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They now found that a very conſiderable number ⟨of⟩ the crew, ſeamen, ſoldiers, and ſome petty ⟨officers⟩ were in the ſame ſituation with themſelves, ⟨though⟩ many who had reached the rocks below, had ⟨periſhed⟩, in attempting to aſcend; what that ſituation was they were ſtill to learn; at preſent they had ⟨eſcaped⟩ immediate death, but they were yet to encounter cold, nakedneſs, wind, rain, and the perpetual heating of the ſpray of the ſea, for a difficult, ⟨precarious⟩, and doubtful chance of eſcape.
In a very few minutes after Mr. Rogers had gained the rock, an univerſal ſhriek, which ſtill vibrates ⟨in⟩ their ears, and, in which, the voice of female ⟨diſtreſs⟩ was lamentably diſtinguiſhable, announced ⟨the⟩ dreadful cataſtrophe; in a few moments all was ⟨cruſhed⟩, except the warring winds, and beating waves; ⟨the⟩ wreck was buried in remorſeleſs deep, and not an atom of her was ever after diſcoverable,
Thus periſhed the Halſewell.
What an aggravation of woe was this dreadful, his tremendous blow, to the yet trembling, and ⟨ſcarcely⟩ haſt ſaved wretches, who were hanging about the ſides of the horrid cavern.
After the bittereſt three hours which miſery ever ⟨lengthened⟩ into ages, the day, broke on them; they now found that had the country been alarmed by the guns of diſtreſs which they had continued to ⟨fire⟩ for many hours before the ſhip ſtruck, but which from the violence of the ſtorm were unheard, they could neither be obſerved by the people from above, as they were completely ingulphed in the cavern, and over hung by the cliff, nor did any part of the wreck remain to point out their probable place of refuge; below, no boat could live to ſearch them out, and had it been poſſible to have acquainted thoſe who would wiſh, to aſſiſt them, with their exact ſituation, no ropes could be conveyed into the cavi(illegible text); to facilitate their eſcape,
