of the crew had again recourfe to the falt water, which appeared not to have any bad effects. Dec, 31. We again fuffered greatly this day from the burning heat of the fun, and the parched ftate of our bodies, and were allowed an additional measure of water, with a larger portion of rum than ufual; in which we foaked our bit of bifcuit, and made our meal of it.—About four in the afternoon the clouds began to fhew for rain, and we made preparations accordingly; but were fo unfortunate as to fee it fall in heavy showers all around us, and had barely as much over the boat as would wet our handkerchiefs. The people this day appeared to be in a more hopeless fate than ever, and difcovered figns of difrefpect to their officers; which was, however, happily checked in time by the fpirited conduct of the gunner, who chaftifed the leader in the face of the whole crew, and reftored difcipline. Many of the people this day drank their own urine, and others tried the falt-water. The weather was this day more warm and fultry than at any time fince our misfortunes. Jan. 1. We dined this day as on the preceding, and in general appeared in better fpirits; which we confidered on account of its being the first day of the new year, a happy prefage of our safety! Jan. 2. Clear weather, till about four in the afternoon, when it be came overcaft, and blew a fresh gale. We had before this dined on our ufual fare of biscuit and water, with half a measure of ¡um, and were all in tolerable fpirits; but the gale increafing during the night, and the fea running immenfely high, brought us again into great dan ger, which, with the disappointment of not feeing land in the morning, as expected, reduced us to our former miferable ftate of defpondency. At eight in the evening the fore-fail was shifted to the main-maft, and the boat failed under it reefed till about fix in the morning, when' the mizen was fet on the fore-mast, to give her greater fteerage-way. At noon the latitude was by obfervation 33 deg. 19 min. and fuppofed longitude E. of Greenwich 34 deg. 15 min. Jan. 3. About feven in the evening the clouds put on the appearance of a very heavy rain, but unfortunately broke over in a noft dreadful form of thunder and lightning, attended with gufts of wind, and very little rain, fucceeded by a vi olent gale of feveral hours from the S. W. in which we were near pe rifling. On this occafion the mafter and the gunner fucceeded each other at the helm, and, by their experience and judgment in the management of the boat, we were this night enabled to traverfe in fafety an ocean of fuch fierce and tremendous feas, in different directions, as we could scarcely allow ourfelves the hope of efcaping. At day-break the gunner, who was then at the helm, difcovered a fhip at a little distance from us, laying under her bare poles. Our joy at this fight was great beyond expreffion, and, anxious to fecure fo favourable an occafion, we immediately made more fail, and between five and fix o'clock paffed clofe under her, and informed her people of our diftreffes. We then veered about, and put along-fide her on the other tack: The people on board her crowded immediately to our affiftance, and [3] re 1 received us in the most friendly manner. As foon as were alongfide, feveral of them jumped in, and affifted in keeping the boat from being ftove. wards the Banca fhore, at a quarter past four P.M. fent the cutter to found to windward of the ship, there being an appearance of fhoalwater, and brought to with the main top-fail aback, to wait for her. At This fhip was named the Vifcountess of Britannie, a French mera chantman, Martin Doree, mafter, with part of Walsh's or 95th regiment, from the ifle of France, to touch at the Cape of Good Hope for a fupply of water and provifions, on her way to Europe. The officers of this corps were unbounded in their friendship and attention towards us, affording us every poffible comfort, and even giving up their beds for our use. Jan. 18. At noon anchored in Table Bay, Cape of Good Hope. But to return to the fhip. She continued fome days in the fame itate as at the departure of the beats, at the mercy of the winds and waves, without a rudder, and every inftant, in danger of being fwallowed up in the abyfs. Attempts, however, were made by the crew, occafionally, to reduce the water, when their ftrength permitted, and thus, by wonderful exertions, was the Guardian kept afloat, till a Dutch packetboat from the Spice iflands and Batavia, providentially fteering a high foutherly latitude, fell in with