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

by Kenneth Roberts

  on the Matter, and take this Advantage of their Ignorance and Credulity; since he already too plainly observ'd their great Dejection, and frequent Relapses into an utter Distrust of Divine Providence.

  As, after a Shipwreck, all Discipline and Command ceases, and all are reduc'd to a State of Equality; so the late Master perceiving some refusing to give Assistance even when required in necessary Matters, he purposely withdrew from the Society, under Pretence of collecting Materials for future Use, in Order to give them a fair Opportunity of freely electing an Head, or Chief Commander; but, returning one Evening, he was inform'd by the People, that they had invested him with the same full Powers of issuing all Orders, and Punishing any in Case of Disobedience, as before on board the Ship; and this they had enforced with the stronger Sanction, in Regard to some Opposition made by the Mate and two others, against the Master's any longer enjoying the Supreme Command. And from this Time forward, the Master exercis'd some Authority; but not 'till he had consulted the Body, if in any Affair of Importance.

  It will scarce meet with Credit to report how much the Impression of their Misfortunes had impair'd their Memories in so short a Space of time, so that they divided in Opinion concerning the number of Days they had been on that unfortunate Island; the Consequence whereof was, they kept two Christmas-days that Year, and two Sundays every Week, 'till Providence sent the Vessel for their Relief. About the 3d, or 4th Day, our Cook, unused to the Hardships of a Sea-faring Life, complain'd of a violent Illness, which appear'd but too visibly in his Countenance; he was lodg'd with two or three others, the most infirm, and died about Noon. They placed the Corps near Low-watermark, and the flowing Tide carried it away; none so much as hinting to reserve it for Sustenance; tho' several afterwards con-

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  fess'd, they had Thoughts of appropriating it to that Use. They as yet retain'd some Sense of Humanity, being hitherto Strangers to the exquisite Torture of excessive Hunger, they receiving the Cheese divided into equal Shares, about half a Pound a Man each Day, as the casting of Lots decided; so that the Master, who, by working very hard, when the Weather permitted, exhausted his Spirits, and render'd his Appetite more importunate, had not the least Particle more than such as gave no Manner of Assistance; however, he reap'd one Benefit, for maintaining of Warmth by Action, preserv'd a due Circulation of Blood, imparting a benign Influence to his whole System; whereas a severe Frost setting in with Extremity of Cold, so benumb'd and discolour'd the Hands and Feet of the Unactive, as render'd them, in a Manner, Useless and past sense of Feeling, not without Danger of Mortification. And such as had quitted the Wreck with Boots on, had Blisters on their Legs to such a Degree, that the Skin came off, with the Nails of their toes: All this still aggravated the Master's Care and Toil, who daily dress'd their Ulcers, and Washing them in Urine, or Salt-water, bound them up in clean Rags, supplied from two Pieces of Linnen, amongst other Things, driven on Shore; and, every Evening, they all of them wrapp'd up their Legs in large swathing Bands of Oakum, pick'd and dried for that Purpose.

  Their first Enterprize of Moment, was the erecting of a Tent, in a triangular Form, about 8 or 9 Foot in Diameter, cover'd with Sails and old Canvas, and strow'd with pick'd Oakum for Bedding; it was only Capacious enough to receive them all, lying down sideways, so that no Man could turn himself without the general Concurrence. This occasioning some Disputes, was referr'd to the Master's Appointment, who, usually, once in two Hours perform'd it, upon publick Notice given. On the Top of the Tent a Staff was fix'd, on which, as the Weather presented,

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  was hoisted up a Piece of white Cloth, in the Form of a Flag, in view of discovering themselves to any Vessel that accidentally should pass that Way.

