Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1808-07-29
FROM THE AsIATIc MIRROR.

preaching under one o. lis iiioot inu 1
forms: and. further, as afordlng pleasing
influence ofbeneyolence extending its assist
ance. to the relief Of distress. Such IN
stances Of fortitude, such instances OF hui
manity, exact an honorable record, not only
as tribute of applause, but that their exam
pie may incite to the exercise OF similar VIZ
tues. We, therefore, perform 2 willing,
though humble duty, in consignlng their
publication to the widely extended clrcula-
ton Of the Mirror.
Sane accoaat Of the loss Of the Portuguese
ship Bozvaaions., calpiain 1ohn Natrcanas-
se,a, lately on her passage from Calcutta
tozrayds China; translated naa6riGsea
far the Asiatic Miryor, .}roauthe narratzDe
eff a gentleman, zv}.o zoas passenger on
6oerd, dated Lhittayong, 10TH Curt.
We left our Bengal pilot the end of A.
pril last, and stretched across the bay, TIL
the 24th Of May, when, IN latitude of 1e
81, north longitude 81 Z, east,we encoun-
tered severe gale, with a hea-
w swell, in which the ship labored lauch,
and became leaky. The gale increasing, it
became necessary for the preservation OF the
ship,to cut away the main and ml2en masts.
During the violence Of the storm, it was
with difficulty that the incessa1t working OF
the pumps coula, keep the ship Tree, and
from her masts being gone, she was expos
Ell to the swell, which broke over the hull
with such force and frequency, that we were
every moment in dread ef laundering.
In this alarming sinlatisn our commander
not only displayed the utnost professional
skill, but BY his presence OF mind, by his
collected, manly and ;;adic;ous conduct, az
forded an example that served to raise our
hopes and to animate our exertiors.
On the Goth Of May, at s A. NJ. the wea-
ther having considerably moderated, We
found almost the whole Of our water butts
stove in, SO that independent Of ether mate
rial wants, it became necessary to put into
the nearest port Tor a supply ct water. lhe
land upon our lee, was an unfrequented part
OF the us,se OF AVA, which we knew to be
ilhabired BY a baIbarous people, from "hom
we could not hope for the assistance that our
wants required. Yet asthe south westnon-
soon, at that season, usually blows Win VI
oience, We had no other cncice than to en-
deavor to make the land in any point that
the disabled state Of our vessel would ae,nlt.
VIZ. accordingly stood before the wind, and
made tie coast, after a short run, IN the VI
cinity of the Broken islands; and sent coat
on shore, some leagues to the norsflSfard or
a. on
snpply of fresh water. Ia this we were dis
appointed. The coast, where the boat land
Ell, was barren desert, and although wells
were sunk in various places along the beach,
in the hope Of reaching water, all our al
ternpts proved fruitiess. We were therefore
obligrd to make what sail We could before
the wind, 10 the northward, iii quest OF wa
ter. TWAS proposed to put into Ch=auba,
hui unfortunately we fell to ieeward OF the
island, and found ii necessary to anchor OF
Sad,,ha. where we obtained water and some
provisions but as we could not there re-
pair the losses Of the ship,so as to enable us
with safety to put to sea, we were deslrcus
if possible, to reach either Cheduba or Chit
TAGGING.
Or the 10th of June We weighed, and
stood out from Sadulla. In che mean time
the leak was increasing, msomuch that it
required the constant working Of the pumps
both night and day, to keep the ship clear.
While IN thissitaatien on the 18th Of June,
the day aherleaving saduha, we experienc.
ed second galesoi wind, as violent as the
first. In the now disabled condition of our
snip, and the exhausted state Of the crew,
from constant labor at the pumps, we had no
other alternative than to endeavcr to run the
vessel on shore, IN the hopes of saving the
lives of the people on board. While in pur-
suance of this design, we were so fortunate
as to run into a bay, where, being somewhat
sheltered from The storm we came to .....le.