The Sun.
London, England, 1847-04-09 00:00:00

60me boarding pikes which had been picked up, to en-
deavour to catch fish, as many were seen round about us:
A writing-desk was found, and in one corner was a little
box of about a dozen wax lucifer matches; but they
were wet, and would not light. We stuck them in the
flour to dry; but very nearly lost them. One of the
Spanish passengers having seen the box there, pocketed
the box, throwing away the matches. When this was
discovered, a hue and cry was raised about the matches,
on which our existence almost depended. The respect-
able portion of the Spaniards (some of them most worthy
and kind gentlemen) assisted in the search at once, and
at last we made the delinquent turn out the box, also a
jar of preserves be had pocketed for his own use! He
confessed having thrown the matches out, and on
searching we found them scattered in some holes of
the raft. A few of them were picked up, and dried,
and at last we struck a light! Oh, joyful news it
was to all. We gave three cheers! A candle was
lighted, and placed in an empty barrel, and a watch
placed over it, with orders never to let it out, by
night or day. A piece of board lined with iron was
found, and on this we soon had a fire blazing, having
plenty of sticks at hand. The doctor and purser then
got the dead sheep, skinned it in a most skilful manner
with an old razor, and we soon had a po: tion of it
cooked. A piece was served out to each man, and all
declared they never tasted such excellent mutton. One
tottle "of wine followed round to each. At noon we
taxed up our thanks to God f,r his goodness. This af-
t, rnoon we picked up a few fish, one or two fine lob-
sters, three bottles of wine, and a can of oil. The en-

giacers (now that we had a tire) set about construe ting
an apparatus with which to condense water, if possible.
First, they tried earthenware jers, but these broke; at
terwards, they got hold of seine copper vessel and lead
pipes, with which they buried themselves. We began
now to long for water, the want of which pained us
most; and the poor dog, pigs, and sheep seemed very
thirsty. At four P. M. served out to each a bit of fish or
lobster, then half a " tottle" of brandy. To-day attempts
were made to drag the broken lifeboat near to us at high
water, that we might again examine, and try if possible
to repair her. If sound, she could have carried us all
safely to the main coast; but she was found to be use-
less. Made up our minds to commence the construction
of a strong floating raft to-morrow, on which, if
there should be no succour by the 19th (one week from
the day of our shipwreck), we will set out in hopes of
reaching a little island which the captain is sure lies on
the south side of the reef; or, failing that, the main

coast. At six P. N. served out to each man before lying
down one "tottle "of wine. Thirst began to be very
troublesome. The vinegar cask was much resorted to
by all; some drinking a little, others only wetting their
lips with a wet rag of vinegar.
MONDAY, FEB. 15.—A1l up at daybreak. At six
served out half a tottle of brandy, mixed with half a
tottle of vinegar, which was most palatable. Many
began to try a mixture of brandy, salt water, and vinegar,
in equal quantities, some thinking it very good. as afford-
ing something like a drink; the half tottle of brandy, or
whole one of wine, scarcely sufficing to wet our parched
tongues. At seven offered up our thanks to God for
his goodness. Parties then started off in all directions,
wading in the water, as usual, almost half breast high,
to look for wreck, food, &c. One party of a dozen was

appointed to gather together the fire, main, and wizen
masts, main-yard, and other large spars, with which to
form a substantial floating raft; and they set about it
with right good will. Our distillery had now been put
together, and was at work, but the success was very
doubtful. At eight A.m., the ship's cook commenced to
make 69 small cakes of flour, butter, and salt water,

which were baked at the fire on a piece of sheet iron torn
from a bit of the wreck. The cakes were served out, with

a piece of mutton, or fish, and never was a feast so re-
lished. At 9 A.M. the distillery getting into good order
produced a bottle of water in about fifteen minutes. The
water so made was not very pleasant to the taste, and
we were rather afraid of the first portion made, on ac-
count of its passing through dirty copper and lead pipes;
however, it was all carefully put by for future use in
corked bottles, until it should be seen how much could
be made. By ten o'clock A.M. the raft builders had put
together a most substantial groundwork for a raft, fit
almost to carry the whole of us. It made us feel more
independent of our old fixed raft, in case of its going to
pieces. By eleven A M., we bad made about six bottles
of water, when some one called out " A sail!" How it
made our hearts leap with joy, although many were
sceptical, there having been a false alarm in the morning
about a light, which was only a star. All were up in a
moment, with eager looks, asking " Where 2" It seemed
but a mere white speck, and some doubted it being any-
thing but the top of some rock, many of which were to
be seen in the distance. But some of the old seamen, on
taking a good look, declared it to be a sail ; and a sail
it proved to be in a few minutes. We were half afraid
to believe that she was coming to us, in case she was only

a chance ship, and might, after all, never see us on our
lowly raft. The distillery and everything else was
thrown aside—all were gazing towards the vessel, to
make out how she was steering. Some said she was
a schooner, others a brig. We got another signal
raised on two oars lashed together. At length she
hauled round the east point of the reef; some six or eight
miles distant, and bore right up towards us along the
reef, keeping about two miles outside. Wben there
could be no doubt as to her intentions, we felt that the

sudden and unexpected prospects of a speedy deliverance
were almost too much fur us. Only then did our hearts

seem to soften, and feel what we had gone through. All
knelt down and joined together most fervently in thank.
ing Almighty God for our preservation; after which each

might bekee; to grasp their friends by the hand and shake
it, with something like a smile at last upon their lips,
although the heart was too full for anything to be said.
As the brig stood towards us about noon our claret was
opened, and a double allowance (two tottlefuls) was dealt
round to each man. By one o'clock P 31. it was abreast
of us, about four miles outside the surf; she stopped;
and a small boat, which we had observed towing astern,
set sail towards us. In less than an hour she had
neared the surf, when she let down the sail and eight
swarthy fellows got out poles, with which they guided
their canoe right through the breakers on to the reef,
close to us.