  The next Undertaking, was the Building of a Boat out of Timber and Plank extracted from the Wreck; having for Tools the Blade of a Cutlash, made into a Saw with their Knives, an Hammer, and a Caulking-Mallet: Some Nails they found in the Clefts of the Rock, and others they drew out of the Sheathing: Three Planks were laid flat for the Bottom, and two up each Side, fix'd to Stanchings, and let into the bottom Timbers, with two short Pieces at each End, and one Breadth of new Holland's-Duck round the Vessel, to keep out the Spray of the Sea; they caulk'd her with Oakum, drawn from old Junk; and secur'd the Seames with Canvas, Pump-leather, and Sheet-lead, as far as the extent of their small Stock would allow; a short Mast was fix'd, with a square Sail; seven Paddles provided for Rowing, and an eight, longer than ordinary, for Steering: All this was accomplished whilst their Carpenter, thro' a violent Indisposition, was utterly incapacitated from giving his necessary Assistance, almost his Advice; and the Rest so enfeebled and dispirited, that only the Master and two more, could engage in dispatching the Work; and the Rigour of the Season was so extreme, that they could rarely attend it above four Hours in a Day, and sometimes do nothing at all.

  They had now been upwards of a Week without any kind of Sustenance, except the Cheese above mention'd, and the Bones of three Pieces of Beef, render'd eatable by Pounding on the Rock, whose Flesh the Fish and Salt-water had almost intirely consum'd; when, at several Leagues distance, they saw three Boats under sail, to their great Rejoicing in Hopes of Deliverance: All crept out of the Tent, and hollow'd as loud as possible, making every imaginable Signal, but all in vain, for they neither heard, or discover'd them. Notwithstanding, from hence they

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  drew Matter of Encouragement; inferring, that as the Wind was N.E. at the Time they were cast away, so Part of the Wreck being driven on the opposite Shore, might discover their Distress, and induce these Vessels from the S.W. to come out in quest of them, which they might continue to do, as oft as fair Weather presented. Their earnest Desire of Deliverance guil'd them into a Belief of this agreeable Delusion; and, tho' the Event discover'd its Fallacy, yet it serv'd, for a while, to amuse a Despair, that vastly aggravated their lamentable Condition.

  When they had almost finish'd their Boat, one Day, at low Water, they found the Carpenter's Ax cast upon the Rock of the Sea, and with it completed the Work. It was then consulted, who should adventure in her to get on Shore. The Master, offering to be one, was universally approv'd of; as being, thro' Health and Strength, best able to go through all Extremities; the Mate, the Master's Brother, and four others agreed to accompany him; and then recommending the Enterprize to the Guidance of Divine Providence, all that were capable, assisting with their joint Endeavours, haul'd their ill-made, patch'd up Boat, with infinite Difficulty, to the Water-side: This was on, or about, the 21st of December, being a fine Day, and the Water smoother than usual, yet the Surf running high, oblig'd them to wade very deep to launch her, and as soon as the Master and one more were got in, the Swell of the Sea, in spight of all their Resistance, heav'd the Boat along Shore, and overset her upon them, whereby she was stav'd to pieces, and they narrowly escap'd Drowning; with her were also lost both Ax and Hammer, Instruments that might have been of singular Use to assist them in their last Expedient of Building a Raft. This Disappointment immensely heighten'd their Afflicions, by intirely ruining all future Prospect and Projects of Deliverance; and yet that very afternoon, they had final Reason to adore the Infinite Goodness of God, graciously ordaining this Event for their Safety; for the Wind springing up,

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  blew a Storm, and had they been at sea in that paltry Resemblance of a Boat, they must, humanly speaking, have unavoidably gone to the Bottom, whilst those left behind, through Inability to provide for themselves, would have run an extreme Risque of sharing in a yet more deplorable Fate.

  And now again return'd with redoubled Impetuosity, all the Fears and Despair that had been a while suspended; during the mighty Expectations they had form'd from their Boat; and, in Truth, they were reduced to the most melancholick and miserable Circumstances. No Fire, and the Weather extreme Cold; their Hands and Feet frozen to a Degree of Mortification; several with large deep Ulcers, very offensive to the Smell, without any Plaister, save a Linnen-rag t
o wrap them into. The small Stock of Cheese spent, and nothing left to support their perishing Bodies, except Kelp, a Rockweed growing under Water, and Muscles so difficult to get, as not to allow, at most, above three a Day for each Man; in the mean Time, it became the Master's unavoidable Province, to cleanse and dress their Wounds, and procure these sorry Viands for their Sustenance; scarce a Man besides being in a Condition so much as to help himself; and, to all this, add but a too well grounded Apprehension of inevitably perishing in the next Spring-tide, if accompanied with high Winds, the Sea, at such a Crisis, overflowing the Rock. This was their State, pinch'd with Cold and Hunger, Groaning under the Extremity of Weakness and Pain, with Torture and Horror of Conscience, under a Foresight of a certain, painful, but dubious, whether sudden, or lingering, Death, without any, even, remote View of Deliverance, so that the Sufferers themselves, at any Distance of Time, cannot possibly revive in their Minds an adequate Idea of this Misery.

