The seamen were all provided
with cordage, which I had beforehand twisted to a sufficient strength.
When the ships came up, I stripped myself, and waded till I came within
a hundred yards of the boat, after which I was forced to swim till I got
up to it. The seamen threw me the end of the cord, which I fastened to a
hole in the forepart of the boat, and the other end to a man-of-war. But
I found all my labor to little purpose; for, being out of my depth, I
was not able to work. In this necessity, I was forced to swim behind,
and push the boat forwards as often as I could with one of my hands,
and, the tide favoring me, I advanced so far, that I could just hold up
my chin and feel the ground. I rested two or three minutes, and then
gave the boat another shove, and so on till the sea was no higher than
my arm-pits; and now, the most laborious part being over, I took out my
other cables, which were stowed in one of the ships, and fastened them
first to the boat, and then to nine of the vessels which attended me;
the wind being favorable, the seamen towed, and I shoved, till we
arrived within forty yards of the shore, and waiting till the tide was
out, I got dry to the boat, and, by the assistance of two thousand men,
with ropes and engines, I made a shift to turn it on its bottom, and
found it was but little damaged.
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