Two Good Divers Worked For About Two Hours, And
Recovered Three Muskets And Several Copper Cooking Pots Belonging To The
Soldiers.
The story of the reis (captain) is, that she sprang a plank
at about 4 A.M., six days ago, while under sail with a light wind, and
she filled and sank immediately, the men having barely time to save
themselves.
Unfortunately, she had on board, in addition to one hundred
urdeps of corn (450 bushels), a section of one of Samuda's steel
lifeboats; this was placed upon the corn, before the mast, but having an
air-tight compartment, it must have floated away in the dark without
being noticed.
"The story of the reis is false; there can be no doubt that the crew and
soldiers were fast asleep, and the vessel was run into by one of her
consorts. Had the people been awake, the least movement of the helm
would have run the vessel high and dry in this narrow river, as the
banks are flooded, and she was close to the side. As the collision
occurred, the people, suddenly awakened from sleep, were seized with
panic, and only thought of saving themselves; thus the noggur lies in
three-fathom water, and the invaluable section of a lifeboat is lost.
The worry and disappointment, together with the loss of property,
occasioned by these people, is beyond all description. Every man detests
the expedition. The boats are nearly all old and rotten, and with such
wretched material I have to conduct this fleet with 30,000l. worth of
property.
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