Accidents > Dangers of the deep, or, Narratives of shipwreck and adventure at sea

EAST INDIANA N.
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and all the rest willing to forsake her followed
as fast as the boats could carry them. The
captain and supercargoes went in the Win¬
chester’s pinnace; and at length only sixteen
men were left behind, though when the pro¬
posal was first made, about thirty designed to
remain. They were induced to do so, from
the officers saying that there was a great
quantity of water lodged forward in the ship,
which would render it dangerous to venture
in her in case of heavy gales, or from suspect¬
ing the carpenter had secretly done her some
injury. During the different trips made by
the boats, even the Winchester’s people were
occupied in plundering the Sussex, and several
people got up on the foresail-yard, and
attempted to cut the foresail from the yard;
on which John Dean, Edmund Cowell, and
John Morris, got into the fore-shrouds with
sponge-staves, and threatened to knock them
all off the yard unless they desisted, because
they and others meant to stay by the ship.
The men who were thus addressed, came
down and went on board the Winchester.
Williams, the chief mate, at request of the
men who remained behind, gave them a letter,
certifying, that the captain, officers, and rest