The Sun.
London, England, 1826-10-30 00:00:00

SHIPWRECK.

FUJITH/CR FAXTICULAIRS or TER lOU OF TUF 144111 A )WAII.-

110 AT, WITS Sin:UAL wasters,/ IWIDIXONARISS AND °MEXS.
(From the .E'varisrelical Itrogoline.)-
The following are extracts from the Journal of the Rev.
Mr. Hyde, Wesleyan Misoionary at Montserrat :
Monday, March 13, .1826.—T0-day Mrs. Jones was co
much recovered, as to justify my hearing, from her own
lips, the almost unparalleled narrative of the wreck of the
Maria. I had been waiting with some anxiety to hear
the particulars from her, the only one spared to relate the
sad story. The following, to the best of my recollection,
forms a correct account
After they left Montserrat, on Monday evening, they
had to pass through a most fearful night. The wind blew
very hard, and the sea was unusually heavy. The day fol-
lowing was one of a very distressing description, but to-
wards sunset they were fast approaching the island of
Antigua.
The Captain was aware of the dange:ous reefs, rocks,
and sands, which lie in such fearful numbers at the mouth
of St. John's harbour, and endeavoured to avoid them.
The missionaries were on deck, expressing their joy at the
prospect of supping and sleeping ashore; and the children
below were singing in the cabin, in imitation of their fa-
thers, and playing around their mothers. All now were
without fear but 'Airs. Jones, and her mind (she says) was
so distracted for a time with the idea that the vessel
would yet be lost, that she had to pray earnestly against it.
However, the fear did not leave her, but these words
came to her recollection, and so comforted her, that she
could do nothing but repeat them to herself :
at
fi.r.esartesbl:eult
Worets ehev e
cnrry:o:'uo;tW ce lnfl
samhteet alarm
eaank el the
rtal, 'was apread-suddeoly through the
.4 Jesus protects; my fears begone!
(most unusual thing with her), and b
ataelinkol:cleko' atidhilftl laileglbaersiseonat:tictehoil:lll°:tvr;tllleeredeafd: h 1 butN
i thee
e.
c-e
4ittiinlo,eo:4l
u vessel stth, aar esii.i,aoin;dlfsisgts lisslaetrienralrdotsllue
lyysftlpwis.etelliiaetc
et
finie
tO,(
nidown,o
to the so u west of St. Jothroloerett'whswealotxviu.dalitdn•obdfhottavStrian:):::orrilal admnstaril
ntre(dibloleoentungnvula)vhaninelearka
reef
have escaped altogether; for she weak! either have run between
snoceurred, that if the reef tied been
mothers
picked,and in the
sjenrytivegantirtiseint in
snots
e hedof the Agent for Lloyd's/ a worse Oat* could not have been found. The brethren now rushed towards
the Wahl to seize their wivex, their little ones, and satranti. The
tip the children, and ruihad
thethr(mgh the pouring flood, which was now fast filling the vessel to
Missionaries on deck. 'The scene was indescribable ! The rei
eel fell on her side and,goad directly. The sailors cut away the mast,
and she righted a little. They cast out the anchor, and let out
the chain cable, which Caused the vessel to hang a little snore sr-
Cutely on the rocks, whilet the sea beat over her in the moat terri-
bfitclit=i;nd-Alilluatheoltahseseurinatartealrrdleccrinpnotwo hung
murdodnlethin
flearge ---- 'elafter it, and reached it. They endeavoured to
other with the prospects
*feel, ra shfreeestrublacbtkki,itthcoseseiihnoaannto,
.wisz;wsihtee.dtlhveeolizvn.ele,r(eibosarimvaitalreted,el,:alawveiiaatryh...
orge
stated the passengers remained nearly
Newbold. juul'ed
could and •
bring her,
..piare*
precipitated
pn.
igtwtfol
un:aweal:lehkTlenrnitsbn
whotitytu theativthineo‘ whenvne:ejlusk
clinging
waistlagnot ol feh the veil veossef
one hour, calling on Hint who alone could
a
into the sea, viz, Mr.. and, Mrs. White, with their three•aiidrens
Mr. and Mrs. Truscott, and child, two aervants, and Mrs. Jones.
tillgea'qvietawrtaeyeldaneekri
Mr. Jones being next to his wife, saw her desperate situation, and
made an effort to lay hold of her, in which lie providentially sue.
railed, and drew her op so far that she got held of the part of the

