26
THE
FOLLOWING PARTICULARS
Giving an Account of the narrow
Escape of Mr. Gramshaw,
a Cadet,
Are taken from the Gentleman’s
Magazine.
ON the awful night of the 5th of February, about
nine
o’clock, the passengers were informed of their perilous
situation; on which, every one was endeavouring to gain
an imagined place of safety. Mr. G.
and two more
of the cadets, after hearing these terrific words, “We
must all go down with the ship!” went into the cabin,
where they continued some time looking at each other,
without uttering a word. At last
one of them said,
“Let us return upon deck;” and two of them did so.
Mr. G. remained behind. He then
opened his wri-
ting-desk, and took out his commission, his letters of
introductions, and some cash; after which, he went
27
upon deck, but did not see either of his companions:
he then bent his eyes forward, when, at the moment,
the ship went down head foremost! The
sea in an im-
mense column swept along the deck to where he
then was, endeavoring to ascend the steps leading to
the poop, when he was launched into the deep!
The
night was cold, the sea in its utmost rage, and the wind
blowing very vehemently. Mr. G. not
knowing how
to swim, and being encumbered with a great coat and
boots, supposes, that, when the stern of the ship went
down, he must have been drawn round it by the vor-
tex occasioned by her sinking, as he found himself
on the contrary side of the ship from which he had
been precipitated.
Whilst he was endeavoring to keep himself from sink-
ing, something dashed against his hand two or three
times, which he caught hold of, and found it to be a
rope hanging from the mizen shrouds. This
fortunate
circumstance re-animated his drooping spirits.
He
endeavored, and did climb up it several feet; but, his
boots, great coat, and other cloaths, being now in
every part filled with water, he slipped down it into
the sea! His spirits now failed
him, having made his
utmost efforts to preserve life: he resigned himself to
28
the will of his Creator; but at this fearful moment,
the ship gave a lurch, by which he was canted
into the mizen shrouds! He then
fixed himself as
well as he could, by grasping the rattlings.
In this
situation he remained a length of time, shivering and
benumbed with cold.
Mr. Gilpin, the fourth mate, a man possessing a heart of
the most inestimable texture, had, with about twenty
others, gained the mizen top. Impelled
by the dictates
of humanity, he descended the shrouds, with a view,
no doubt, to render assistance to any that might be in
want of it; when he discovered Mr. Gramshaw,
whom he lifted into the mizen top, and place him
with the others already there. During
their stay
there, viz. from the hour of 11 to 7 in the morning,
he at various times continued cheering his companions
in distress, and requested them to keep up their
spirits.
29
Wednesday
the 24th of April being a very stormy
day with a strong gale at S. E. part of the deck is
supposed to have been broken up by the violent com-
motion of the sea. Numbers of
people walk’d the
beach, with lights, a great part of the night, and
many articles are supposed to have been pick’d up.
About thirty bodies floated ashore above the town.
Mrs. Blair’s remains were taken up on the 23d, and
on the 25th, interred, with every mark of due respect,
in Weymouth Church-yard. It is but
just to observe,
that all the bodies yet found have been buried with
great decency.
The
remains of Mr. Bagot, the First Mate, were
taken up, on the 19th of July, and tho’ much dis-
figured, were recognized by Mr. Steuart the Purser,
who, having remained in Weymouth since the fatal
catastrophe, has been constantly and kindly attentive
to the last offices of christian friendship.
30
July,
1805.
The Abergavenny continues nearly in the same state
as when she sunk, excepting that she heels more to
port. A Diver has repeatedly been
down, and has suc-
ceeded in getting up her two anchors, some copper,
and other things. It is presumed
that by the active ex-
ertions of the Gentlemen who have undertaken it, the
greater part of her cargo will be recovered.