  As it pleased God to indulge the Master in a greater Share of Health and Strength of Body, and likewise a proportionate Vigour of Mind; so he continually endeavour'd to instill into the

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  Hearts of the dispirited People a Reliance on that Almighty Being, who is not confin'd to particular Means, nor always acts according to Human Probabilities. At the Time of quitting the Wreck, nothing but immediate Death was in View; but after their escape to the Rock, he grew more Sanguine, and scarce ever was without a secret Perswasion of Deliverance. This buoy'd up his Spirits, and enabled him, amidst so many Discouragements, to provide Rockweed and Muscles, to attend the Sick and Diseased; and, in many laborious Instances, pursue the Good of every Individual. But his frequent Exhortations to wait with Patience the appointed Time of divine Salvation avail'd nothing, since he could not possibly assign any particular Medium of Rescue, that probably might take Place in so short a Space of Time, as they had a Prospect of continuing their Lives in their present Indigence of all Things; and, indeed, when Reason only presided, he was oblig'd to give up the Point in Dispute, and pronounc'd them arriv'd at the highest degree of Calamity.

  In this Conflict of Afflictions, as a dawning of Hope to alleviate their Distress, it pleased God that the Mate should strike down a Seagull, which he brought with Joy; and the Master equally dividing, though raw, and scarce every Man a Mouthful, yet was gladly receiv'd, and eaten with great Thankfulness.

  And now, as the last Resource of Hope, they began to resolve upon composing a Raft, capable of bearing two Men; a Project all along mightily urged by a Swede, a stout, brave Fellow, that had unhappily lost the Use of both his Feet by the Frost since he came upon the Rock; and here again open'd a new Scene of Labour and Difficulty, to build this without Tools, and, almost, without Hands; however, at length, after abundance of Toil in clearing the Fore-yard from Junk, they split it in the midst, and constituting the two Parts for Side-pieces, twelve Foot long, interfix'd Spars, cover'd with the lightest Plank, four Foot broad, first Spiking, and then Seizing them firm; a short Mast was also

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  fix'd, with a Sail made of two Hammocks driven on Shore, a Paddle was likewise provided for each Man, and a spare one made fast to the Raft in Case of Necessity. During the 5 or 6 Day's Time, wherein this Work was completing, the Swede frequently importun'd the Master to accompany him in the attempt; yet giving him to understand, that if he refus'd, another was ready to embrace the Offer. The Master, deliberately weighing the Difficulties of the Adventure, judg'd them, rationally speaking, unsurmountable; considering, that Persons already so much reduc'd, must, in so severe a Season, set up to the Waist in Water 10 or 12 Hours at least, with the utmost Favour of Wind, Tide and Weather, and therefore resolv'd to decline it; but, out of Prudence, concel'd his Reasons and Resolutions, 'till Opportunity presented to put the Design in execution.

  At this time they saw a Sail coming out of Piscataqua River, about 7 Leagues to the Westward, to whom they endeavour'd to manifest themselves by all possible Devices; but the Wind being N.W. and the Ships standing to the Eastward, was presently out of Sight, to a Renewal of their Mortification.

  The next being a moderate Day, and a small Breeze of Wind in the Afternoon fitting right on Shore, and the Raft now intirely finish'd, the Swede, and his Companion, that desir'd to go upon the Master's Refusal; were very sollicitous to have the Raft launch'd, in order to pursue their, Enterprize; the Mate, on the contrary, as strenuously opposing it, in regard to its being so late as two in the Afternoon; but they replying, it was full Moon, and light Nights; and redoubling their Entreaties, extorted the Master's Consent. First, then with earnest Prayers committing them and their Design to the Divine Blessings, afterwards they launch'd the Raft, and both of them being placed upon it, the Swell of the Sea going high, maugre all their Endeavours, overset the Raft, as heretofore the Boat, and away went the Mast and

