The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1809-05-19
slisgyeet and Miraculous Eseaoe.


Monticello, from Lima, fell in with the wreck OF
aVessel at sea, on which was found a man, the
last of the crew, who had preserved a precari
Gus existence tor number of days by feeding
upon the bodies ofhis comrades.
Tins statement, in the first instance, was ccn-
sidered ton extravagant TO be true but it is no W
known to be fact. 1t was also said that the
crew cast lots which of them should die 10 sus-
tam the lives Of the remainder but this is not
confirmed by the narrative of the survivor He
au'nits, however, that where any of his comrades
died from hunger or thirst, he was driven TO the
necessity ofexistng upon their remains
When The captain OF the Monticello took this
! wretched man on board his ship, he gave him a
change ofclothes and linen, and would not suf-
Ter him TO take much sustenance at one time
lie hrst nutrment he gave him was two cups
! nt coffee and small piece oftoast, and by ad.
hering to this system, in the course ofa few
day $, the man was quite restored to health He
pf"Teda most excellent sailor, and was a great
acquisition. But it is curious fact, that not
one OF the crew Of tine Monticello would, for a
length OF time, associate with him, on account
ot the eilet be had fed upon hoping to cure
| ;hen OF Their prejudice, the captain kindly in
Fte'i Tue unfortunate seaman 10 his table but
t.iis had not the desired effect on the contrary.
| thosc persons, who usually messed with the cap
tam, deserted his tables. Time, however and
| the general good conduct of the man, restored
nm to the society of his shipmates. In relating
10 thei ..s suhcriDgs on board the wreck, he
aDsta'iiSti, as much possible, from mentioning,
the manner Of his subsistence; but the ere w
themselves had witnessed his food hung TN in
inc shrouds, ut the same time he was taken from
the wreck.
Particulars given by the wrecked mariner are
these his name is Thomas Moorhead, ma
tive 81 the county of Durham he served his
time to the seas in the coal trade, the shin in
W T,, ne was wrecked was the Acorn, captain
NJ Leod, OF Stockton, to which they were bound
from America, when the SUtli October, Sc
'Sfe gale OF wind came on, in which the shin
MADE great deal Of water, and finally filed and
"Verset, IN lat. g, long ~, by which msfor-
tune, the caPenter, and a black man were drowp
co. III about ten minutes the sea carried away
her mt'nmast and she rgited again At this ne
rod the sea made clear passage over the shin.
Dut she could not we'll sink, being laden will
tlmber.-The master, Andrew Brass, and Iohn
oi1npson, boy, were washed overheard but Mt
Gay 'Sht the master washed on board again.
having been for some hours clinging to the pie
ces OF the wreck. All hands next proceeded to
inc 'oretop and in five hours time two more of
tne crew died in consequence .fthe inclemency
OF the weather-Soon after the tiInber.ma an
FRANCES Bradley, Christopher Baly, and Tho
mas Bales, boys, nearly the whole of the remain
der the hands. were frost-bitten In this de-
P'ofa1ie situation they all remained in the top
io'r days, when not fragment of the cabin was
10 ne seen Every thing was washed out of the
CABIN windows, except three pieces of meat.
which were found in the stern sheets. Tire
snip rudder parted on the 10Th of November.
Ih1mas Charlton, and the boy Charles English,
ded on the 23d The master prolonged mise
fapie existence to the 18th of December on
winch day he died William Pierson fell a vic.
'lm 10 thirst-All the water casks were swept
OF the deck when the vessel upset ON the 31st .
INC niue moisture they procured was from the
ram that fell, and which tlley caught in their
mats, &c. IN the forctop The Monticello fell i'm
with Tie wreck ofthe Acorn, in lat Al, long IS,
when the capt. humanity sent long boat Tor
noorhead. He was taken out ofthe tor where
ne had been nifty one days, and towards the lat
companions.