her, afforded her aid of men and materials, and enabled her to make good her way back to the Cape of Good Hope, and kept her company during her courfe. The Guardian was full 400 leagues from the Cape, when The fell in with the island of ice. quarter past five she returned, and informed us that the appearance arofe from a large quantity of the fpawn of fish on the furface of the water; at which time fhoaled, fuddenly from 17 to 10 fathoms, and then to feven, in a fingle caft of the hand lead. - Anchored immediately with the fmall bower, and clewed all up faft as poffible; but, in fwinging to her anchor, the ship took the ground abreast of the mizen chains. Sounding around her, we found fix fathoms at her bows, five at the gang. ways, in the mizen chains one-fourth lefs three; but under her ftern four one-half fathoms. Immediately furled all the fails, and brought-to upon the fmall bower, to endeavour to heave the fhip a-head; but the anchor coming home very fast, defifted. The cutter founding around the fhip, found deep water every where to leeward of her. Set the head-fails, and dowfed the cable, upon which the fwang off to her anchor, and no where along-fide found lefs than five fathoms, though abreaft the larboard mizen chains; in throwing the lead a little way farther out from the ship, found only four fathoms upon a rock, from which the lead tumbling, it-fell into five fathoms. The hip making water, turned the people to the 4 pumps. By the cutter's foundings, it ap Authentic Account of the Loss of the peared that there was deeper water Vanfittart Indiaman. UNDAY the 23d of Auguft, two or three fhips' lengths right aftern Veered away the whole cable, and riding a-head to wind, which was at E. S. E. found no where where lefs than fix fathoms about her, and in fome feven; but fome little distance aftern there was only fix fathoms, from that deepening to 10 and 12 fathoms. All around from the S. E. to the fouthward, and as far as weft, was a clear channel and deep water. Set a fpring upon the cable to insure her cafting to ftarboard; fent the cutter to anchor in deep water, and to shew lights; fet the head-fails, and cut the cable; ran about a quarter of a mile to the W. S. W. and anchored with the best bower in 18 fathoms water, fand and mud. About half paft nine, the pumps fucked; found The made upwards of four feet an hour; but were able to keep her free during the night with all the pumps going. At day-light, hearing a rustling of water in the breadroom, cleared away by hoifting up 13 chefts of treasure and the bread, and found the water rufhing in through the cieling, about three feet above the keelfon on the ftarboard fide, and about 18 inches abaft the bulk-head of the bread-room: cut out a piece of the cieling, when we could plainly perceive that the outfide plank was ftove in, daylight appearing through her bottom. Endeavoured to fill the room betwixt the timbers up with oakum, but found it impoffible. We then prepared a piece of fr, about four feet long, and nearly the fize of the chamber, fothering it round with oakum, to fill up. Put one end of it betwixt the cieling and outfide plank, and endeavoured to fecure the other end down, but found the force of water fo great we could derive no benefit from this. Swifted the fhip, and prepared a fheep's fkin; and a feaman (John Bartlett) undertook for a reward to dive, and endea vour to place the fkin over the deavour deavour to find water, who, after the moft diligent fearch, in which he was unfuccefsful, returned on board. We had been able to hoift out of the hold but one butt, four gang caks, and five small cafks, before the water flowed over, which, with eight casks of porter, was all the liquor we could get at, except fpirits. In confultation it was unanimously agreed to embark the people in the boats, with what water and provifions they could carry, and proceed to the island. Accordingly on Tuefday at four o'clock P. M. we embarked in our boats, leaving behind what porter and provifions we were unable to carry; having previously thrown overboard 13 chefts of treasure, fpiked up the quarter-deck guns, and thrown overboard what powder and ammunition remained after fupplying the boats. The order in which we embarked was as follows: The captain and chief mate in the cutter, in all The fecond and fourth ditto, in the long-boat The third and fifth ditto, in the pinnace The fixth and gunner in the 14 59 14 yawl 14 In the jolly-boat 8 The boatfwain and four more in the gigg 5 In all The long-bat very narrowly 114 efcaped being