Wreck in Alegranza

“I remember, that, a few years ago an English ship ran, in the night, upon Alegranza, and was soon after beat to pieces. The crew with some difficulty got safe ashore upon the island, where they made several signals to acquaint the natives of Lancerota with their distress and bring them to their relief, but in vain.

Mean time they had the good fortune to find some rain-water in the holes of the rocks; this, with what provisions they had saved from the wreck, enabled them to subsist for some days; but seeing famine them in the face, and observing that the wind blew almost continually from Alegranza toward Graciosa, they made a raft of spars, which they had saved from the wreck, and secured it well together with ropes; upon this raft the matter of the vessel embarking, having a mast and sail, and an oar to serve instead of a rudder, boldly put to sea, and soon aster safely landed in Graciosa, where, as it was then winter season, he found some shepherds and fishermen, to whom he related his adventure and the distress of his crew : upon which the fishermen immediately went off in a boat to their relief, and bought them all safe to Lancerota.”

George Glas