'History of the Indian Navy. (1613-1863).' [‎39] (58/622)

HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAYY. 39
rising to the height of four or five feet, forcing their way in at
the windows. Lieutenant Cockburn, the Messrs. Staunton,
and some of the men, made ineffectual attempts to keep out
the water, for the fate of the vessel was already decided ; and
the forepart of the deck being under water. Lieutenant Lynch
came to report that the 4 Tigris' was sinking, and the word was
immediately passed for all to save themselves. At this very
instant, a momentary gleam of light faintly showed the bank at
the apparent distance of eight or ten yards; and as there
seemed every probability that the stern would touch it before
she went down. Lieutenant Lynch encouraged the people to
remain steady until they reached the land. All were on deck
at this critical moment, some were clinging to the ropes of the
awning, the paddle-boxes, and funnel, but the majority were
close to the tiller, and all behaving with the most exemplary
obedience, until the vessel went down all at once, and probably
within half a minute after we had seen the bank for an instant.
Lieutenant Lynch, who was at my elbow, dived out under the
starboard ridge-rope at the moment when there was about four
feet of water on the deck, and I had the good fortune to get
clear in the same manner through the larboard side, without
having seen anything whatever to guide me through the dark
ness worse than that of night.
" When it cleared a little, I found around me Lieutenant
Lynch, Mr. Eden (both greatly exhausted), Mr. Thomson, the
Messrs. Staunton, and several of the men ; the hurricane was
already abating fast, and as the distance from the vessel to the
shore was very short, w r e indulged the hope that the rest of our
brave companions had reached the bank lower down. For an
instant I saw the keel of the 4 Tigris' uppermost (near the
stern); she went down bow foremost, and having struck the
bottom in that position she probably turned round on the bow as
a pivot, and thus showed part of her keel for an instant at the
other extremity ; but her paddle-beams, floats, and parts of the
sides were already broken up, and actually floated ashore—so
speedy and terrific had been the work of destruction. From the
moment of striking the bank until the 6 Tigris' went down, it
scarcely exceeded eight minutes, whilst the operation of sinking
itself did not consume more than three minutes; indeed, the
gale was so very violent, that I doubt whether the most powerful
vessel, such as a frigate, could have resisted, unless she was
already secured to the bank; and for this, in our case, there was
little or no time, as it was barely possible, in the position of our
consort, to make fast and save the vessel. I had little or
rather no hope that the 4 Euphrates' could have escaped ; but
the intrepid skill of Lieutenant Cleaveland and Mr. Charlew-ood
enabled them to get out two anchors in the very nick of time,
and by the united means of two hawsers, and the engines