Alexandria daily gazette, commercial & political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1808-1812, 1811-09-07

From the Bahama Gd-t0e. '1HssuSt l.
loss OF HIS MAJEsTY's PACKET
PRINCE OF WlLES.
The naeket Prince of Wales. Captain
Proctor. with mails and passengers, for
the bahamas and Great Britain, left Port
ROYAL on the Sth July. under convoy OF
hi, msiesty's schooner Barbara, lieute-
pant Douglass. In the night OF the 18th
.r the same month, she lost sight OF her
convoy: and about half after 1 o'clock,
!, n. on FRIDAY following. the 10Th, haH-
inc been driven from Scr eaurse by a
strong current, while going at the rate OF
five and six miles per hour. she unfortu-
rateIv got on Saltpond Reef, on the S.
W. side OF Heneauga, one OF the Bahama
Isles. The wind abating nothing OF its
violence. she did not stop there. but pass
el over two other reefs. anu after beating,
AGAINST the rocks for about half an hour,
disen-agcd herself and once more float
ed: meanwhile the sails were taken In,
and The anchor let out. There being now
little Wind and the night somewhat dark
it was deemed prudent under all cireum-
stances 10 await the return oil daylight.
The spectacle which presented itself be
tween the hours Of four and five, was tru-
II awful and sublime. The moon which
was seen at intervals through hay clouds
afforded sufficient light to discover rocks
on every side, and all attempts to: Tex
tricate the vessel from this dangerous ST.
tuation were rendered abortlye on board
an awful silence prevailed, every person
dreadirg lest the next moment should sa-
crifice us to the elements; the captain,
cool and collected, assembled the crew
and exhnrted them to Dersevere In their
duty and endeayors and we were safe -
signal guns Of distress were nred; ana TO
complete this awful scene Tie pumps were
at work throwing out more than Two ieet
water per hour from an encreasinS leak.
The long and anxiousiy wished fol- day at
length dawned, but to afford no chance OF
escape, atleast for the packet. There be-
ING no alternative, measures were instant
~ planned and as speedily adopted Tor the
conveyance of every thing practicable to
the shore, and this, although uncertain
whe,ner an inl,abitant was to be found On
the island. Amidst the gloom that hung
over us, sailor aloft deserted house and
flag staff at some distance. A boat was
lowered down, and the mails and passen-
gers conveyed in it to the sliere. The
specie next occupied the attention of ali
on board. almost all of which, it not all
was saved; not so the passengers luggage,
and very little of the provisions, OF which
there was saved not as much as would
serve for a weeks subsistence. Prov
dcntiaIly not life was lost.
The leak encreascd and before the day
closed, notwithstanding every exertion
was made, the water rose to seven feet in
the hold it was considered no longer safe
to approach her. perceiying her however
the next morning with the stern fixed up
on rock and biiged, last effort was
made with the boats to bring away what
remained, but in vain, no more could be
done. Tents were formed Of the few sails
that were preserved on The shore as a
temporary shelter. The only person re-
sident on the island had it little in his
power to be Of service to US his eXtrti0ns
were therefore feeble aud Of little or no
avail. Finding that we were on a side Of
the island where there appeareth nothing
but reefs and rocks, and where no ressels
even approached but such as had met with
a similar fate, and that vessels passed on
the west side only which was accessible,
we removed thither to position the
house and flag staff mentioned where we
were likely TO be seen & where we should
have TO embark. The exertions of the
officers and crew Of the packet, assisted
by the passengers. were very great in
Transporting the specie in boats about six
miles to the place Of embarkatiou. We
were fortunate enough soon after hosting
the signal of distress, to be perceived by
the schooner Paragon. Knowles. Of Long
Island, then passing, which anchored off