Appendix 249 
     
    
   
   
    
     was appointed to lead the fleet. They took leave of the 
     
     agent, who was bound to Louisbourg. 
     
    

    
     The third day after they had been at sea, it blew a 
     
     storm in the night, being thick with sleet, and very 
     
     dark. The transport parted company with three ships 
     
     of the fleet. The storm still continuing, in a day or two 
     
     she parted with the rest. The Duke William continued 
     
     in very good order, and though the sea ran mountains 
     
     high, went over it like a bird, and made no water. 
     
    

    
     On the 10th of December, they saw a sail, which 
     
     proved to be the Violet, Captain Sugget. On coming up, 
     
     Captain Nicholls inquired how all on board were; he 
     
     replied, in a terrible situation, they had a great deal 
     
     of water in the ships, her pumps were chocked and he 
     
     was much afraid that she would sink before morning. 
     
     Captain Nicholls begged of him to keep up his spirits, 
     
     and he would, if it were possible stay by him, and spare 
     
     him a pump, which he got out of the Parnassus. He 
     
     also told him, that as the gale had lasted so long he was 
     
     in hopes that it would moderate after twelve o’clock; 
     
     but, unfortunately, it rather increased. 
     
    

    
     At changing the watch at twelve, Captain Nicholls 
     
     found that they went fast ahead of the Violet, and that, 
     
     before morning, if they did not shorten sail, they would 
     
     run her out of sight. While scudding under the fore-sail 
     
     and treble-reefed main-sail, he consulted with Captain 
     
     Moore and their mate, what was best to be done, and it 
     
     was unanimously considered necessary that the main- 
     
     top-sail should be taken in, as the only way to save their 
     
     lives was by keeping them company till the weather 
     
     should moderate. Accordingly they took in the main- 
     
     top-sail and got their three pumps ready in case of 
     
     necessity. They had forced the spare pump down the