636
Loss of the Madagascar
Duc
tioned as follows; to the first cutter 42, to the second cutter 30, to the third cutter 20, and to the gig 7.
The gig, with the complement allotted to her, shoved off by my or- ders in charge of Mr. Sharpe, third officer, who had with him one European soldier, one European sailor, and four Lascars, with orders to remain near by the vessel; for the sea was running so high that I was fearful if she remained alongside, she would be dashed to pieces by its violence. On his leaving, the vessel fell off, the boat got under the bows, and was never seen after.
The 3d cutter was in charge of Mr. Bowman 2d officer, but being an old boat, and having struck under the counter of the ship, she separated in two pieces. Mr. Bowman was picked up by the men in the 2d cutter, then lying asteru of the steamer; but all the other hands perished. The first and second cutters were to have shoved off together, but the sea was running so very high, and the ship rolling so heavily, that they came in contact with the ship's side and each other several times, and were much injured. The first cutter being on the lee quarter, I got into her, having some time previously ordered capt. Grattan, H. M. 18th R. L., two European seldiers, two Chinese carpenters, and the remaining Lascars to get in, leaving Mr. Oliver, chief officer, (whom I had previously informed I would lay off upen our oars a few yards from the ship to make room for the second cutter to get in the same position on the lee quarter, where the first cutter then was that thus he might embark himself and the remainder of the crew with greater facility,) and a few others that were to
go the second eniter. But in the darkness of the night, and the ship being so enveloped in smoke that we could with difficulty see, by some unaccountable mistake, a portion of the Lascars intended for my boat went on board the second cutter, and then cut her adrift. Learning this to be the case from Mr. Oliver who hailed me, I pulled up under the stern, and Mr. Oliver, chief officer, Mr. Maxtin, sur- geon, Mr. Burbank, gunner, two engineers and others, lowered them- selves from the lee quarter into the boat. But Mr. Mispelaar, the parser, must I fear have fallen overboard in endeavoring to get in.
in
We had 42 in all in the first cutter, whose dimensions were 24 feet long by 64 beam. This accounts for so large a proportion of Eu- ropeans being with me, and among thera the chief mate, who was allotted in charge of second cutter; and Mr. Powman, who, as I before stated, was picked up from the third cutter, remained in charge of the second. After quirting the ship, it was my inten- tion to have carried into effect my first arrangements and trans-