Star.
London, England, 1824-11-27 00:00:00

ti'U.VDEttFUL PRI:SEKIiII7ION.

The foll.)wing letter, aded by the Captain of a
vessel called the Water Lily, to Nies'', s T.Da*-
s:,n, his owners, contains one of the most extraordinary
instances on record of preservation from shipwreck. It
affords an additional illustration, if any v, ere required,
of the aivantage .o seamen of implicit obedience to
their Commanders, under circumstances however' des-
perate in appearance:
Wars LILY, DOWNS, NOVICIIIIEN 24.
4g GENTLEMEN—We left this anchorage mi Friday
evening, with a fine south-east wind ; but the nett morn-
ing it came to its old quarter, with bloa ing, disaaree-
able weather. After vainly beating about until Mon-
day evening; we got a slant of wind which led us up
off Dunnose, and then back to the S.S.W. we hauled
off, to wait until daylight, when I hues de I to oo to
the Motherbank ; but about five o'clock on !thy
morning, one of the most dreadful gales came on f om
the same quarter that I ever remember. The a.e.o her
was thick, and no chance of getting in, it became a
matter of serious necessity to press the ship in order to
weather the Owers : the tide k.va; st:ongt •0
'raids them, and the ship, from the violence of tne
wind, was absolutely blown along the unlace like a
cork. On sounding, in.2o fathoms:, I knew there was
scarcely a,
-y chance of wear.heting, but set the fore-
toosail, at the risk of blowiag it to atoms: yet ad was
of no avail. A little after eight o'clock, we saw the
breakers to leeward and upon the bow, presenting an
aspect enough us daunt the stoutest heart; and so quickly
did time wind and tide horny us towards them, that
every soul of us expected nothing but death,and that soon.
The gale at the time was raging with the utmost vio-
lence, and as we approached the shoal, the scene was
truly dreadful. At this avlul moment every man was
coll,Tred, and the orders given, though they must have
appeared to them quite useless, were promptly exe-
cuted. I knew that the shoal in this part of it ‘s as nar-
i ow. We could just distinguish the Light-vessel a-head,
through the breakers ;—got her before the:: ind, and
dashed right through the breakers, with rile forlorn
hope of bumping her through, and running her on
shore in the Park to save our lives. She went through
at a terrible rate, and though almost smothered, to cur
great surprise and joy she did not even strike. One of
the seas unshipped our compass, so Om s e could
not get the bearings of the Light-vessel.. I should
have forced her into the Park and cut away both the
anchors, for I knew there was very little chance of
weathering Beach), Head; but failing in this, I brought
her to the wind, when a sufficient distance to the
eastward of the Light, and carried a m. st tremen-
' dons press of sail, until we had deepened ,or water to
30 fathoms, which (the ebb-tide clseckiio2 us under the
lee-bow) we were enabled to do about 10 at night : the
wind, too, had hauled more westerly. Upon the whole,
' I think it one of the most miraculous and providential
edcapes that ever happened. lam story to say, that
the small bower-anchor, having been got tetdy for an-
awing, was off the gunwale, and by continual shocks
became loose, the sea covered all the lee-foiveastle, and
it was impossible to get any one to go and secure it;
the shank-painter broke, and we were obliged to
shackle fifteen fathoms of the chain and let the anchor
go, as we expected every moment it would have been
through the bows. As this was done for the ratety of
the ship, I should think the Under a liters are liable.
We have blown away a foie-topmast-staysail, and some
of the bulwark has been stove in ; with these excep-
tions, the Chip is as perfect as when we left London. I
do not intend getting another anchor, as we have two
left, but shall endeavour to get a length of chain. You
will be glad to.hear that the ship behaves uncommonly
well in a heavy sea ; and, indeed, I was surprised to
find that she was able to bear as great a press of sail as
I suppose any ship ever carried ; for although a little
presses her at first, she seems to heel quickly to a cer-
tain bearing, and there to stop. Two of my crew have
been injured in the gale. I will v. mite again by to.
morrow's post.—l am, Gentlemen, your faithfal servant,
" Li tosior i ;.:11. N. NIXON.

" To Messrs. J. and T. Davnain."

Gibraltar Papers to the sth ins-. are in town. They
mention that two or three Algerine cruizers had been
seen in that neighbourhood, and even reported to have
made several captures.
The French Court of Assize at Versailles was occur
pied on 'Tuesday last with the trial of a wretch named
Leger, who strangled, on St. John's Day, in the neigh-
bourhood I Etampes, a young girl, viehted her per-
son, and afterwards drank her blood, and ate a part of
her flesh. l=ie is evidently insane. Tke most horrible
facts of this recital rested on his own confession. The
July found him guilty, and the Court condemned him
to death.