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  Sail; the Swede, being an excellent Swimmer, soon recover'd the Shore, and little regarded it; but the other, unskill'd in that Art, continued a while under Water, and upon his Appearance being dragg'd to Land by the Master, was too much discouraged to make a second Essay. The Master then desir'd the Swede to assist in getting the Raft out of the Water, in Order to wait a more favourable Opportunity; but the Swede, persisting in his Resolution, tho' unable to stand upon his Feet, and, as he was kneeling on the Rock, caught hold on the Master's Hand, and, with much Vehemency, beseeching him to accompany him, said, I am sure I must die; however, I have great Hopes of being the Means of preserving your Life, and the rest of the Peoples; if you will not go with me, I beg your Assistance to turn the Raft, and help me upon it, for I am resolutely bent to venture, even, tho' by myself alone. The Master us'd further Dissuasives, representing the Impossibility of reaching the main Land in twice the Time they might have done before they were disarm'd of their Mast and Sail; but the Swede remain'd inflexible, affirming, with Imprecation, I had rather perish in the Sea, than continue one Day more in this miserable Condition. By this Time another, animated by his Example, offering to go with him, the Master consented, and giving them some Money; that accidentally was in his Pocket, fix'd them on the Raft, and help'd to launch them off from the Rock, committing them to the Mercy of the Seas, under the Care of Divine Providence. Their last Words at parting were very Moving, and deliver'd in a Pathetic Accent: Pray Sir oblige all the People to join in Prayers for us as long as you can see us. All to a Man crept out of the Tent at this doleful Separation, and perform'd their request with much Devotion. About Sunset they judg'd them half Way to Land, and hop'd they might gain the Shore by two in the Morning; but in the Night the Wind blew very hard, and two days after the Raft was

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  found on Shore, about a Mile distant from the other Man, having his Paddle still fast to his Waist, but so much worn, as shew'd he had labour'd hard, but the bold Swede was never seen more.

  The Master had appointed these Adventurers to procure a Fire be made in the Woods, on a certain Hill, within Ken of this desolate Island; as a Signal of their getting alive on Shore, and the other expeditious Relief, and two Days after a Smoke arising from that Quarter, and daily continuing, tho' upon a different Occasion, was yet, with Reason, interpreted by them as a Token of speedy Deliverance. This Flush of Hope, under God, subserv'd for a Time to support them, accounting for the Delay by the Difficulty of procuring a Vessel, and the Freezing up of the Rivers, common in such an Inclemency of this Season of the Year; but, at last, Famine, deaf to all Remonstrances, began a new to excite Impatience.

  The Spring Tide, so justly dreaded, was now, God be thanked, safely over; however, one Inconvenience follow'd; the Waters, not falling so low as before, depriv'd 'em, in a good Measure, of the Advantage of taking Muscles, a principal Branch of their daily Aliment. This irksome Employment, others refusing, fell to the Master's Lot, who ran a great Hazard of losing both Hands and Arms by so frequently exposing them in the cold Water, altho, when taken, his Stomach rejected them as offensive thro' excessive Co
ldness, preferring Rockweed, of much easier Digestion, yet, either the Quality of the Herb, or the Effects of Hunger, render'd the Eaters very Costive. At their first Arrival they saw, and even stumbled upon, several Seals on the Rock; the Master thence inferring, it was their nightly Harbour, took frequent Walks at Midnight in View of intercepting them, but they had intirely forsaken the Island. Multitudes of Sea-Fowl also appear'd, but observing Men daily there, refus'd to lodge on the Rock.

  Their Necessities, in Regard to fresh Water, were indiffer-

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  ently well supplied all the Time by Rain, and melted Snow, lodging in the concavities of the highest Part of the Rock, though the Taste was something brackish by the Spray of the Sea, at Spring-tides, breaking over it, tho' God, of his infinite Mercy, by restraining the High Winds, prevented a total Inundation. During the Frost they preferr'd the eating of Ice, which is fresh, though congel'd from Salt-water; this the Master brought in great Lumps to the Side of the Tent, and every Man took what he pleased. They drank their Water out of a Powder-horn, and applied another to the Use of the diseased in the Tent.