1841.
Loss of the Cutter Louisa.
411
arrangements for passing the night. Having found a fissure in the side of a precipice, open at the top with a small space outside, we placed stones so as to cover a small mountain stream, that ran through the centre of our com- fortless abode, and strapped the tarpaulin up across the entrance, where it was exposed to the unabated fury of the typhoon. Having taken off our clothes and wrung thein and put them on again, the commodore, captain Elliot, lord A. Beauclerk, myself, the commodore and capt. Elliot's servants, and a little Portuguese boy, sat down in a circle, with our backs to the sides of the cavern and the tarpaulin, and had a large blanket thrown over all. As there was no room for more inside, a wet sail was spread outside over the rocks. Mr. Fowler and Lena (2d mate), and the men rolled themselves up in blan- kets, and laid down exposed to the wind and rain. The latter descended in tor- rents all night, pouring down upon us in little cascades from all parts of the rock above, making a channel amongst the people on the sail; in fact it was very like lying down to sleep in a running stream. Of course few were for- tunate enough to close their eyes in slumber, and the gradual breaking up of the little cutter continually called forth an exclamation from some of us, as crash after crash was heard above the noise of the wind and breakers. We who were within the cleft, remained in a sitting posture all night, for there was no room to recline.
At length morning of the 22d dawned, and we saw all that held together of the Louisa; her taffrail jammed between two rocks, and a few of the deck planks adhering, but all the rest was scattered along the coast in fragments. We stripped, wrung our clothes, and put them on again, and having served out a small quantity of spirits, several exploring parties went out to endeavor to find some Chinese.
We were not very far from a sandy bay, on which were cast up many articles of wreck; along this bay a party was sent, whilst others went up the hills; some descended to our own wreck, and a few remained in or near the cavern. We had not been down long before we discovered under planks and timbers the bodies of three Chinese frightfully lacerated by the rocks; their vessel must have been driven on shore during the night. Sud- denly I heard myself hailed, and looking up saw two Chinese, each of them appropriating a blanket. All hands were instantly recalled, and we began to talk to them; one of them had a most benevolent countenance, and to him was the conversation principally addressed. This man gave captain Elliot a paper which was folded and quite saturated with water, but after some time we got two of the folds clear, and were delighted to see capt. Elliot's signa. turé, and some of the cutter's men said they recognized our friend as one of the boat people at Macao. He was instantly offered 1000 dollars if he would give us a fishing boat to take us thither; this he undertook to do very readily, and beckoned us to follow him, which we did, having first shouldered the beef and pork and gin, and put as many clothes on as we could get. On the top of the hill, we were joined by the party which went round the sandy bay; they said they had found the bodies of eleven Chinese, and the wreck of