________________
THE WRECK OF THE "DODDINGTON," 1755.
117
MARCH, 1902.]
off the Pentle of the Rudder, & was [were] going to Break the Stem of the Ring that was in it, but as Soon, as Our People Perceivd it [that], they Cry'd & fell on their Knees, Making Signs to them Not to do it; on Which they desisted. They then Made Signs to the Natives for Some what [thing] to Eat, on which they pointed their Lances to Our Peoples Breasts & Repeated the Same as Oft [Often] as they Ask'd. Rosenburry Took up Some Grass & Eat; Upon which, One of the Natives took up Some of the Roots, that lay by them, which I men. tioned before, & Gave to Our People. When they found there was Nothing More to be got, they made Signs for Our people to go, but the Wind Blowing Strong, Wterly, they made Signs that they Could not go. They then Made Signs for Our people to Cover themselves with the Boat and go to Sleep under her: and so left them. The Next Morning Proved fair Weather and a Light Breeze Eterly. They Launched the Boat As Soon as it was Day. With Much Difficulty got through the Surf And row'd along Shore, till they Saw the Island and then pull'd for it. By their description, the Natives are Hottentots, Wearing a Skin like them [those] at The Cape of Good Hope & Clacking When they Speak like them. In the Morning the Cattamaran went went (sic) out a Fishing and Returned at Noon with a few. In the Afternoon the Boot went out a Fishing but did not Catch more than Serv'd for Supper. This Morning the Sun Was Eclips'd from 8 o Clock till 11: of it Obscured. In the Evening. Killed a Hogg.
Sunday 7 Sept. Fresh Gales Wterly & Cloudy Weather. Nothing Done this day.
Monday 8. The First part a fresh Breeze Werly. The Last Light Airs Southerly, Carpenter Employ'd on the Timbers, People Employ'd Carrying Round Plank, Smith Makeing a Handle to a Sword Blade. We Intend having one Each Man, Made out of Iron Hoops; also a Launce To Defend Ourselves, in Case Should be Obliged to Land to get Water And provissions. This Day had great Success in Catching 75 Large Fish which wond last. Some Time, if had Salt to Cure them, ror want of which Intend to Smoak Them, in Hopes That will Preserve them.
43Tuesday 9th. Hard Gales at S W. The Carpenter Employed as before, People Carrying round Plank and Making a Kiln for Warming the Plank for The Boats Bottom, on the Same place where Some Unhappy people had Made their Tent as we Suspected Some time ago, by Reason of A parsell of Stones being Gathered as I Imagine to Skreen their Covering from Blowing of. Their [sic] was Some Deal Boards Lay'd as a Platform under which we Found a Great deal of Iron Work, Such as Bolts Hooks & Nails, which Suppose was Burnt of the Wood, they made Theire Fire With. There is Some peices of Timber About the place, Where we Are Building Our Boat, the thick end of a large Sparr and Some Railers & Boards. There was Also Some Bolts, and Other Iron Work, found On the Other Island, but not so Much Decay'd as that Were the Tent Was One. Lickwise the Stanchin going down the Hatchway, with the Steps On it, which is Much Fresher than the Wood on this Island which Convinces me that Severall Ships has Shared the Same Fate of The Doddington, & I made no doubt but Capt? Sampsons Conjectures of the Dolphin was Very Just,
Wednesday 10th Septr, Strong Gales at S W with SomeShowers of Rain, Saved 2 Batts of water; This Morning the Smoak Tent Blew down, the Weather prevents the Carpenter from doing Much, the Smith Making Nails Built the Smoak Tent.
See this Day's Work in the Paper of References. [Note in MS., but the Paper is not now forthcoming.] [Wrecked in 1748. See footnote, Vol. XXX. p 455, ante. ED.]
