John of Wirral
The Arniston
In May 1815, the British East Indiaman the Arniston was sailing home in convoy on a voyage to repatriate wounded British soldiers from Ceylon. On approaching the Cape, having become separated from her convoy, she mis-judged her longitude and became embayed by onshore winds east of Cape Agulhas and was driven onto the rocks. 372 lives were lost. The account narrated by the carpenter's mate makes harrowing reading:
An account of the loss of the Arniston
Narrated by the carpenter's mate (one of the survivors) Charles Stewart Scott four weeks after the wreck took place.
"Charles Stewart Scott, late carpenter's mate of the Arniston transport, and others, assert, to the best of their knowledge, that she sailed from Ponte de Galle on or about the 4th of April… About the 26th May, parted company from the convoy, owing to stress of weather, having blown away most of her sails… On the 29th, about 7 AM the land was discovered right ahead, bearing about N by W a long distance off; the wind then SSW. About half past 4 PM still blowing very strong, hauled to the wind on the larboard tack, under a close-reefed main topsail, and stood on till half past 2 AM. On the 30th, then supposing the land seen was near Table Bay, the hands were turned up. Bore up. Steering NW and set the foresail, intending to run for St Helena. Continued to till 10 AM when the land was discovered nearly ahead; turned the hands up, and hauled the ship close to the wind on the larboard tack; still blowing very hard, made all sail (having topsails and courses set), stood on till near noon, when breakers were discovered on the lee bow; wore ship, and hauled to the wind on the other tack; stood on till 2 PM then wore and hauled to the wind on the larboard tack, continuing on till near 4 o'clock, when breakers were seen (proved L'Agulhas Reef), which we could not weather on either tack, being completely embayed; clewed up the sails and cut away three anchors, the two bower cables parted shortly after, when Lieut. Brice, Agent for Transports, recommended the Captain to cut the sheet cable, and run the ship on shore, the only chance of saving the people's lives; the cable was then cut, and the ship put before the wind; in about eight minutes she struck forward, the ship heeling to windward; cut away the guns in order to heel her the other way, which could not be affected, consequently she soon began to break up; about 8 o'clock the masts went, and the ship in a very short time was quite in pieces; many people were drowned below, in consequence of her heeling to the windward, and others clung to the wreck, endeavouring to reach the shore, about a mile and a half distant. Out of the whole crew, consisting of near 350 persons, only six men reach the shore with great difficulty upon planks, being much bruised by the wreck and the surf, which was very high. At daylight the next morning, the stern-post was the only part of the ship to be seen; the beach was covered with wreck, stores, etc. and a number of dead bodies (which were buried by the survivors), and among them were Lord and Lady Molesworth, the Agent, and Captain, with some children. On the next day, the 1st June, considering ourselves to be westward of Cape Point, it was agreed to coast the beach to the eastward, which we continued to do for four days and a half, subsisting from shell-fish from the rocks, but fearing we had taken the wrong direction, it was agreed to return to the wreck, and we accomplished it in three days and a half, where we remained six days, subsisting chiefly on a cask of oatmeal which had driven to shore; by drying it in the sun we experienced great relief… on the 14th of June, being at work on the boat, we were fortunately discovered by a farmer's son, John Swarts (who was out shooting), and humanely carried by him to his father's house, where we remained with every comfort he could afford us for a week, and then set off for Cape Town, where we arrived on Monday evening, the 26th June. Before we left the country, we were informed that 331 bodies, thrown on shore, had been interred near the beach."
(Signed) Charles Stewart Scott, and Party.
From the Shipwreck Museum, Bredasdorp.
The Arniston
In May 1815, the British East Indiaman the Arniston was sailing home in convoy on a voyage to repatriate wounded British soldiers from Ceylon. On approaching the Cape, having become separated from her convoy, she mis-judged her longitude and became embayed by onshore winds east of Cape Agulhas and was driven onto the rocks. 372 lives were lost. The account narrated by the carpenter's mate makes harrowing reading:
An account of the loss of the Arniston
Narrated by the carpenter's mate (one of the survivors) Charles Stewart Scott four weeks after the wreck took place.
"Charles Stewart Scott, late carpenter's mate of the Arniston transport, and others, assert, to the best of their knowledge, that she sailed from Ponte de Galle on or about the 4th of April… About the 26th May, parted company from the convoy, owing to stress of weather, having blown away most of her sails… On the 29th, about 7 AM the land was discovered right ahead, bearing about N by W a long distance off; the wind then SSW. About half past 4 PM still blowing very strong, hauled to the wind on the larboard tack, under a close-reefed main topsail, and stood on till half past 2 AM. On the 30th, then supposing the land seen was near Table Bay, the hands were turned up. Bore up. Steering NW and set the foresail, intending to run for St Helena. Continued to till 10 AM when the land was discovered nearly ahead; turned the hands up, and hauled the ship close to the wind on the larboard tack; still blowing very hard, made all sail (having topsails and courses set), stood on till near noon, when breakers were discovered on the lee bow; wore ship, and hauled to the wind on the other tack; stood on till 2 PM then wore and hauled to the wind on the larboard tack, continuing on till near 4 o'clock, when breakers were seen (proved L'Agulhas Reef), which we could not weather on either tack, being completely embayed; clewed up the sails and cut away three anchors, the two bower cables parted shortly after, when Lieut. Brice, Agent for Transports, recommended the Captain to cut the sheet cable, and run the ship on shore, the only chance of saving the people's lives; the cable was then cut, and the ship put before the wind; in about eight minutes she struck forward, the ship heeling to windward; cut away the guns in order to heel her the other way, which could not be affected, consequently she soon began to break up; about 8 o'clock the masts went, and the ship in a very short time was quite in pieces; many people were drowned below, in consequence of her heeling to the windward, and others clung to the wreck, endeavouring to reach the shore, about a mile and a half distant. Out of the whole crew, consisting of near 350 persons, only six men reach the shore with great difficulty upon planks, being much bruised by the wreck and the surf, which was very high. At daylight the next morning, the stern-post was the only part of the ship to be seen; the beach was covered with wreck, stores, etc. and a number of dead bodies (which were buried by the survivors), and among them were Lord and Lady Molesworth, the Agent, and Captain, with some children. On the next day, the 1st June, considering ourselves to be westward of Cape Point, it was agreed to coast the beach to the eastward, which we continued to do for four days and a half, subsisting from shell-fish from the rocks, but fearing we had taken the wrong direction, it was agreed to return to the wreck, and we accomplished it in three days and a half, where we remained six days, subsisting chiefly on a cask of oatmeal which had driven to shore; by drying it in the sun we experienced great relief… on the 14th of June, being at work on the boat, we were fortunately discovered by a farmer's son, John Swarts (who was out shooting), and humanely carried by him to his father's house, where we remained with every comfort he could afford us for a week, and then set off for Cape Town, where we arrived on Monday evening, the 26th June. Before we left the country, we were informed that 331 bodies, thrown on shore, had been interred near the beach."
(Signed) Charles Stewart Scott, and Party.
From the Shipwreck Museum, Bredasdorp.