A Narrative of the Sufferings, Preservation and Deliverance, of Capt. John Dean and Company

A Narrative of the Sufferings, Preservation and Deliverance, of Capt. John Dean and Company; In the Nottingham Galley of London, Cast Away on Boon-Island, Near New England, December, 11, 1710 is an interesting narrative of the experiences of Captain John Dean and his company before, during and after the famous shipwreck of the British merchant ship Nottingham Galley on December 11, 1710, the year when England was in the middle of the War of Spanish Succession (Queen Anne's War). The book retells the story of the wreck and how Captain Dean and his crew were reduced to dreadful extremes before they were rescued from a desert island and brought back to England. EXCERPT FROM A Narrative of the Sufferings, Preservation and Deliverance, of Capt. John Dean and Company; In the Nottingham Galley of London, Cast Away on Boon-Island, Near New England, December, 11, 1710 The Nottingham Galley, of and from London, 120 Tons, ten Guns, and fourteen Men, John Dean Commander; having taken in Cordage in England, and Butter and Cheese, &c. in Ireland, sail'd for Boston in New England, the 25th of September, 1710. But meeting with contrary Winds and bad Weather 'twas the Beginning of December when first made Land to the Eastward of Piscataqua, and haling Southerly for the Massachuset's-Bay, under a hard gale of Wind at North-East, accompanied with Rain, Hail and Snow, having no observation for ten or twelve Days we on the Eleventh handed all our Sails, except our Fore-Sail and Main-top Sail double reeft, ordering one Hand forward to look out. Between 8 and 9 going forward myself, I saw the breakers ahead, whereupon I call'd out to put the Helm hard a Starboard, but ere the Ship cou'd wear, we struck upon the East End of the Rock called Boon-Island, four Leagues to the Eastward of Piscataqua.