CORRECT STATEMENT OF THE

LOSS

OF THE

EARL OF ABERGAVENNY,

EAST INDIAMAN,

JOHN WORDSWORTH, Commander,

Which was driven furiously on the Rocks off the

BILL OF PORTLAND,

And lost near the spot where the Halsewell was wrecked,

FEBRUARY 5, 18O5,

WHEN NEAR

Three Hundred Persons Perished,

WITH A CARGO OF ABOUT 200,000l. VALUE,

_______

ALSO

THE SHIPWRECK OF

OCCUM CHAMNAN;

A SIAMESE NOBLE.
_________________________________
LONDON :
Printed for THOMAS TEGG, 111, Cheapside.
PRICE ONLY SIXPENCE

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________

L O S S

OF THE

EARL OF ABERGAVENNY,

EAST INDIAMAN,

February 5, 1805.

__________________

OF this melancholy disaster, which happened within a few
miles from the spot where the Halsewell, East Indiaman, had
been previously wrecked, no regular account has ever been
published; the journals as well as the captain and vessel,
having been lost.
    Cornet Burgoyne, of His Majesty's 8th regiment of light
dragoons, who had the command of the troops on board this
unfortunate vessel, was, we believe, the first who communi-
cated the fatal intelligence to the Governors of the East
India House. Further information was also received from
Mr. Gilpin, fourth officer of the ship, who was one of the few
who had fortunately escaped. Some other cursory accounts
afterwards arrived; from the whole of which we hope to pre-
sent our readers with a more complete and satisfactory nar-
rative than has hitherto appeared.
    The Earl of Abergavenny was a large vessel of consider-
able tonnage, being, at least, 1500 tons burthen. She was
built for the China trade, and inferior only to the Ganges in
the service.

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8

    On Friday, February the 1st, 1805, the Earl of Aberga-
venny, East Indiaman, Captain Wordsworth, sailed from
Portsmouth, in company with the Royal George, Henry
Addington, Wexford, and Bombay Castle, under convoy of
his Majesty's ship Weymouth, Captain Draper.
    The Earl of Abergavenny was engaged in the Company's
service for six voyages, and this was the fourth on which she
was proceeding.  Her company consisted of

    In going through the Needles, they unfortunately se-
parated from the convoy.  The fleet, in consequence, lay
to nearly the whole of the next day; but seeing nothing
of the Weymouth, proceeded under moderate sail to-
wards the next port, with the hopes of being joined by the
convoy.
    On the 5th, the convoy not appearing, it was deemed ex-
pedient to wait her arrival in Portland Roads, particularly
as the wind had become rather unfavorable, having shifted
several points from the N.E.  Captain Clarke, of the Wex-
ford, being the senior commander, and consequently com-
modore, made the signal for those ships that had taken pilots
on board to run into the Roads.
    The Earl of Abergavenny having at about half past three
P. M. got a pilot on board, bore up for Portland Roads
with a steady wind, when on a sudden the wind slackened,
and the tide setting in fast, drove her rapidly towards the
Shambles.  The nearer she approached, the less she was un-
der management; and being at lost totally ungovernable,
was driven furiously on the rocks, off the Bill of Portland,
about two miles from the shore.  She remained on the rocks
nearly an hour, beating incessantly with great violence, the
shocks being so great that the officers and men could scarce-
ly keep their footing on the deck. 

9

    At four P.M. the shocks became less violent, and in about
a quarter of an hour she cleared the rocks.  The sails were
immediately set, with an intention to run for the first port,
as the ship made much water; but the leak increased so
fast, that the ship would not obey the helm.  In this situa-
tion, it was considered necessary to fire signal guns of dis-
tress.  Twenty were fired : the danger did not, however,
appear to those on board sufficient to render it necessary for
the ship's boats to be hoisted out at this moment, as the wea-
ther was moderate, and the ship in sight of the fleet and
shore.
    The leak increased fast upon the pumps at five P. M.
Soon after striking, the hand pumps started above six in-
ches, and shortly after the water increased from six to eight
feet in spite of every exertion at the pumps.  All endea-
vours to keep the water under were in vain, and night set-
ting in rendered the situation of all an board melancholy in
the extreme : the more so, as it was then ascertained that the
ship had received considerable damage in her bottom, imme-
diately under the pumps.  All hands took their turn at the
pumps, alternately bailing at the fore hatchway.
    At eight o'clock their situation became more dreadful, when 
it was found impossible to save the ship, which was eventually
sinking fast; and settling in the water.  Signal guns were
again discharged incessantly.  The purser, with the third
officer, Mr. Wordsworth, and six seamen, were sent on
shore, in one of the ship's boats, to give notice to the inhabi-
tants of the distressed state of the ship and crew.  At this
time a pilot boat came off, and Mr. Evans, with his daugh-
ter, Miss Evans, Mr. Routledge, Mr. Taylor, a cadet, and
Miss Jackson, passengers, embarked for the shore, notwith-
standing a dreadful sea, which threatned them with almost
instant loss.
    For a few moments the general attention of the crew was
diverted in observing the boats leave the ship ; but these un-
fortunate people were soon reminded of their own approach-
ing fate, by a heavy swell, which baffled almost every at-
tempt to keep the ship above water.  Every one assured of
his fate, and notwithstanding the unremitting attention of
the officers, confusion commenced on board, as soon as it was
giving out that the ship was sinking.
    At 10 P. M. several sailors entreated to be allowed more
liquor, which being refused, they attacked the spirit-room,
but were repulsed by the officers, who never once lost sight
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10

