The Sun.
London, England, 1841-02-08 00:00:00


The following narrative of the loss of the Indian Oak is
froth a letter kindly sent to us, end written by one of the
sufferers: it is dated " Chusan, Oct. 21, 1840.
" On the 10th of August sailed from Chusan in the
transport Indian Oak, and, regret to say, was wrecked on
the Great Loo-ehoo Island on the 14th, during a heavy.
gale. It was fortunate the Old Oak was a good teak
ship, or I fear few would have lived to tell the talc. We
struck between ten and eleven a.m., and shortly after lost,
our rudder, which took with it part of our stern. We
cut ae-ay the main and mizen masts to case the after-part
of the ship, her back being broke a little abaft the chest-
tree, and the ship over on her beam-ends, with the sea
making a clean breach over all, and with it the cop.
per and sheathing of her bottom, front which, ssbile
sticking on the outside of her quarter, we were in
great clanger' of being severely injured. After being
forced over two or three ridges of rocks, our only hope
appeared in getting a line, and with that a hewser, to the
reef; but all our attempts failed, Two men got on shore
much bruised and injured, and, on the tide corning in, were
taken up and kindly treated by the natives, who at this
time lied come down in numbers. We had little hope of
the ship holding together during the flood, as it was blow-
ing a perfect hurricane ; our only chance was in the after
part of tee ship holding together ; it was now impossible
to hold on the outside of the ship, and we all got under
the poop, supporting each other in tire beat tiny we could,
as the deck was perpendicular, and the ship resting on the
main end mizen chains. About midnight the wind in
some measure abated, and the tide having receded, tee
found the wreck had been thrown considerably up
on the rocky ledge, the water under our lee masts
sm ,other, and not more than five er six feet deep, cecept
in holes. We now piped all hands on shore, and with
the assistance of the mizen-mast gaff and boom,
which still held on and formed a raft, all hands got safely
on shore on the reef with the exception of a few bruises
and cut feet. We marched about a mile over the rocky
ledge to high water mark, where we were met by the kind
and hospitable islanders, who supplied us with trot tea and
rice and treated us in the kindest manner. One of the
principal men seeing me shivering with cold, having no-
thing en but a shirt end linen drawers, took off h;s warm
cloak and threw it over my shoulders. After resting
short time we commenced our march through extensive
paddy folds about a mile, w hen, on reaching the borde!'e
of a town, we were lodged its a comfortable building or
court-house, and, after being again regaled with but
tea, fowls, rice, and eggs, and a dry suit of clothes each,
we laid down to rest, after twelve hours' drenching on
the outside of the wreck. These kind and good people
treated us with uniform kindness during the whole
period of our sojourn of forty , six days, and built, use:
junk of from 150 to 180 tons burden, to take us on to Sin-
gapore, where it was our intention to have gone had' our
own launch failed to reach Chusan, to which place the was
despatched under charge of the chief officer, and fortu-
nately arrived safe. The Commodore immediately sent
her Majesty's ships Cruizar and Nimrod to our relief; the
former was immediately sent back with the letters and
packets. We Cully left on the 29:h of September in
the Nimrod and junk, and arrived on the 5th inst. at
Chusan. The kind Loo-chooeis supplied us with every-
thing needful during our stay, and a month's provision
for all hands in the junk. Her Majesty's ships during
their stay was also supplied with water and fresh supplies,
for all which these good people would receive nothing in
the shape of payment. I had nothing to offer in retu:n
but a telescope, and they were presented with another by.
Captain Barlow, with twelve copies of the Penny-Ma.
gacine, one print, and a looking. glass. Most of ettiebag-
vage was saved, but all snore or less damaged."—Bombay
gage was saved, but all snore or less damaged. "—Bombay
Times.

