. SSI 'i'fr
68 LOSS OF THE THETIS. December
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starboard tack until Ih. 30m. p .m ., when it was considered
that Cape Frio bore about N. 40° E., distant thirty-eight
imles. The position at noon, by dead reckoning, gave the
Cape hearing N. 43. E., distant forty-one miles ; all the calculations
giving results between that and N. 51. E., fifty-three
miles; but by dead reckoning only, as neither sun, moon, or
stars had been seen. At Ih. 30m. the wind being scant, the
ship was steered E. by N., and at two, a cross sea checking her
way through the water, the course was altered to E.N. E. At
two, when the course was thus changed, she had run nineteen
miles since noon, and at four, twenty more miles had been
made on the E.N.E. course; at which time, four p .m . (under
the idea that she was almost abreast of Cape Frio, supposed to
be then distant about twenty-four miles), seeing a large ship,
‘ courses down,’ in-shore of her, steering west or W. by N.,
with all sail se t; and the weather clearing, for an interval,
without any land being seen ; it was concluded that the Thetis
was still further from the shore than had been estimated, and
her course was altered to N.E. by E. At five, the crew was
mustered at quarters, after which the reefs were mended, and
the fore top-gallant sail, jibs, spanker, and reefed fore topmast
studding-sail were set. From four o’clock to six she ran,
by log, twenty-one miles; after six the weather became very
thick and rainy : and when the look-out men were relieved at
eight o’clock, it was so dark, and rained so fast, that nothing
could be distinguished half a ship’s length distant. Soon after
eight one of the look-out men, named Robinson, said to another
man on the forecastle,* “ Look how fast that squall is
coming” (this was the cliff looming indistinctly through the
rain and darkness), and next moment, “ Land a-head, “ Hard
a-port,” rung in the ears of the startled crew, and were echoed
terribly by the crashing bowsprit, and thundering fall of the
ponderous masts.
The hull did not then strike the rocks, having answered
the helm so fast as to be turning off shore when the bowsprit
• Bovsworthick. Bo th these men af terwards sailed wi th me in th e
II
1830. LOSS OF THE THETIS. 69
broke ; but the lee yard-arm irons (boom-irons) actually struck
fire from the rocky precipice as they grated harshly against it,
the boom ends snapping off like icicles.
All three masts fell aft and inward, strewing thé deck with
killed and wounded men. An immense black barrier impended
horribly, against which heavy breakers were dashing with an
ominous sound ; but the ship’s hull was still uninjured. Sentries
were placed over the spirit-room ; a sail was hoisted upon
the stump of the main-mast ; the winches were manned ; guns
fired ; rockets sent up, and blue-lights burned ; the quarter-
boats were cleared away to be ready for lowering ; and an
anchor was let go ; but the water was so deep, that before she
brought up, her stern drifted upon a more shelving part of the
rock. Several men then tried to land ; but, in jumping ashore,
many slipped, and were drowned in the surf, or crushed
against the rocks. The stern and lee quarter boats were dashed
to pieces, as the surf hove the ship against the cliff, and no
boat was then available ; for the others were either stove, or so
covered with wreck, that they could not be used. Finding that
the anchor, which had been let go, did no good, but seemed
to keep her tailing upon the rocks, the cable was slipped, after
which her head fell off to the westward. It was then found
that the water was gaining, and the winches were worked.
Successive waves threw her starboard quarter upon the rocks ;
and the effects of repeatedly striking were soon but too apparent,
as the water hurst open the spirit-room hatches.
At this moment a small opening appeared, into which the
ship providentially drove. It was at first thought that this
was the opening into Cape Frio Harbour ; but it proved to be
only a very small cove, or indentation of the rocky cliffs. ’IVhile
drifting close along the rocks into this cove, a hawser was
passed ashore, by which afterwards several persons landed.
The ship struck heavily in the cove, gave some tremendous
yawns, and sunk. As she then lay upon the rocky bottom,
each succeeding wave broke over and just covered her. By a
violent surge, the rock to which the hawser above-mentioned
had been made fast, was torn away ; and, for a short time, all
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