In a few words we may as well relate the adven-
tures of our little boat. She left us at five PM. on
Friday, and continua to row and sail gently along
across the reef, in great fear of running aground every
moment and damaging her frail hull. She touched
often as she went along in the dark ; but they were able
always to clear her. The stem turned out not to be her
frailest part, when once they got clear away ; she leaked
in so many places in the bottom, that two men baling
could scat cely keep her free, and had any of them stood
up in her bottom, they would have gone through her.
The chief officer sat with the compass between his knees
in the dark, steering, but with great difficulty making
out the points of the compass ; only doing so by now and
then getting a glimpse of the flourish round the north
point. They scarcely knew how they got off the reef
into open water ; remarking,on being asked, " God must
have guided us I" At daybreak on Saturday they found
themselves clear of the reef, and also saw that they were
past the small island of Perez, to which they thought it
best not to return, but kept on their course towards the
south. The sea was calm, and the wind was fair all the
way. By sitting all well aft they kept her bows out of
the water. They sailed all day and during the night,
and when Sunday morning dawned, had the happiness of
seeing the coast a few miles off ; at the same time they
observed a brig in the offing, to which they at once
made, but she seemed to avoid them, keeping away. The
little boat kept on towards her, however, making signals
as well as they could, and, at last, got near her, and the
chief officer boarded her. He found them all in confu-
sion, with loaded muskets ready to protect themselves,
having taken the small boat for some piratical craft.
The tale was soon told to the chief mate, Senor
Villaverde, of the Spanish brig Emilio, and at once
he got all on board, and set off towards Sisal to
inform his commander, the brig having been obliged to
slip and run from Sisal, leaving her captain on shore,
when the same "norther" came on to blow which the
Tweed encountered. Sisal being only 11 wiles off, the
brig reached it by 11 A.M., when the captain nas at
once communicated with. On hearing of our disaster
he hesitated not for one moment, but, getting some
water hurriedly on board, set sail towards the reef,
which he reached, as has been said, at 1 P.M. the next

day. Worthy, noble, humane Bernardino Camp, for
such is the name of the excellent young officer who com-
mands the Emilio. He never thought of his cargo lying
on the beach at Sisal, or his passengers appointed to
join him, to sail on a certain day for Havannah, to which
port she is a regular trader ; his only thoughts were on
rescuing the poor shipwrecked people. He thought not
of his insurance either, or the risk he ran of coming on
to a lee shore in the " norther " season; and last of all
but not least, he never thought of remuneration or re-
ward, afterwards remarking, when spoken to on this
point, " I did but my duty, which every man would
have done in such a case, and my reward is here " (lay-
ing his hand on his heart). We knew that many would
not have acted so promptly as he had done.
To return to the canoe alongside our raft. She
brought some roasted fowls, biscuit, and two or three
gallons of water mixed with sugar. Captain Camp
came also with her, and for a noble purpose, namely,
to remain with us on the raft, as a security in himself
that the brig would not leave us until all were rescued I
The raft's muster-roll was at once got out and twenty-
five names called over, commencing with the invalids,
all of whom were to go off in the canon to the brig.
The writer's name was among the first called out, but,
for certain pressing reasons, which need not be here
mentioned, he preferred remaining on the raft till the
last. The canoe started with twenty-five passengers,
and was anxiously watched while the attempt was
made to pull her through the breakers. Alter a
struggle this was accomplished, and their oars got out,
and they were about to hoist the sail, when a sea struck
her and turned her broadside on the surf, into which
she was driven, and back on to the reef, narrowly
escaping being capsized. Her crew said she was
overloaded, so twelve only were sent in her ; and
this time she got over in safety, and made towards
the brig, on board which they were placed. She
returned about four P.m., bringing the brig's small
boat, which alone came through the surf, the canoe
stopping outside, as they were afraid she would get stove
if she struck the reef in the middle of the boiling
surf. The small boat took off seven passengers to the
canoe, and returned for seven more, with which she set
off; but, when in the middle of the surf, one wave
seemed to lift her high in the air, then dash her round
broadside on, and capsize her. She turned over and over,
and was swept back on to the reef, full of water, the
people who were in her being scattered about in the surf.
Fortunately, all of them, after a little, got a footing on
the reef, in four or five feet of water, and reached the
raft in safety. The boat was baled clear of water, and a
few more seamen put into her, with extra oars, and only
tour passengers allowed to go. This time she got safely
through the surf, and alongside the canoe, which went to
the brig, the small boat returning to the raft. It was
now getting late, and the brig stood out to sea for the
night. We dealt round the sugar and water and biscuit,