Navigating the Lower Saint Lawrence in the 19th Century.
| o'clock when the lead
was hove gained seventy one fathoms. I reported it to the Captain, he asked whether I was sure of gaining that sounding. I said yes, having been by the quarter master when he ascertained it. At this time, it was ten minutes past eight o'clock. It was then thick weather with small rain. The ship, when I left the deck, was under single reefed topsails, courses, top gallant sails, jib, driver and stay sail going through the water three and six knots. At this time I was relieved by the gunner. I gave orders to the gunner to keep a good lookout and that the lead had been hove and gained seventy one fathoms. That the land was set by the Master and myself, but it was not to be seen then from the weather being so hazy. Q. Did you inform him how far you were off the land then? A. No. Q. What was the supposed distance from the land at the time you set it? A. About three leagues but from the haziness of the weather, and the snow being on the land, I cannot judge if that is the distance, I could have judged it if it had been otherwise. Q. Did the Captain send to you after you were relieved and did you point to him the situation of the ship? A. Yes. Q. Did you suppose that to be the situation of the ship? A. From the appearance of the bearings, drawn out on the chart and my knowledge of the distance of the land, I supposed that to have been the bearings which had been taken by the Master and myself. Q. Was the chart you saw similar to the one before the Court? A. It was an Admiralty chart and similar to the one before the Court, I believe. Q. Had there been any snow? A. A sleet and it snowed afterwards. Q. Was every exertion made to save the ship after she was on shore by the officers and people? A. Yes. Q. What was the conduct of the crew after they landed? A. It was not until late on Monday evening that anything came on shore from the ship, which the ships company could get hold of, which were some cases of wine. The men broke them open, and drank to that excess which made them speechless and unable to move, and the next morning, after the ship had fallen to pieces, several casks of rum were found on the beach and the men were drunk which, when examined, it was proved that the casks had been stoved by them and it kept them in that state of drunkenness and insolence that we could but with great difficulty and exertion on the part of the officers get them to go along shore to see for provisions and look for parts of the wreck which were necessary for the repairs of the boats. Q. Can you name any of the people who conducted themselves in this way? A. Christopher Birch, John Rowell, Walter Howell and Joseph Cooper, the two prisoners in Court, and John Dudding. Harwell was one I saw in that state, but from his being frost bitten, he was unable to go. Birch, Joseph Cooper, Rowell and John Dudding were punished. I did not see them in that state after such punishment. Q. What do you know respecting the conduct of Walter Howell between the thirtieth of April and fifth of May? A. On the thirtieth of April, he was complained of by the Second Lieutenant Mr C. Bailey of being drunk at quarters. He was confined on the poop and though repeatedly told not to make any noise, he still continued jumping on the poop and dancing till the Captain came out and ordered him to be locked in the mizzen top. He there continued making a noise till he was threatened to be gagged and at a quarter after eight o'clock, he was taken down from thence and sent below, apparently sober. I saw nothing of the circumstance that happened on shore till he was confined, my being along shore with some of the men looking for provisions. |
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