[Thomas Waters to his parents]
[from a transcript] 35
26 November 1850
Digby. Nova Scotia
My Dear Father and Mother
We were much gratified by receiving your letter and send you many thanks for your kind wishes. Shortly after our marriage (five days) I started off in the Belle for Sydney for a load of coal, we arrived safely, but on our homeward passage we had very thick weather and the tide swept us out of our reckoning and on Saturday night, Oct 25th, we perceived a false light on the Tusket islands which we supposed was Cape Fourchu light, but soon found our mistake when it was too late for we struck on a sunken ledge, but in a short time passed over it but not until we had beat a large hole through the ship’s bottom – we kept the pumps agoing and unlashed our long boat, but the sea was running so high it would have been a poor chance. The vessel and cargo were not insured. The leak gained fast upon us, and so did the gale which was very heavy. At midnight the water had risen over the forecastle floor and the men began to despair of their lives which I could have saved but by sacrificing the vessel and cargo which I was in hopes if we could keep her afloat till daylight of saving, at daylight came a thick fog, but I found the vessel could not float much longer so I crowded sail and steered dead in for the land in hopes of finding some spot to save our lives upon, we were now almost even with the water’s edge, and several times when the sea broke over her fore and aft I thought it was her last plunge. The men now wanted the boat to be got over the side but I refused and showed them the folly of such an undertaking as in such a sea she could not have lived a minute, but I crowded more canvas until the vessel fairly trembled with the pressure, she now became logg’d and answered her helm slowly and badly, at 9 A.M. Sunday through the thick fog we made breakers ahead and shortly after the rocky coast not an eighth of a mile distant but the breakers were so heavy it was useless to think of life if we ran upon them, therefore I hauled my wind and ran along the edge of the breakers in hopes of finding some more auspicious which in a few minutes we descried, we ran into a small cove until we struck the bottom, protected from both wind and sea. We could not have floated many minutes more. Upon viewing our bottom when the tide left us dry it appeared incredible that we had kept her afloat so long. After the accident a piece of rock must have stuck in the hole and worked out after we grounded in the cove. We were not expensively damaged, not over £50 and after all it turned out fortunate for we got an extra price for our coal as it was much needed and the owners found a sale for their vessel at a remunerative price. I am now living ashore at home and am very comfortable hoping you are the same and with best love from Amaret and myself
I remain
your affectionate son
T. Waters