Indian Antiquary Vol 46

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Devadatta Ramkrishna Bhandarkar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 18

14
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY
(JANUARY, 1917
stood off. The mainsail almost immediately split to pieces. Continued standing to the eastward under F. S. and reefed and balanced mizen, the wind voering to the N. E., and blowing violently: between 11 and 12 it died away suddenly, which being a certain indication of its shifting to the southward and redoubling its violence, hauled up the F. S. [foresail] and wore with the fore stay sail': in veering, narrowly escaped being on board the Newcastle. The wind at 12 o'clock burst from the 8. E., with amazing force, which broached the ship too, and laid her on her beam ends. Cut away the mizen mast to endeavour at veering, but to no effect; the ship not righting and being full of water, cut away the mainmast, which broke below the upper deck and tore up the deck ; the ship then was so filled with water between decks that the men could not stand at the pumps. The mainmast providentially soon broke near the gunwale, on which the ship righted : Souttled the lower deck and freed the ship of water by the pumps. The wind continued with great violence from the eastward, and the ship consequently driving on the shore till about two, during which time were employed clearing away as much as possible of the wreck; then let go the sheet anchor to prevent driving under the guns of Pondicherry, but not bringing up, were obliged to cut away the foremast, by which the bowsprit was also lost. She then brought up and rode safe in twelve fathoms water.20
The Norfolk, 74 guns, Captain Kempenfelt. Admiral Steven's ship.
Captain Kempenfelt's letter to Admiral Pocock, which I have, gives an account of what happened to her in the storm.21
The Duke of Acquitaine, 64 guns, Sir William Hewit.
Mr. Cuthbert (April 2d. 1778), thinks she overset as she was endeavouring to cut her masts after she had parted her cables; this is in the S. E. part of the gale.
The Sunderland, 60 guns, Captain Colville. Mr. Cuthbert says she would not cut away her masts, and the sea tore out her bows.
When the Sunderland was on her beam ends and it was proposed to Captain Colvill to out away the maste, he replied, "of what use will the ship be against the enemy without masts," and attempted to cut away the main mast when it was too late.
The Liverpool, 28 guns, Captain (Richard Knight].
She was at anchor to the north of the other ships, put out to sea without sail. On the S. E. gale all her masts without sail were carried away. She made the land on the [1] off of Palliacate [Pulicat], and fell in with the Norfolk at sea.
The Panther, 60 guns, Captain Afflook.
Parted her cables at about 10. Was riding by her last cable when the storm ceased, and that cable was half cut through at the bows.
The America, 60 guns, Captain Haldane. As the Panther, for what I know of her. The Medway, 60 guns, Captain Tinker.22 As the Panther, for what I know of her. The Falmouth, 50 guns, Capt. Brereton. The same as the Panther for what I know of her. The Newcastle, 50 guns, Captain Collins, 18
Drove ashore nearly opposite to the fort of Ariancopang; at what hour, what happened to her before, I don't know.
80 For further details soe the extract from the Log of the Panther, which follows that of the Norfolk, sinfra.
See infra for this socount. 2 For details of what happened to the usedway, see the extract from her Log, infru.