To take all that stuff on board was out of the question — but after a great deal of talking, it was taken on board and stowed away very snugly on each side of the long boat; and I must say, that when I saw what a pile it made along-side, I began to think I had overstrained the matter. But never mind, it is all on board now — it may come in platan d it may not. Our ship was bound to Bombay, and perhaps to Calcutta. There were five Missionary passengers who were going to Bombay, Mr. and Mrs. Nickols, Mr. and Mrs. Graves, and a young lady, (Miss Philomela Thurston) who was to become the wife of Bev.
Mr. Newell, husband of the late, and celebrated Harriet Newell. A large collection of stores and comforts had been provided for the Missionaries by their friends in Boston, and put on board the ship, and marked Missionary stores. As the ship was to sail on Sunday morning, I went on board on Saturday evening, Oct. 3, 1817, and on the morrow, as soon as the crew could be got on board, we weighed anchor and started. For the first two or three days, our passengers were quite sick; the captain was very attentive to them but especially to Miss Thurston. He hung on to her with all the tenderness of a father. As soon as we were well off the coast, the captain wished me to commence calking the deck, as on account of so much bad weather, while lying at Charlestown, it could not have been done there.
I soon discovered that the deck was rotten, and as fast as I found a rotten plank, took it out, and replaced it with a new one. Before I had reached the windlass, a large portion of my deck plank were used up. I just gave the mate a hint about his reluctance to take them on board. The deck was now finished as far forward as the fore hatchway. From what indications I saw forward round the bows, thought there might be some rot there, so I took an auger and bored into several places, and sure enough, the whole bow on both sides, was entirely rotten. I began now to set my wits to work for some plan to repair the ship; but before commencing, to be sure that we had all the materials necessary for su'ch an undertaking, as both bows were to be ripped down to below the deck and as far aft as the afterpart of the fore rigging — and on overhauling my stock in trade, I found I had just about enough of everything, and if we lacked anything it would be spikes.
The captain was very much alarmed about it, and at first was afraid he would have to return and repair the ship. I should before have related, that when three days out, we took a strong south-east gale, attended with a heavy sea. At 4 o'clock, P. M., I went into the cabin to secure the dead-lights, and had hardly commenced lashing the first one, when I heard an unusual rustling on deck, and it immediately occurred to me that a man was overboard. I jumped on deck in a moment, and saw it was what I supposed. Very near the companion-way, lay a large hood, or cover for a skylight. 1 caught hold of it, and it being very heavy, said to a man near by, " take hold here John," which he did, and we threw it overboard.
All this was done in less than a minute. The captain then commenced upon me a volley of curses, calling me by every dreadful name he could think of, for throwing the hood overboard. I heeded not his curses, but sprang into the stern-boat with three other men^ She was immediately lowered away, and when in the water, and tackles unhooked, we discovered that the plug was out and could not be found. Neither were there any thole-pins. Here we were in a boat with the plug out, and no means of rowing, a gale of wind with a heavy sea, and going to seek a drowning man. However, it was no time to ponder over our hasty imprudence. The boys put out their oars, holding on with one hand, and pulling with the other.
I put my thumb in the plug-hole until I could tear off something to stop the water, which I succeeded in doing. We were pulling off in the direction of the man, as he was seen from the mizzen-rigging, they pointing to us in that direction; but we could make but little headway in consequence of our want of thole-pins, much water in the boat, drifting fast to leeward, and night near at hand. Under these circumstances we concluded to make our way back to the ship, and come within a trifle of staving the boat along-side. 1 jumped onboard, and in a few minutes made some pins. Another crew jumped in the boat, started off, and brought the man on board.