tvrerk en Which he hung, and watt well. The Andra, AO they
Boated on the surface of their watery grave, cried much, but the
brethren and their wives calmly met their death. They cried out
to them who were on the wreck, "Farewell ! the Lord bless
you !" and they in return repeated the affecting " fate Well !" and
offered op the same prayer in Clod. "Lord 'have mercy upon
as !" " Lord save us l' were the solemn -ejvulations that new
:Passed through the lips of the drolenieg brethren, In a few mo-
ments the dear children ceased to cry, and the voice of prayer was
then turned to endless praise,. The Captain now exhorted all
who were still on the wreck to come nearer to her head, as she
was fast breaking up, and that part of her was likely to hold to-
gether longest, adding, "Hold on, if you possibly can, until the
morning ; and then we shall be seen from Goat-Hill Battery and
be rescued." With this advice they were enabled to comply,
though with considerable difficulty. The sea was tremendous,
end the night dark ! Wave followed wave in close succession,
and they had frequently but just recovered their breath from the
past wave, when the next took it front them again. At length
Cite greatly wished-for morning arrived, but, alas !it was not to
be the morning of deliverance for them. They made the best sig-
nals of distress they could, but they were not seen. Those on the
wreck could see people on shore, but no one saw them, there was
so little for the naked eye to distinguish them from thi ref,awt
the waves ran high. Vessels and boats
,passed at 30114 "!,dance
during the day, and they unitedly and with one voice endeavoured
to hail them ; but the beating of the sea on the rocks drowned
their voices, so that they could, not be kard. Tho brethren and
sister Jones were, however, enabled, 14 the grace of God, notwith
standing all their disappointments, to stay their minds on God,
and to instruct the deeply atrie!,tcn and penitent captain and sailors
how to be saved. TheaPf:tors wept and prayed, whilst the mis-
sionaries pointed them to the Lamb of God, and exhorted them
to add faith to penitence. Poor fellows ! two, of them died this
slay ou the wrec!,, exhausted " Lot looking unto Jesus." Night
again came or; apace, and soon enveloped them all in its dreariest
gloom! !?sated on a piece of the wreck, up to their breasts in
svator, without a crumb of bread or a drop of water having passed
through their lips—the sea very rough, and the waves passing
over them, each wave threatening immediate death I—in this eon-
slition they held each other. If one ventured to sleep a little, an-
other watched leststhe waves shoald sweep him away. It was a
night like the last, full of horrors. When day appeared, they put
up prayers that their eyes were once more permitted to see it, and
that it might be the day of rescue; at the same time,
according to Mrs. Jones, their language appears to have been that
of their Divine Muster—" Not toy will, but thine be thine—
Vessels and boats passed again, but they were not seen. Some
time after the noon this day (Thursday), brother Hillier said, he
thought he could swim ashore, and thus, by the blessing of Cod,
rescue himself and the happy instrument of saving them, The
brethren Jones and Oke ,eared, as also did the Captain, that he
was too weak (haVing taken, nothing) to *who three 'miles, the
distance required. lit," however, still thought he 'took), And in
the spirit of prayer he committed himself -to the deep„ and they,
after bidding him farewell, commended him to the Lord. He struck
oil well, but in about ten minut4n sunk to rise no more till " the
sea shall give up her dead." One Or two of the sailors also at-
tempted to reach the shore on pieces of the wreck, but failed:—
Thus the survivors passed through another day of sorrows. The
holies of smile of the itafferers were seen floating to-day ; and the
rain fell in showers around them ; but sister Jones says, eagerly
us they wished it, only one slight shower fell on them. , She put
ont her tongue, and caught a few drops of rain, which refreshed
her, for which she felt thankful to God.

