: at the diftance of about fix yards from the fire, with feveral of their hands and limbs in a mangled condition, fome broiled and forme raw; but no other parts of their bodies, which gave caufe to fufpect that the cannibals had feasted on and eaten all the reft. We obferved a large body of them affembled on the top of a hill, at about two miles diftance; but night coming on, we durft not advance to attack them neither was it thought fafe to quit the fhore to take account of the number killed, our body being but small, and the favages numerous and fierce. They were armed with long lances, and with weapons not unlike the halberts of our ferjeants in fhape, made of hard wood, and instead of iron, mounted with bone. We could difcover nothing belonging to the cutter but one of the oars, which was broken and ftuck in the fand, to which they had tied the fastenings of their canoes. It was fufpected that the dead bodies of our people had been divided among the different parties of favages that had been concerned in the maffacre; and it was not improbable but that the party that was feen at a distance were feafting upon fome of the others, as thofe on the fhore had been upon what were found, before they were difturbed by our crew in the longboat. Be that as it may, we could discover no traces of more than four of their bodies, nor could we tell where the favages had concealed the cutter. It was now near night, and our lieutenant not thinking it fafe to truft our crew in the dark, in an open boat, within reach of fuch cruel barbarians, ordered the canoes to be broken up and destroyed; and, after carefully collecting the remains of our mangled companions, we made the best of our way from this polluted place. About four the next morning we weighed anchor, and about feven got under way, and purfued our courfe home. In the mean time, the furgeon examined the remains of the bodies brought on board, but could not make out to whom they belonged; fo they were decently laid together, and with the ufual folemnity on board fhips, committed to the deep. Authentic Account of a late unfortunate Tranfaction, with respect to a Diving Machine at Plymouth. MANY reports of a very contrary nature having been spread concerning the fate of an unfortunate man, who was loft in a Diving Machine, the Gentleman, who was applied to by him, has thought it expedient to lay a full and authentic ftate of the matter before the public. R. DAY (the fole projector MR. of the scheme, and, as matters have turned out, the unhappy facrifice to his own ingenuity) employed his thoughts for fome years paft in planning a method of finking a veffel under water, with a man in it, who fhould live therein for a certain time, and then, by his own means only, bring himself up to the furface. After much ftudy he conceived that his plan could be reduced into practice: he communicated his idea in the part of the country where he lived, and had the most fanguine hopes of fuccefs. He went fo far as to try his project in the Broads [2] 3 near near Yarmouth. He fitted a Norwich market-boat for his purpose, funk himself 30 feet under water, where he continued during the fpace of 24 hours, and executed his defign to his own entire fatisfaction. Elate with this fuccefs, he then wanted to avail himself of his invention he converfed with his friends, perfectly convinced that he had brought his undertaking to a certainty; but how to reap the advantage of it was the difficulty that remained. The perfon in whom he confided fuggefted to him, that, if he acquainted the fporting Gentlemen with the difcovery, and the certainty of the performance, confiderable betts would take place, as foon as the project fhould be mentioned in company. The Sporting Kalen dar was immediately looked into, and the name of Blake foon occurred; that gentleman was fixed upon as the perfon to whom Mr. Day ought to addrefs himself. Accordingly Mr. Blake, in the month of November laft, received the following letter: < SIR, I have found out an affair, by which many thousands may be won: It is of a paradoxical nature, but can be performed with eafe; therefore, Sir, if you chufe to be informed of it, and give me one hundred pounds of every thoufand you fhall win by it, I will very readily wait upon you, and inform you of it. 1 am, myself, but a poor mechanic, and not able to make any thing by it without your affiftance. Mr. Blake had no conception of Mr. Day's defign, nor was he fure that the letter was ferious. To clear the matter up, he returned for answer. that, if Mr. Day would come to town, and explain himfelf, Mr. Blake would confider of the propofal. If he approved of it, Mr. Day fhould have the recompence he defired; it, on the other hand, the plan fhould be rejected, Mr. Blake would make him a prefent to defray the expences of his journey. In a fhort time after Mr. Day came to town; Mr. Blake faw him, and defired to know what fecret he was poffeffed of. The man replied,That he could fink a fhip 100 yards deep in the fea with himself in it, and remain therein for the space of 24 hours, without communication with any thing above; and, at the expiration of the time, rise up again in the veffel.' The propofal, in all its parts, was new to Mr. Blake. He took down the particulars, and after confidering the matter, defired fome kind of proof of the practicability. The man added, that, if Mr. Blake would furnish him with the materials neceffary ftration. A model of the veffel in he would give him occular demonwhich he was to perform the experiment was then required, and in three or four weeks accomplished, fo as to give a perfect idea of the principle upon which the scheme was to be executed, and, indeed, a very plaufible promise of success, not to Mr. Blake only, but many other gentlemen who were confulted upon the occafion. The confequence was, that Mr. Blake, agreeably to the man's deJ. DAY.' fire, advanced money for the conftruction |