Appendix 255

fore-sail and top sails they hauled their wind and made from them. Captain Nicholls imagining that the big- ness of the vessel, and her having so many men on board, it being war time, might occasion a distrust, ordered the main-mast to be cut away, to undeceive them. They had people all the time at the shrouds to cut away in case of necessity. One of the shrouds not being properly cut, checked the main mast, and brought her up right athwart the boats. Captain Nicholls ran aft himself and cut both the boat’s painters, or else they would have been stove to pieces and sunk immediately. A dismal thing to be obliged to cut away the only thing that could be the means of saving their lives and after- wards to see the ships basely desert them! Driven from the greatest joy to the utmost despair, death now ap- peared more dreadful. They had only the fore-sail hang- ing in the brails, and the braces of both preventers being rendered useless by the falling off of the main mast, and the yard flying backwards and forwards, by the rolling of the ship, they were fearful she would over- set entirely.

They ran from the boats till they could but just see them; and finding that they did not endeavour to join them, though they had each oars, fore-mast, and fore- sails, Captain Nicholls consulted with the boatswain on the best measures to be adopted in their deplorable situation. The captain thought, that at all events, they should bring the ship to, though he confessed it a ter- rible attempt to hazard her upsetting. The boatswain said it appeared too hazardous, as the vessel steered very well. However, finding the men in the boats did not attempt to join them, the captain called all the people aft and told them his resolution. They declared it was