At length,
however, she was got off the rocks.
The pumps were kept constantly going, and for fifteen minutes after
clearing the rocks, kept the water at four feet; but the leak gaining
upon them, all sails were set, with the view of running for the nearest
port. But the water now rose so fast, than she refused to answer the
helm, and they resolved to run her on the first shore. The captain and
officers still thought that she might be got off without material
damage, and no signal guns of distress were fired for three quarters of
an hour, though sensible of some danger, they kept silent, lest they
should alarm the passengers. Soon however the peril appeared but too
manifest; the carpenter announced that a leak was at the bottom of the
chain-pumps, through which the water gushed so fast, that they could not
stop it. Eleven feet of water were already in the hold, and the crew
were set to bale at the fore scuttle and hatchway. Though they could not
keep the water under, they still hoped to preserve her afloat, till she
could be run upon Weymouth sand.
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