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Inscribed in pen and ink, lower left: "23"

Lettered lower left; "James Northcote pinx! Portraits" | "of the Officers and Men who were preserv'd from the Wreck of the CENTAURE, Viz. Captain J.N. Infield, Mr. Thos. Rainy Mafter, Mr. Rob. Bayles Midshipman, (a young | gentleman 15 years of age who leap'd from the Ship after the Boat had put off and was taken in,) Timothy Sulivan Captaing's Cockswain, John Gregory Quarter Mafter, | Theodore Hutchins, Charles Mac Carty, Ec. Seamen; tweleve in all, who were miraculously saved in the Pinnace, when the Centaure Ship of War of 74 Guns, with the | reft of the Crew, was left in a violent Storm on her pafsage from Jamaica in Sept. 1782 : after which these 12 made a traverse of near 300 Leagues on the grea | Weftern Ocean, without Compafs or Quadrant and with only a Blanket for a Sail, under which they scudded before the Wind. They were all very thinly cloathed, having | neither great Coat or Cloak, and were reduced to the small allowance of one Bifcuit in the morning, and one at noon divided into twelve morsels, and a Glafs | of Water to each, which they caught by spreading a pair of Sheets when it rain'd (which had by accident been thrown into the Boat) and wringing them. In the miserable conidition they all (except Thos. Mathews who died the day before) arrived at Fayall at midnight, so reduced as to be unable to walk, having been more than fixteen days in the Boat. | The Size of the Picture is 12 Feet by 8 Feet 5 Inches. | Published Oct. 1796 by T. Philipe" Lettered lower center; "AUSI SPERARE SALUTEM" Lettered lower right; " PORTRAITS | T. Gaugain fecit. | des Sieurs J.N. Infield Captaine du CENTAURE, Thomas Rainy Maitre, Robt. Bayles Officier du tillac, (jeune homme de 15 Ans qui fauta dans la Mer et fut receu | dans la Barque,) Timothy Sulivan...