Davy threw the lead towards them
from the end of the jibboom, but they were too far away for the line
to reach them. At length the ship's boat was launched to leeward,
four men and the mate got into her, but by this time the two boatmen
were drowned. While the ship's boat was running through the breakers
past the pilot boat, the first mate grabbed the second mate by the
collar, held on to him until they were in smooth water, and then
hauled him in. It was too dangerous for the seamen to face the
breakers again, so the pilot sang out to them to go to Snake Island.
About two o'clock in the afternoon the vessel lay pretty quiet on the
ebb tide; a fire was lighted in the galley, and all hands had
something to eat. There was not much water in the cabin; but, as
darkness set in, and the flood tide made, the seas began to come
aboard. There was a heavy general cargo in the hold, six steerage
passengers, four men and two women (one of whom had a baby), and one
cabin passenger, who was going to manage Woodside Station in place of
Long Mason, dismissed.
The sea began to roll over the bulwarks, and the brig was fast
filling with water. For some time the pumps were kept going, but the
water gained on them, and all hands had to take to the rigging. The
two women and the baby were first helped up to the foretop; then the
pilot, counting the men, found one missing.
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