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Page 25
Our ship suffered very much in this engagement; for, besides the
number of our killed and wounded, she was almost torn to pieces, and
our rigging so much shattered, that our mizen-mast and main-yard, &c.
hung over the side of the ship; so that we were obliged to get many
carpenters, and others from some of the ships of the fleet, to assist
in setting us in some tolerable order; and, notwithstanding, it took
us some time before we were completely refitted; after which we left
Admiral Broderick to command, and we, with the prizes, steered for
England. On the passage, and as soon as my master was something
recovered of his wounds, the admiral appointed him captain of the �tna
fire-ship, on which he and I left the Namur, and went on board of her
at sea. I liked this little ship very much. I now became the captain's
steward, in which situation I was very happy: for I was extremely well
treated by all on board; and I had leisure to improve myself in
reading and writing. The latter I had learned a little of before I
left the Namur, as there was a school on board. When we arrived at
Spithead the �tna went into Portsmouth harbour to refit, which being
done, we returned to Spithead and joined a large fleet that was
thought to be intended against the Havannah; but about that time the
king died: whether that prevented the expedition I know not; but it
caused our ship to be stationed at Cowes, in the isle of Wight, till
the beginning of the year sixty-one. Here I spent my time very
pleasantly; I was much on shore all about this delightful island, and
found the inhabitants very civil.
While I was here, I met with a trifling incident, which surprised me
agreeably. I was one day in a field belonging to a gentleman who had
a black boy about my own size; this boy having observed me from his
master's house, was transported at the sight of one of his own
countrymen, and ran to meet me with the utmost haste. I not knowing
what he was about turned a little out of his way at first, but to no
purpose: he soon came close to me and caught hold of me in his arms as
if I had been his brother, though we had never seen each other before.
After we had talked together for some time he took me to his master's
house, where I was treated very kindly. This benevolent boy and I were
very happy in frequently seeing each other till about the month of
March 1761, when our ship had orders to fit out again for another
expedition. When we got ready, we joined a very large fleet at
Spithead, commanded by Commodore Keppel, which was destined against
Belle-Isle, and with a number of transport ships with troops on board
to make a descent on the place. We sailed once more in quest of fame.
I longed to engage in new adventures and see fresh wonders.
I had a mind on which every thing uncommon made its full impression,
and every event which I considered as marvellous. Every extraordinary
escape, or signal deliverance, either of myself or others, I looked
upon to be effected by the interposition of Providence. We had not
been above ten days at sea before an incident of this kind happened;
which, whatever credit it may obtain from the reader, made no small
impression on my mind.
We had on board a gunner, whose name was John Mondle; a man of very
indifferent morals. This man's cabin was between the decks, exactly
over where I lay, abreast of the quarter-deck ladder. One night, the
20th of April, being terrified with a dream, he awoke in so great a
fright that he could not rest in his bed any longer, nor even remain
in his cabin; and he went upon deck about four o'clock in the morning
extremely agitated. He immediately told those on the deck of the
agonies of his mind, and the dream which occasioned it; in which he
said he had seen many things very awful, and had been warned by St.
Peter to repent, who told him time was short. This he said had greatly
alarmed him, and he was determined to alter his life. People generally
mock the fears of others when they are themselves in safety; and some
of his shipmates who heard him only laughed at him. However, he made
a vow that he never would drink strong liquors again; and he
immediately got a light, and gave away his sea-stores of liquor. After
which, his agitation still continuing, he began to read the
Scriptures, hoping to find some relief; and soon afterwards he laid
himself down again on his bed, and endeavoured to compose himself to
sleep, but to no purpose; his mind still continuing in a state of
agony. By this time it was exactly half after seven in the morning: I
was then under the half-deck at the great cabin door; and all at once
I heard the people in the waist cry out, most fearfully--'The Lord
have mercy upon us! We are all lost! The Lord have mercy upon us!' Mr.
Mondle hearing the cries, immediately ran out of his cabin; and we
were instantly struck by the Lynne, a forty-gun ship, Captain Clark,
which nearly ran us down. This ship had just put about, and was by the
wind, but had not got full headway, or we must all have perished; for
the wind was brisk. However, before Mr. Mondle had got four steps from
his cabin-door, she struck our ship with her cutwater right in the
middle of his bed and cabin, and ran it up to the combings of the
quarter-deck hatchway, and above three feet below water, and in a
minute there was not a bit of wood to be seen where Mr. Mondle's cabin
stood; and he was so near being killed that some of the splinters tore
his face. As Mr. Mondle must inevitably have perished from this
accident had he not been alarmed in the very extraordinary way I have
related, I could not help regarding this as an awful interposition of
Providence for his preservation. The two ships for some time swinged
alongside of each other; for ours being a fire-ship, our
grappling-irons caught the Lynne every way, and the yards and rigging
went at an astonishing rate. Our ship was in such a shocking condition
that we all thought she would instantly go down, and every one ran for
their lives, and got as well as they could on board the Lynne; but our
lieutenant being the aggressor, he never quitted the ship. However,
when we found she did not sink immediately, the captain came on board
again, and encouraged our people to return and try to save her. Many
on this came back, but some would not venture. Some of the ships in
the fleet, seeing our situation, immediately sent their boats to our
assistance; but it took us the whole day to save the ship with all
their help. And by using every possible means, particularly frapping
her together with many hawsers, and putting a great quantity of tallow
below water where she was damaged, she was kept together: but it was
well we did not meet with any gales of wind, or we must have gone to
pieces; for we were in such a crazy condition that we had ships to
attend us till we arrived at Belle-Isle, the place of our destination;
and then we had all things taken out of the ship, and she was properly
repaired. This escape of Mr. Mondle, which he, as well as myself,
always considered as a singular act of Providence, I believe had a
great influence on his life and conduct ever afterwards.
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