• -
Nght now approached once more, but with every appearance of
tits being their last, for the joints of the piece of wreck, on which
• they were, began to open fast, and there was every appearance of
-its soon falling in pieces, and putting an end to all their affliction.
With this expectation, each was fervently engaged with God in
hallowed and resigned communion. Contrary to their expeeta.
elms, however, they were spared to see another day. The sea was
much calmer to-day (Friday) than it had before been, and about
noon, brother Oke said-dust he would endeavour,; to swim ashore.
Mrs. Jones was asle9 whets he made the attempt, but was in-
formed afterwards oy Mr. Jones that he was drowned soon after
be got into the, 'water, being too weak to swim 'far. Mrs. Jones
was seated an what is called, I believe, the butts; her husband
was beside her with his head leaning on her shoulder, while her
bansl hehl him by the coat collar. • He began to lose the use of his
legs, and his dear wife called to this captain to help her to raise
them, if possible, out of the water. The Captain made the effort
but was too weak to come to her help. Nut lung afterwards,
brother Jones looked at his wife, rind said, " My dear, I feel a
strange drowsiness ? what eau be the meaning of-it ?" She had
.never seen any one die, and replied, "My dear love, I cannot tell."
Soon after he cried out, " 'Come, Lord Jesits, come quickly and
few minutes afterwards. " Glory, ginry."• sod bles-
sedly entered into it. 'fins he died, with his head leaning upon Mrs.
Jones. She called to the captain, but received nu answer., for he ton
poor man, was dying, For a -few minutes she held the remains
of her dear 111111)4nd to her breast; but soon a wave washed him
from her unnerved &ruse, and lie fell at her feet. Fur a few se-
conds taw the body floating, and then fbll into a state of in-
sensibility. In this state she remained ufitil rescued by Mr. Ken-
tish and Mr. Ashford, two gentlemen, who, on hearing of the
wreck, through an American captain, who, It is said, passed
by at noon, humanely sent off withimt delay to render all the help
they could. When she was found, her face was so much swelled ,
lb" her head appeared almost •a shapeless mass. On being
touched she came to herself, and asked what they were going to do
with her? They conveyed her aihore with all possible despatch, and
at the house of Mr.Kentish she met the beat of medical skill.
Peddle was up with her all the slight; bled her two or three times
to keep:off inflammation, and happily, under God, contrary to his
expectation, saved her life. Ile told me that if she had been there.
two -hours longer, nothing could have saved her: That she lives
is a great womkr ; God only could have preserved her, and to
him, tberefttil,'he the praise. She says, that it appears to her as
if boats law them three times. They pulled or sailed , towards
theta a considerable way, and their hopes on such occasions were
strongly excited. •They now rejoiced over approaching deliver.
anew; but, alas! it was joy of but short continuance, for they
turned hack or passed them unobserved. I asked her if she
Thought the brethren who attempted ta, swim ashore would have
lived had they remained ass the wreck, and she believe, not. The
Captain, she says, was much stronger in appearance than Mr.
Oke, on Friday morning, and yet he died ; and she believes that
bad elle not drank salt water on that day she must have died also.
Peeling remised by doing so herself, she exhorted the Captain
and brethren to do the same, but they declined. I asked her how
the sailors died? ller answer was, "0, I hope that they are
saved." • The Captain and mess wept much over their sins; they
were deeply humbled, and earnestly asked what they should do to
be saved ." And she aridetii, awe were so taken up with the sal-
vation of their souls, that we seemed to forget our own danger.
To the last moment of their existence the missionaries exhorted
them to look to the Lard, which they did; and there is strong
ground for hope that they found mercy." I had ,an opportunity
of thanking Dr. Peddle to-day for. the, great attention, paid to
Mrs. Jones by him. lie, I understood, slept at Mr. Kentish's
three or four nights on her aceount.' I told him the society would
gladly pay his bill. To this he most generously replied, " Sir,
it is altogether an act of benevolence, and I should-never for-
give myself if I charged. a farthing." This was said with so'
much feeling, that 1 was almost as much gratified with the man-
ntr as with the act.