loft, having ftruck on the reef of the ifland; and with all our exertions we found it impoffible to get her without it before dark. Accordingly brought her to anchor, and the fmall boats returned and lay under the lee of the ship for the night. In the morning (Wednefday 26th August 1789), took fhore, having all the people emour final departure, and itood along barked, except George Scott, feaman, who was drowned in the gun room. ther, till Friday morning, when it The boats kept very well toge with four hands, were mifling. At was difcovered that the boatswain, one P. M. difcovered two fhips at anchor, near the Banca fhore, and at the Nonfuch, capt. Canning, and half paft four P. M. got on board the General Elliot, capt. Lloyd, English country fhips, who received foon as the people were a little reus with all imaginable kindness; as of the gigg, but returned without freshed, the cutter was fent in search fuccefs at three o'clock in the morning. Trial at the Old Bailey of Renwick ENWICK WILLIAMS was Rindicted upon the statute of ft George I. for affaulting Mifs Ann Porter on the king's highway, and feloniously and maliciously intending to cut and deftroy her cloaths. There was another count for cutting and teasing her clothes. Mr. Pigott, leading counfel for trix, was the firft witnefs. She faid, fillers, fifters, and a Mrs. Meale. As he was paffing the rails of the house, the received a violent blow on her hip, and, turning round, faw the prifoner ftoop down; the knew it was him, having feen his perfon before, and having been previously infulted by him with language too fhocking to repeat. Thefe previous infults the had received from him in the day-time three or four times, and therefore fhe took particular notice of him. After having affaulted her, he came by the rails of the door, ftood clofe to her, and ftared her full in the face. Her upper and under garment were cut, and the was terribly wounded by fome extremely sharp inftrument. She faw the prifoner afterwards in St. James's Park, on the 13th of June, when the pointed him out to Mr. Coleman. She was then defired to look at the prifoner at the bar, which the did, and pofitively declared he was the man who had affaulted her; fhe had fuffered fo much from him, that The could not be mistaken in his perfon, which had left a ftrong impreffion on her mind. Mifs Sarah Porter was then call ed, and defired to look at the prifoner. She faid, fhe had feen him previous to the 18th of January, he having followed clofe behind her while the was walking, and, leaning his head towards her fhoulder, uttered the moft horrid language. She faw him in St. James's-ftreet about a quarter past eleven o'clock, while in company with her fifter Ann; he was ftanding with his back towards them as they paffed, but fome chairmen coming by, faid, "By your leave, ladies;" upon hearing which the prifoner inftantly turned round, and, perceiving the witness, exclaimed, "Oh! oh!" and gave her a violent blow on the back of her head. The witness then defired her fifter to run away, faying, "Don't you fee the wretch is behind us?" the name by which they had diftinguished him. This witnefs confirmed the teftimony of her fifter as to the affault in queftion, and fwore pofitively to the identity of the prifoner's perfon, from her having frequently been followed and infulted by him. Miffes Rebecca and Martha Porter alfo confirmed the evidence of their fifter, the profecutrix, and proved the identity of the prifoner, they having both feen him feveral times before the queen's birth-day, and come in for a fhare of his obscene language. Mr. John Coleman was then examined. He faid, that being in company with the Mifs Porters, in St. James's Park, on the 13th of June laft, and being told that the man who had affaulted the profecutrix had juft pafled them, he immediately followed the prifoner, who, fufpecting he was followed, walked on very fast. He purfued him through different ftreets, looking full in his face, and doing every thing to affront him, in order that he might provoke him to an altercation; but the prifoner would not take any affront, bearing patiently every infult offered. The witness felt himself in fome agitation, and was at a lofs to know what means he fhould adopt, as he did not think it prudent to charge him directly with being the Monster. He was, however, determined to pursue him; and upon the prifoner's at last going into the houfe of a Mr. Smith (after knocking at two or three doors), he followed him, and afked Mr. Smith in the prefence of the prifoner, |