It will be recollected how a brig came off the
island some months before this, and the great disappointment that the
party on the island experienced in her not making her appearance again.
The fact was, that those on board of the brig had not only seen their
signals, but had read the name of the "Pacific" upon the flag hoisted;
but the heavy gale which came on drove them so far to the southward,
that the master of the brig did not consider that he should do his duty
to his owners, if he lost so much time in beating up for the island
again. He therefore decided upon making all sail for Sydney, to which
port he was bound.
When Captain Osborn was put into the boat by Mackintosh and the seamen
of the Pacific, he was still insensible; but he gradually recovered,
and after a stormy night, Captain Osborn was so far recovered as to
hear from Mackintosh what had taken place, and why it was that he found
himself in an open boat at sea. The next morning the wind moderated,
and they were fortunate enough to fall in with a vessel bound to Van
Diemen's Land, which took them all on board.
From the account given by Mackintosh, Captain Osborn had no doubt in
his mind but that the Seagrave family had perished, and the loss of the
vessel, with them on board, was duly reported to the owners.
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