Swain Sea Adventures
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| Map of Nantucket and surrounding area. Page 15 of Wrecks Around Nantucket |
June l0th, schooner “ Lowden, Capt. Peleg Swain, and sloop Rochester, Capt. David Squires, left the island in company, bound on a whaling voyage to the coast of Africa, but soon afterwards struck on Great Rip, about fifteen miles from Sankaty Head. A boat’s crew from the sloop attempted to carry out an anchor , with a faint hope that they might be able to get the vessel off, but the sea ran so high they were compelled to drop the anchor under the bows . The boat was carried over the shoal, and not being able to regain the sloop, they made the best of the i r way back to the island, coming in round Great Point . A vessel was immediately sent to the relief of those in peril, but returned next day without having made any discoveries . There was hope that the remaining crews might be saved; accordingly a large number of the inhabitants patrolled the shore and kept a constant lookout. The quarter-deck of the sloop separated from the vessel nearly whole ; the crew, thirteen in number, got upon it and endeavored to gain the shore . Their only provisions consisted of about three -quarters of a barrel of flour and a jug of rum. By daylight they succeeded in reaching the southeast part of the island ,whence they travelled to Siasconset. The crew of the schooner did not fare so well . Their boats be ing dashed to pieces, they made a raft of spars, and without provisions of any kind, with paddles and pieces of board, attempted to gain the shore . In the evening of the same day on which the other crew landed, they got within a short distance of Siasconset . The tide was sweeping them by undiscovered
by the people of the village . They then hallooed with their united voices many times . Their cries were first heard by an old woman, who lay dying in one of the houses in the village . She insisted that she could hear voices on the water, but it was supposed that her mind was wandering, and no attention was paid to her statements. They were at length heard by others in the village , and responded to . A boat was immediately sent off, which took them from their perilous situation and brought them ashore, exhausted with hunger and fatigue . But for the fine weather they must inevitably have perished.
October schooner “ Republican,” Solomon Boston, master, loaded with staves, came ashore on the outside of Great Point, near the lighthouse; the crew were saved. As soon as the vessel struck, the captain took his wife, who was on board at the time, in his arms , jumped overboard and swam ashore . The party were kindly cared for at the lighthouse . The wreck was purchased by George Swain, keeper of the light, for $50 , and broken up.
May 28th , ship “Washington, of this port, Capt. Barzillai Swain, arrived at the Bar from a whaling voyage in the Pacific. While discharging her cargo into a lighter, there came on a heavy
northeast gale . The lighter was cast off and drove ashore with part of the cargo . The ship soon after parted both chain cables and drove on to the Bar near the Cliff , knocking off rudder and al l her stern planks . She lay there all night and came on shore next morn ing with four feet of water in her hold. The cargo was saved from the lighter, and the ship was brought in and repaired.
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