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                     THE WRECK
                         ON
                   THE ANDAMANS:

                       BEING

  A NARRATIVE OF THE VERY REMARKABLE PRESERVATION,
     AND ULTIMATE DELIVERANCE, OF THE SOLDIERS
   AND SEAMEN, WHO FORMED THE SHIPS' COMPANIES OF
     THE RUNNYMEDE AND BRITON TROOP-SHIPS, BOTH
  WRECKED ON THE MORNING OF THE 12TH OF NOVEMBER,
     1844, UPON ONE OF THE ANDAMAN ISLANDS, IN
                 THE BAY OF BENGAL.


          _TAKEN FROM AUTHENTIC DOCUMENTS_

                         BY

                JOSEPH DARVALL, Esq.


                _At the request of_
  CAPT. CHARLES INGRAM, AND CAPT. HENRY JOHN HALL,
             _Owners of the Runnymede._


        "The dangers of the sea,
        All the cares and all the fears,
        When the stormy winds do blow."

                        (_Song._)


      LONDON: PELHAM RICHARDSON, 23, CORNHILL.
                       1845.




PELHAM RICHARDSON, PRINTER, 23, CORNHILL.




PREFACE.


The Author, owing to circumstances, has had access to authentic
documents and facts, relating to one of the most remarkable shipwrecks
which have ever happened, that of the troop-ships Runnymede and
Briton, on the morning of the 12th of November, 1844, upon one of the
Andaman Islands.

In reading these, it struck him forcibly, that the circumstances, if
thrown into the shape of a narrative, would form not only an
interesting publication, but would serve as a monument of the cool
intrepidity and judicious presence of mind of British officers,
soldiers, and seamen, in a time of remarkable trial.

They also tend to illustrate in a very striking manner the correctness
of the classic and poetical description of the "dangers of the sea,"
contained in that passage of Scripture, which the Author has often
observed to be listened to with great interest, when read in its
course, in the churches of our seaports, and which, on that account,
he makes no apology for quoting in a work, not professedly religious.

"They that go down to the sea in ships, and occupy their business in
great waters; these men see the works of the Lord, and his wonders in
the deep. For at his word the stormy wind ariseth, which lifteth up
the waves thereof. They are carried up to the heaven, and down again
to the deep: their soul melteth away because of the trouble. They reel
to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man: and are at their wits'
end. So when they cry unto the Lord in their trouble, he delivereth
them out of their distress. For he maketh the storm to cease: so that
the waves thereof are still. Then are they glad because they are at
rest; and so he bringeth them unto the haven where they would be."[A]

    [A] Psalm cvii., v. 23-30, Com. Pr. Book.

If this little work should answer the author's intention by proving
entertaining as well as instructive, he will feel that he has been
rewarded for the pains he has taken in compiling it.

    _Reading,_
        _July, 1845._




THE

WRECK ON THE ANDAMANS.




THE DEPARTURE.

    "O'er the smooth bosom of the faithless tides,
    Propelled by gentle gales, the vessel glides."

                        _Falconer._


The gallant Barque the Runnymede, of 507 tons burthen, commanded by
Captain William Clement Doutty, an experienced seaman, and the property
of Messrs. Hall & Co. and Ingram of Riches-court, Lime-street, London,
being a remarkably staunch river-built vessel of the A 1 or first class,
left Gravesend on the 20th of June, 1844, bound for Calcutta. She had
on board a general cargo and a crew of twenty-eight persons, including
officers. She also carried out, on account of the Honourable East India
Company, thirty-eight soldiers, with two women and one child, belonging
to Her Majesty's 10th Regiment of Foot, and also Captain Stapleton,
Ensigns Venables, Du Vernett, and Purcell, and one hundred and five
soldiers, ten women, and thirteen children, belonging to Her Majesty's
50th Regiment of Foot. The whole of the military were under the command
of Captain Stapleton; the medical officer was Mr. Bell, the surgeon of
the vessel.

Every thing proceeded in the same manner as is usual on voyages in the
same course, till they arrived south of the Tropics. The only casualty
they met with was the death of William Bryant, a private of the 10th,
on the 12th of July. He had suffered from sea-sickness ever since his
embarkation. His body was committed to the deep the same evening, with
the customary ceremonies. The principal amusements of the officers and
crew were fishing, shark-catching, booby and pigeon shooting, and
playing at backgammon. There were also on board the ship, books
provided for the use of those who were disposed to read. The hour of
dinner was four o'clock.

On arriving south of the Tropics, the wind, instead of backing to
the westward, blew almost constantly from the north-east and
east-north-east; and when it occasionally got to the westward of
north, it always fell light, contrary to the usual course; and so it
continued until it got to the westward, and then it freshened. In
consequence of the delay occasioned by this state of things, and
the near approach of the north-east monsoon, the captain, on the
21st of October, resolved to call at Penang, for the purpose of
taking in an additional supply of water and other necessaries. They
