and the Almighty would protect them. After proceeding in this manner for at least a mile, the bowmen suddenly halloed out, “we are close to the beach. Sir!” and Lieutenant Debenham, with great presence of mind, immediately directed the rowers to be ready to unship their oars, to list the boat well to leeward, and to gather aft the fore sheet, himself attending to the mizen. In a moment afterwards he gave the expected orders, and strictly charged the men not to move from their respective thwarts – the boat was instantly thrown upon a spit of sand, and the receding wave left her perfectly dry; but still the men were ordered to keep their seats, nor were they allowed to stir from them until three or four successive waves had washed her well up upon the beach; the sails keeping her steady and forcing her broadside on as the sea lifted her.
Seeing Lieutenant Debenham dash into the tremendous surf, and not choosing to be out-done in noble daring by an inferior officer. Captain O’Reilly had instantly followed him; but his boat, although apparently much better adapted for such an undertaking, was unfortunately upset, and five of her crew perished: he and the other survivors were all more or less bruised; and it is nearly certain that the whole would have been drowned, had not Lieutenant Debenham and the transports’ people ran into the surf and dragged them out at the risk of their own lives. All the other boats returned on board their respective vessels, to wait the result of the next tide; it being scarcely possible that one in fifty could then have escaped a similar fate.
The spit of sand upon which Lieutenant Debenham’s boat was thrown, proved to be the extreme point of the right bank of the Adour; to which spot many soldiers hastened upon witnessing his most miraculous escape. The gig was very soon dragged over it, and launched into the river, across which he immediately rowed to where a number of military officers were assembled, one of whom was Sir John Hope, who publicly congratulated him, and returned thanks for his promptitude and highly meritorious exertions.
It was now about 10 A.M.:– the gig instantly began to