ROBERT ENIMET.—" About the same period I.
formed an acquaintance, which soon grew into intimacy,
with young Robert Emmet. He was my senior, I think,
by one class, in the University ; for r, hen. in the first year
of my course, I became a member of the Debating Saciety
—a sort of nursery to the authorized Historical Society_
I found him in full reputation, not only for his learning
and eloquence, but also for the blamelessness cf his life,
and the grave suavity of his manners. Of the politiCal
tone of this minor school of oratory, which was held
weekly at the rooms of different resident members, sonic
notion may be formed from the nature of the questions
proposed for discussion—one of which I recollect was,
Whether an aristocracy or a democracy is most favour-
able to the advancement of science and literature?" while
another, bearing even more pointedly on the relative posi.
tion of the Government and tha people at this crisis, was
thus significantly propounded :—" Whether a soldier was
bound, on all occasions, to obey the orders of his command-
ing officer?" On the fur mer of these questions he ( ffec‘ of
Eoimet's eloquence upon his young auditors was, I recollect,
most striking. The prohibition against touching upon
modern politics, which it was subsequently found meet,
vary to enforce, had not yet been introduced ; arid Emmet,
who took of course ardently the side of democracy in the
debate, atter a brief review of the republics of antiquity,
showing how much they had all done for the advancement
of science and the arts, proceeded, lastly, to the grand and
perdous example then passing before all eyes—tire young
republic of France. Referring to the circumstance told of
Caesar, that, in swimming across the Rubicon, he contrived
to carry with bin, his commentaries and his sword, the
yOung orator said, "Shia France wades through a sea Of
eorm and blood; but while, in one hand, she vrieldis
sword against her ritgressors, with the other she upholds.
the glories of scienee,and literature unsullied by the ensan,
guined tide through which she struggles." In another of
his remarkable speeches, I remember his saying, " When
a pe4ple, advancing rapidly in knowledge sod power, per-
ceive at last how far their Government is lagging behind
them, what then, I ask, is to be done in such a case? What,
but to pull the Government up to the people ?"— Thomas
Moore's Memoirs.

NEWSPAPER TWADDLE -Lady Langdale was
sitting next to Lord Hill the other evening after dinner,
and on cracking a walnut (the skin of whic was beauti-
fully varegated) observed, it was like the uniform of 'the
1114 hussars ; upon which his Lordship replied, with.
some pettishness, that he was thoroughly sick of the Ele—
venth, and all that belonged to it. We do not wonder at the re.
sly ; but i3 it not his Lfirdship's own fault ?—.Alligator [ What
likeness there could be between the skin of a walnut and
the uniform of the Eleventh, it is not easy to fancy ; but
the cracking of the nut might have suggested a simile, tilt
walnuts, like officers of the Eleventh, are broken for the
good that is in them. A Cockney punster would give
the thing another turn, and say, that walnuts, like the of.
freers of the Eleventh, were broken for their hernel
Examiner.

- ETYMOLOGY OF THE NAMES OF COUNTRIES.
—The following countries were named by the Phienici,ins,
the greatest commercial people in the ancient world.
These names, in the Phoenician language, signify some-;
thing characteristic of the places which they designate.
Europe signifies a country of white complexion, so named
because the inhabitants there were of a lighter complexion
than those of either Asia or Africa. Asia signifies b.'-
tleen, or in the middle, from the fact that the geo-
graphers placed it between Eurupe and Africa. Aries
SigniCS the land of corn or cars it was celebrated
for its abundance of corn and all sorts of grain. - Si
beria signifies thirsty. or dry—very characteristic of tee
country. Spain, a country of rabbits or conies. This
country was once so infested with these animals, that
they sued Augustus for an army to destroy them.
a country of pitch, from its yielding great quantities of
black pitch ; Calabria also, for the same reason. Gam],
modern France, signifies yellow-haired, as yellow hair
characterized its first iniiabi.ants. The EogliTh of Cale-
donia is a high hill. This was a rugged mountainous
province in Scotland. Hibernia is utmost or last babita-
tion; for beyond this, westward, the Phoenicians never ex-
ten,.'ed their voyages. Britain, the country of tin—as
there were great quantities of lead and tin found on the
adjacent Islands. The Greeks called it Albion, which
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