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APRIL, 1902.]
THE WRECK OF THE “DODDINGTON," 1755.
185
Saturday 13. The First Part Strong Gales Easterly, Middle and latter Calm. This Morning 2 Men Went in Shore to Try to Catch Fish, but Returns without success, Assureing [Assuring] 16 there was Less Surf and in their Opinion might Land. Accordingly 4 Men went to try and 2 of thom got on shore, and the Other Two Came on Board for fear it Should Freshen up to a Gale, as it has done [these] this 3 days past. The Two that Landed We Saw Walk along Shore till Mett by Some of the Natives, who Seemd. Little Sby of them at first. We who were on Board soon lost Sight of them.57
Bunday 14th. Moderate Gales Eterly and fair, Landed 2 More people who were Desirous of going a Shore, at the Time they Jump out of the Boat Shark Took Hold of one of the Peoples Oars, and Almost pull it from him. Towards Night Less Wind and [looked] looks as if it would Shift to the Westward, Which Made me Very Uneasy for the People that were on Shore; least [lest it Should Blow so hard that should not be Able to wait till Morning ; so Made Signalls in the Night by Shewing Lights in hopes it Would Fetch Them down to the Water Side, when we might Have got them off ; but it was to no purpose, for they did not come down till 6 o Clock next Morning, when it was to [too] Late, There being a Gale of wind and to [too] much See for the Small Boat. So we Ward [as we sail'd] along Shore. After we had Run about 4 or 5 Miles Came to & Small Bay Where there was Shelter from a Westerly Wind. Anchord in 5 Fm Water 4 Men went on Shore. 2 to meet the 4 that were] was left Behind & 2 to Sound at Ye Mouth of a River Within us. Which (we) Are in great hopes Sball gett into in About 3 Hours. The 2 Men Returnd With the Other 4 and severall of the Natives. We Are Expecting them on Board Erery Minuite, butt whether the Surf is to High or the Boat Stove Cannot Tell, for they do not Attempt to come off.
Monday March 16th 1768. The First Part . Fresh Gale Westerly with Squalls & hard Rain, Middle Calm, Latter a Light Air Easterly. Was Very Uneasy all Night, for the people and Boate. As soon as it was Day light weighd & Stood Close in Shore to Call to Them, Trestning if they did not come off would go away And Leave them; for While we Lay [Lie] bere, Are Expending what Little provissions we bave Left not Catching any Fish, and Very Little Expectation of Getting into the River;58 there being a very great Bar. Our Threatning had [its] the Desired Effect : for two of them Ventured off tho' there was a Great Surf on the Sbore. The Reason they did not come off before, Was on Account of the Surf. They Were Very well Used by the Natives, Who gave them Bread, Milk and Fruit: the Wind is Come Easterly wbich Makes the place We Are in a Bed Toad, & is a fair Wind into the River, Which with the Civil Usage of the Natives & Our people on Shore, Tempts us Very Much to Hazard going over the Barr, Which was Agreed On. At 10 o Clock Weighd and Ron for the River, the Small Boat a bead a Sounding. They made a Signal for us to Haul of. Upon which we Wore and Anchord again. They Informed ns [they] had but 8 Foot Water, which we thought to Little, with the Sand She would have. Therefore Agreed to Wait till High Water. At 2 in the Afternoon Weigb with a fresh Breeze Eterly, and run Over the Barr, Much Safer than we Expected, and Came to Anchor, in the River in less three Fathoms. At Spring Tides have 3 Fathom at high Water : & 8 Foot att Low Water; MŢ Collet & my
Self Wont on Shore to get Provissions, & Bought a Fine Bullock Weighing About 6. for a pair of Copper Bangles for their [the Natives) Arms, and some Small peices of Iron. We kill the Bullock Immediately and Suppo very Heartily Upon it.
* This sentence was first written thus- They soon got ont of our Sight on Board.'
The description answers to several River in Horsburgh, Ed. 1809, I. 949 1. ; but most probably the places described aro Paul'. Cove and the River St. Jobs or Uusibavu. See Taylor, 1. 88.
