and restrain'd by the Anchors from being driven away, yet kept moving with the Sea, at present out of their Reach.

  Fire becoming their next necessary Care, on Account of the West and cold: They fought to procure this Blessing by a Variety of Means, as Flint, Steel, and Gunpowder, and afterwards by a Drill of very swift Motion, but all the Materials in their Possession naturally susceptible of Fire, being, on this Occasion, throughly Water soak'd, after 8 or 10 Days unsuccessful Labeur, they gave over the fruitless Attempt.

  The second Night they stow'd, one upon another, under the Canvas, in the best Manner they could Devise to keep each other warm. And the following Day, the Weather clearing up, and inclining to Frost, the Master, seeing the nearest Part of the Main Land, knew it to be Cape Neddock; and from thence took Occasion of encouraging his People with Hopes of being d
iscover'd by Fishing Shallops, or other Vessels occasionally passing that Way; altho' all the while, he was conscious to himself, that rarely any Thing of this Kind happen'd at that unseasonable Time of the Year; however, he thought it good Policy to put the Best Face

  Page 70