This was our sad condition that day. A Sabbath it was, but without rest to us ; yet we wanted not the teaching and convinc- ing voice of God in his dreadful providences, had our hearts been in a fit capacity to improve it. We now saw how near we were brought to siifety, and even there Uke to perish. When we thought all danger over, then, even then,^ our greatest clanger be- fel us. To abide in this stturved condition much longer we could not, and to get out was impossible, till God should allay the storm, and change the wind. Patience and hope must be our supports, and we thought our hopes were encouraged by the many won- ders which God had Avrought in our preservation hitherto. We therefore waited that day for an opportunity of escape, but tliere was none. Cripple Cove must be our dismal lodging one night more at least, if not our grave also. Towards night indeed the wind began to veer to the N. W. but there was no putting out, the sea was so lofty, and the place blocked up with so much ice. This almost put us into utter despair, concluding, that so long con- tinuance in extremity of cold, which had so swoln our legs and feet, and burnt some of them already, would have perfectly mor- tified them all in one night more ; and that if at last God brought us out of this dreadful place, yet none but cripples should come out of Cripple Cove at last; but God had us shut up under this necessity, and there was no escape till his providential hand should open the door of a most desired opportunity. It pleased God to support us under the severities and miseries of that night also, and lengthen our lives unto
Monday the 12th of May.
As soon as the morning came, we looked on with eager desires, to find, or force our way thence, if it were possible. The wind was this morning fresh off the shore, but still a great sea came into the cove, and abundance of ice had blocked it up. But our ne- cessities were so pressing and urgent upon us, that we must (like soldiers in a beseiged garrison, whose provision is spent) sally out and force our passage through all dangers, or perish there with hunger and cold. But so great was the sea that it was concluded our boat could not possibly live in it, if we all ventured again in her ; and there- fore by consent eight of us resolved to venture out, and the other five were content to tarry, seeing it could not be other^rise, until we sent help from the first place we could get to fetch them off.
Now we found the benefit of our third oar, for no sooner were we put out, but we found the sea so great, and such a multitude of ice, that we even wished ourselves back with our miserable compa- nions again in the cove. However, we put hard to it, and by the good providence of God, at last disintangled ourselves out of the ice, but with a world of difKculty and danger.
51S -VVOXDERFUL SEA-DELIVERAXCEi:
No f;ooner was that clone but we laboured hard to get a good dis- tance off from the shore, and so roAved away to the north. About nine of the clock little wind, but within an hour a gale sprang up at north-east, just in our teeth, at which time being got a little to the northw^ard of Glamp Cove, and so faint, that we could not possibly make any more way forwards, we were forced (though with most unwilling and heavy hearts) to bear up and put in there.
We were troubled for ourselves and the disappointment of our poor companions, at least the long delay of their expectations of relief, increased our trouble. Poor hearts ! they looked for a dove with an olive-branch : but now what would they conclude, but that like the raven sent out by Noah they should see no more of us.
However, it pleased God about two in the afternoon, the wind ceased, imm.ediately we put out of Glamp Cove, and rowed along though faint and feeble as w^e could live, and about an hour, in the night, we all came alive to Renouse, blessed be theLoi'd^ where some crawled and others were helped up to the house of Mr. Kirk, Esquire, who with much compassion and humanity refreshed us with such things as the place afforded.
Im.mediately we acquainted him with the perishing state of our five companions left in Cripple Cove, begging him passionately to get a boat, men, and necessary provisions forthwith, and dispatch to them ; which he promised to endeavour ; and accordingly next morning they were to go to them to fetch them off; but there being a boat bound that night to Trepasse, we sent them twenty biscuits, a flacket ol beer, and a bottle of rum, which was delivered them timely the next day. But to our great trouble it so fell out, that partly for want of men acquainted with the cove, and partly by the omission of the masters of ships that fished there, the boat designed to fetch them off proceeded not the next day, and foul weather hindered them the following day. So that it was Thursday the 15th of May before the boat departed. Upon the arrival of the boat, they found one dead, whom they there buried, and carried away the remaining four for Trepasse, the wind not serving to bring them to Eenouse.
Being come thither, the Admiral, Capt. Berry, of Barnstaple, called the harbour together, not so much to behold a prodigy (though scarce a greater had ever been seen there) but to contri- bute to their relief and cure if it were possible, by encouraging the surgeons that were to be presently employed about them. There were two or three upon the place, who did their uttermost to pre- serve their lives and limbs, but found three of them so mortified, that they were forced presently to dismember two of them, cutting
tvoNDEUruL sea-1)]:liveiiancks. 515
off botli legs from one, and one leg from another, the third re- fusing to be dismem])ered, died, and Hkcwise those that suffered it, in four or five day^ ; one only of those four recovered.
Those that went in the boat to Renouse were all in a miserable case also. One of them died in three weeks time, his feet and hands being perished with the cold, and the rest of us in a sad con- dition ; one lost four toes, the rest had their legs as black as a coal, but by the goodness of God, and speedy use of what means could be had, their lives were preserved to declare the wonders of God among men. So that of twenty-one persons that were first in the ship, five went down with the ship, three perished in the long-boat, one in the cove, and three more at Trcpasse, and one at Renouse. So that eight only of the twenty-one survived, of which number the unworthy relater is one ; and O ! that our lives may be dedicated entirely to his praise, who hath so graciously, yea, so miraculously delivered them out of the jaws of death.
The Second NARRATIVE.