of their character, or that dignity so necessary to be pre-
served on such an occasion, but continued to conduct them-
selves with the utmost fortitude till the last.
    One of the officers, who was stationed at the door of the
spirit-room, with a brace of pistols, to guard against surprise
in so critical a moment, at which post he remained even
while the ship was sinking, was much importuned by a sail-
or, while the water poured in on all sides, to grant him
some liquor. The man said he was convinced "it would
be all one with them an hour hence." The officer, however,
true to his trust in this perilous moment, had courage
enough to repulse the man, and bid him go to his duty
with his fellow comrades, observing, "that if it was God's
will they should perish, they should die like men."
    At half past ten the water had got above the orlop-deck,
in spite of the endeavours of the officers and crew, who be-
haved in the most cool and examplary manner. All on
board were now anxiously looking out for boats from the
shore, many wishing they had taken refuge in those that had
already left the ship, as their destruction on board appeared
inevitable. The utmost exertions became necessary to keep
the ship above water till the boats came off from the shore.
Unfortunately, in the general distress and agony of the mo-
ment, the ship's boats were not hoisted out, when every soul
on board might possibly have been saved.
    At eleven o'clock, a fatal swell gave the ship a sudden
shock: she gave a surge, and sunk almost instantaneously,
two miles from Weymouth beach; with scarce five minutes
warning, she went down by the head in twelve fathom water,
after a heavy heel, when she righted and sunk with her masts
and rigging standing. Many clung to loose spars, and float-
ed about the wreck, but the majority took refuge in the
shrouds. The severe shock of the ship going down, made
several let go their hold; whilst others, by the velocity of the
ship's descent, had not power to climb sufficiently fast to
keep above the water.
    When the hull of the ship touched the ground, about one
hundred and eighty persons were supposed to be in the tops
and rigging: their situation was beyond all description
wretched; the yards only were above water and the sea was
breaking over them, in the dead of a cold and frosty night.
In about half an hour. their spirits were revived, by the
sound of several boats beating against the waves at a short
distance, but alas! how vain their hopes, when on hailing

11

tine boats, not one of them came to their assistance. The
sound of them died away, and they were again left to the
mercy of the rude waves.
    By twelve o'clock the numbers had much decreased: the
swell had swept some off, whilst others were, from the pierc-
ing cold, unable longer to retain their hold. Every mo-
ment they perceived some friend floating around them, for
a while, then sinking into the abyss to rise no more!
    About this time a sloop was discovered; she had fortun-
ately heard the signal guns, and came to an anchor close by
the ship. The weather was moderate, and those who had
survived, were promised a speedy delivery. The sloop's
boat was immediately manned, and proceeded to the rigging
that remained above water, when every person was taken
off. The boat returned three times, taking twenty each
turn. Nothing could be more correct than the conduct of
the crew on this occasion they coolly got into the boat,
one by one, and those only as they were named by their
officers.
    When it was supposed that every one was brought off,
and the boat was about to depart for the last time, a person
was observed in one of the tops: he was hailed to but did
not answer. Mr. Gilpin the fourth officer, (whose extra-
ordinary exertions on this occasion, as well as throughout
the whole of this unfortunate affair, entitle him to the high-
est commendation) returned to the wreck, and there found
a man in an inanimate state, exhausted from the severe cold.
He most humanely brought him down on his back, and
took him to the boat; the man proved to be serjeant Heart
of the 22d regiment. Every possible care was taken of
him, but to no effect; he died about twelve hours after he
was landed.
    The sloop having now, as we supposed, taken on board all
the survivors of the ship, returned to Weymouth. She had
not, however, proceeded far, before it was perceived that
Mr. Baggot, the chief officer, was close astern. The sloop
immediately lay too for him ; but this noble spirited young
man, although certain of securing, his own life, disregarded
his safety, on perceiving Mrs. Blair, an unfortunate fellow
passenger, floating at some distance from him. He succeed-
ed in coming up with her, and sustained her above water,
while he swam towards the sloop; but just as he was on the
point of reaching it, a swell came on, and his strength being
totally exhausted, he sank and never rose again. The unfor-

