Navigating the Lower Saint Lawrence in the 19th Century.
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The Court asked, To Captain Galloway: Q. Have you any further narrative of the loss of His Majesty's ship Penelope? A. No, the remainder of the crew except those above named and those who have deserted, behaved themselves very well, except that there was a little drunkenness among them. To the Officers and ships company: Q. Have you or any of you any complaints to make against Captain Galloway with respect to her loss? A. No. |
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| Mr. William Honnor, Master of
His Majesty's late ship Penelope
called in and sworn. |
| Q. Did you hear the narrative of Captain Galloway and the memorandum subsequently delivered to the Court read? A. I did. Q. Are the contents of them as far as came within your knowledge correct and true? A. They are. Q. Where are the log books and charts. A. They are all lost. Q. State to the court how the wind and weather were for a few hours before the ship struck? A. The wind was north northeast half east, a little easterly. The weather was very hazy with showers of rain. The ship was laying northwest, and she broke off by little and little to west and by north, the weather came on to snow afterwards. I set the land about twenty minutes or half past seven o'clock in the evening, Grand Étang was south three quarters west, distance about twelve miles, and Magdelan Point, west southwest, the angle by compass bearings about twelve miles. That is the distance I have marked on the chart now before the Court. She broke off at eight o'clock to west and by north, she had before that been laying northwest and by west, northwest half west, and west northwest, which course I supposed would carry her farther off the land by the current checking her on the lee bow, I had been into the cabin and marked her off according to these angle bearings and found that a west and by north course would have cleared all the land, and was anxious to get round in order to make a fair wind up the river. After coming out of the cabin, I went round to the look out, and desired the whole of them to be sure and keep a vigilant look out and the lead constantly going which was done. I was preparing myself to remain on deck the whole night. The weather was very thick snow and not much wind when the ship struck about half past eight o'clock. We immediately put the helm hard down and threw all aback, lowered the cutter on the larboard quarter and sent the masters mate out to sound. He found six fathoms on the starboard quarter. We out pinnace, and ran away the stream anchor, in that direction. When we hove upon the cable, the anchor came home to nearly half a cable. When the anchor caught hold, all our strength was not sufficient to move the ship and the other circumstances happened as stated in Captain Galloway's letter already read to the Court. Q. Are the courses and bearings you mention by compass? A. Yes. Q. Are you of opinion that no neglect took place in the steering the ship so as to have caused her striking? A. I am of opinion there was no neglect. Q. Was every exertion made by the Officers and crew to save the ship and her stores after she had struck? A. There was no possibility of saving her stores, every exertion was made by the Officers and the greatest part of the crew, some few were found in their hammocks. Q. State their names? A. I do not know any of their names. They were sent up by Lieutenant Charlton Baily, the second Lieutenant. |
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