The Melville Castle was accordingly equipped for the voyage, painted
throughout, and her name changed to the Vryheid. On the the morning of
November, 1802, she set sail from the Texel, a port on the coast of
Holland, with a fair wind, which lasted till early on the following day,
when a heavy gale came on in an adverse direction.
The captain immediately had the top-gallant masts and yards struck to
make her ride more easily; but as the day advanced, the violence of the
wind increased, and vain seemed every effort of the crew to manage the
ship. There were many mothers and little children on board, whose state
was truly pitiable. The ship was scourged onward by the resistless
blast, which continued to increase until it blew a perfect hurricane.
About three in the afternoon, the mainmast fell overboard, sweeping
several of the crew into the sea, and severely injuring four or five
more. By this time they were near enough to the Kentish coast to discern
objects on land, but the waves which rolled mountains high prevented the
possibility of any help approaching.
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