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The only proſpect which offered, was to creep ⟨along⟩ the ſide of the cavern, to its outward extremity, and on a ledge ſcarcely as broad as a man's hand to turn the corner, and endeavour to clamber the almoſt perpendicular precipice, whoſe ⟨ſummit⟩ was near two hundred feet from the baſe.
And in this deſperate effort did ſome ſucceed whilſt others, trembling with terror, and the ſtrength exhauſted by mental and bodily fatigue loſt their precarious footing, and periſhed in the ⟨attempt.⟩
The firſt men who gained the ſummit of the ⟨cliff⟩ were the Cook, and James Thompſon, a Quarter-maſter, by their own exertions they made their way to the land, and the moment they reached it, haſtened to the neareſt houſe, and made known the ⟨ſituation⟩ of their fellow ſufferers
The houſe at which they firſt arrived was Eaſtington the preſent habitation of Mr. Garland, ſteward or agent to the proprietors of the Purbeck ⟨Quarries⟩ who immediately got together the workmen under his direction, and with the moſt zealous and animated humanity, exerted every effort for the preſervation of the ſurviving crew of this unfortunate ſhip; ⟨ropes⟩ were procured with all poſſible diſpatch, and every precaution taken that aſſiſtance ſhould be ſpeedily and effectually given.
As the day advanced, more aſſiſtance was obtained, and as the life-preſerving efforts of the ſurvived would admit, they crawled to the extremities of ⟨the⟩ cavern, and preſented themſelves to their preſervers above, who ſtood prepared with the means which the ſituation would permit them to exerciſe, to ⟨head⟩ them to the ſummit.
