Works of Charles and Mary Lamb. VI-VII. Letters
Charles Lamb to William Wordsworth [4 March 1805]
MY dear Wordsworth, if Gilpin’s statement has afforded you any satisfaction, I
can assure you that he was most explicit in giving it, and even seemed anxious
(interrupting me) to do away any misconception. His statement is not
contradicted by the last and fullest of the two Narratives which have been
published (the former being a mere transcript of the newspapers), which I would
send you if I did not suppose that you would receive more pain from the
unfeeling canting way in which it is drawn up, than satisfaction from its
contents; and what relates to your brother in particular is very short. It
states that your brother was seen talking to the First Mate but a few minutes
before the ship sank, with apparent cheerfulness, and it contradicts the
newspaper account about his depression of spirits procrastinating his taking
leave of the Court of Directors; which the drawer up of the Narrative (a man
high in the India House) is likely to be well informed of. It confirms
Gilpin’s account of his seeing your brother
striving to save himself, and adds that “Webber,
a Joiner, was near the Captain, who was standing on the hencoop when the
ship went down, whom he saw washed off by a sea, which also carried him
(Webber) overboard;”—this is all which
concerns your brother personally. But I will just transcribe from it, a Copy of
Gilpin’s account delivered in to the Court of
Directors:—
“Memorandum respecting the Loss of the E. of A.”
“At 10 a.m. being about 10
leagues to the westward of Portland, the Commodore made the signal to bear
up—did so accordingly; at this time having maintop gallant mast struck, fore
and mizen ![]()
| 1805 | WRECK OF THE “ABERGAVENNY” | 305 |
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do. on deck, and the jib boom in the wind about
W.S.W. At 3 p.m. got on board a Pilot, being about 2
leagues to the westward of Portland; ranged and bitted both cables at about ½
past 3, called all hands and got out the jib boom at about 4. While crossing
the east End of the Shambles, the wind suddenly died away, and a strong tide
setting the ship to the westward, drifted her into the breakers, and a sea
striking her on the larboard quarter, brought her to, with her head to the
northward, when she instantly struck, it being about 5 p.m. Let out all the reefs, and hoisted the topsails up, in hopes to
shoot the ship across the Shambles. About this time the wind shifted to the
N.W. The surf driving us off, and the tide setting us on alternately, sometimes
having 4½ at others 9 fathoms, sand of the sea about 8 feet; continued in this
situation till about ½ past 7, when she got off. During the time she was on the
Shambles, had from 3 to 4 feet water; kept the water at this height about 15
minutes, during the whole time the pumps constantly going. Finding she gained
on us, it was determined to run her on the nearest shore. About 8 the wind
shifted to the eastward: the leak continuing to gain upon the pumps, having 10
or 11 feet water, found it expedient to bale at the forescuttles and hatchway.
The ship would not bear up—kept the helm hard a starboard, she being
water-logg’d: but still had a hope she could be kept up till we got her
on Weymouth Sands. Cut the lashings of the boats—could not get the Long Boat
out, without laying the main-top-sail aback, by which our progress would have
been so delayed, that no hope would have been left us of running her aground,
and there being several sloops in sight, one having sent a small skiff on
board, took away 2 Ladies and 3 other passengers, and put them on board the
sloop, at the same time promising to return and take away a hundred or more of
the people: she finding much difficulty in getting back to the sloop, did not
return. About this time the Third Mate and Purser were sent in the cutter to
get assistance from the other ships. Continued pumping and baling till 11 p.m. when she sunk. Last cast of the lead 11
fathoms; having fired guns from the time she struck till she went down, about 2
a.m. boats came and took the people from the
wreck about 70 in number. The troops, in particular the Dragoons, pumped very
well.
“(Signed) Thos. Gilpin.”
And now, my dear W.—I
must apologize for having named my health. But indeed it was because, what with
the ill news, your letter coming upon me in a most wretched state of ill
spirits, I was scarce able to give it an answer, and I felt what it required.
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| 306 | LETTERS OF C. AND M. LAMB | March |
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But we will say no more about it. I am
getting better. And when I have persisted time enough in a course of regular
living I shall be well. But I am now well enough; and have got to business
afresh. Mary thanks you for your
invitation. I have wished myself with you daily since the news. I have wished
that I were Coleridge, to give you any
consolation. You have not mourned without one to have a feeling of it. And we
have not undervalued the intimation of your friendship. We shall one day prove
it by intruding on your privacy, when these griefs shall be a little calmed.
This year, I am afraid, it is impossible: but I shall store it up as among the
good things to come, which keep us up when life and spirits are sinking.
If you have not seen, or wish to see, the wretched narrative
I have mentioned, I will send it. But there is nothing more in it affecting
you. I have hesitated to send it, because it is unfeelingly done, and in the
hope of sending you something from some of the actual spectators; but I have
been disappointed, and can add nothing yet. Whatever I pick up, I will store
for you. It is perfectly understood at the E. I. House, that no blame whatever
belongs to the Captn. or Officers.
I can add no more but Mary’s warmest Love to all. When you can write without
trouble, do it, for you are among the very chief of our interests.
Samuel Taylor Coleridge (1772-1834)
English poet and philosopher who projected
Lyrical Ballads (1798)
with William Wordsworth; author of
Biographia Literaria (1817),
On the Constitution of the Church and State (1829) and other
works.
Thomas Gilpin (1781 c.-1805 fl.)
The fourth mate on the Abergavenny who survived the wreck.
Mary Anne Lamb (1764-1847)
Sister of Charles Lamb with whom she wrote Tales from Shakespeare (1807). She lived with
her brother, having killed their mother in a temporary fit of insanity.
William Wordsworth (1770-1850)
With Coleridge, author of
Lyrical Ballads (1798), Wordsworth
survived his early unpopularity to succeed Robert Southey as poet laureate in 1843.