12

tunate Mrs. Blair sunk after him, and this generous youth
thus perished in vain.
    It was nearly two o'clock before she weighed anchor from
the wreck, but the wind being favorable she soon reached
the port. On mustering those who had landed, it appear-
ed that only 139 persons had reached the shore out of
402 who had embarked. The greatest attention was paid
to the unfortunate sufferers by the mayor and alderman, as
well as the principal inhabitants of Weymouth ; and the
purser was immediately dispatched to the India House with
the melancholy intelligence.
    At daylight, February the 6th, the top-masts of the ship
were seen from Weymouth. During the time the passen-
gers and crew remained in the tops she appeared to have
sunk eight feet, and was considerably lower in the morning;
it was therefore conjectured, that she had sunk on a mud
bank. The Greyhound cutter was immediately stationed
to guard the wreck, and the boats from the Rover succeed-
ed in stripping the masts of the rigging.
    On the 7th her decks had not been blown up, and she
appeared to remain in exactly the same state in which
she had sunk. Her sinking so steadily is attributed to
the great weight of her cargo, her floorings consisting
chiefly of earthen ware. The cargo of the ship was es-
timated at "200,000, besides which she had on board
dollars to the amount of 275,000 ounces, and is sup-
posed to have been one of the richest ships that ever
sailed for India.
    About 80 officers and seamen were saved, 11 passengers,
15 Chinese, 5 out of 32 cadets, and 45 recruits. The cap-
tain was drowned. He was nephew to the Captain Words-
worth, who formerly commanded the Earl of Abergavenny,
and was considered one of the first navigators in the ser-
vice. He was on his third voyage as captain, and painful
to relate, perished with his ship, disdaining to survive
the loss of so valuable a charge: his conduct throughout
the distressing scene, has been spoken of in terms of the
highest praise.
    It is an extraordinary fact, that the captain felt such an
unaccountable depression of spirits, that he could not be per-
suaded to go through the usual ceremony of taking leave of
the Court of Directors on the day appointed; and it was
not till the Wednesday following, which was specially fixed
for that purpose, that he yielded to the wishes of his friends,

13

and reluctantly attended the Court! He was a man of re-
markably mild manners: his conduct was in every instance,
so well tempered, that he was known, among his shipmates,
by the title of " the Philosopher."
    As soon as the ship was going down, Mr. Baggot, the
chief officer, went on the quarter-deck, and told the captain,
"that all exertions were now in vain; the ship was rapidly
sinking." Captain Wordsworth, who, no doubt, expected
it, steadfastly looked him in the face, and, at last, with every
appearance of a heart-broken man, faintly answered: "Let
her go! God's will be done." These were the last words he
uttered-from that instant he was motionless. In a few mo-
ments the ship sunk, and many who were climbing the
shrouds endeavoured to save him, but without success. In
this endeavour Mr. Gilpin was foremost, and made several
unsuccessful attempts, at the evident risk of his own life.
    Several attempts were made to recover some of the pro-
perty but with little success; for there was scarcely suffici-
ent recovered to defray the expences which were consequent-
ly incurred.
    We shall conclude this brief but interresting narrative,
with the following lines, which were written and published
on the occasion

By Laura Sophie Temple.

THOU know'st, my God! with what a sadden'd heart
I heard the dreadful tale. Witness the thoughts
That harrow'd up my soul, and bade her pause
To view the awful judgments of thy hand,
When wafted from the deep, the tidings came!
And oh! for those whose horror-sticken ears
Drank in some worshipp'd name, decreed by Fate
To swell her mournful list-whose frenzied eyes,
Wishing to doubt, yet forc'd to yield belief,
Gaz'd on the page that doom'd each hope to die,
Each sunny hope, that o'er th' enamour'd soul
Curl'd like the mantling tendrils of the vine.
Methinks I hear the uproar of the waves,
The war of winds !-Hark to the yelling gust
That sweeps the main! and view yon frowning sky
Gend'ring the death-fraught storm! e'en now 'tis ripe !

14

See how it rages in the lightning's glance,
In ev'ry flash! Now on the mountain-wave,
Magnificently wild, onward it rides,
Intent on ill, and spreading wide its wing-
Its dusky wing-quenches the glorious fires
Of intellect and Valour; blasts the flush
Of expectation, crushes ev'ry hope
That warmly nestled in the breast of Love.
For Fancy whispers that some gallant youth,
Forbade by Fortune's frown to taste of joy,
Or with the noon of Beauty's fav'ring smile
To bless his bloom of years, breath'd the deep pray'r,
Sigh'd out the last adieu, then sorrowing went
To seek the Eastern world; and gain by toil
The myrtle wreath of Love. Ah! hapless youth!
Never, no never, shall its fragrant buds
Blush on thy manly brow : the day has ris'n
Whose night will see thee low ! farewell to hope,
Farewell to earthly bliss! In other realms
Look for thy charmer's smile; on brighter shores
Seek for a wreath of joy, 'a fadeless wreath,
That Time can never tarnish, or rude Fate
Snatch from thy eager grasp. Remorseless winds!
Ye wild insatiate waves! how rich your prey!
If Fancy lies not, if her gloomy hand
Sketches the forms of truth -would that she lied
For Nature shudders, and the eye of Thought
Weeps at her tale. But if her tints are true,
If Love's warm wish and wildly throbbing pulse
Sleep in the greedy deep - if Valour's Genius
Broods o'er the wave, and, in funereal strain,
Mourns for his sons beneath-oh! then, my God!
Comfort the widow'd heart, and let thy hand
Wipe from th' uplifted eye the orphan's tear!