The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1812-02-08

some, both ways. Locking Glasses & lamps
vibratcd and the fixtures in several apart-
ment:i we're SO violently shaken. that the
nails were ioosened.
U. S. Orig Nautilus, .Nsuylort, r. n
January 2lst, 1871. 5
MIR. O'CoNNER: -
Dear Sir--,.s we see by the Boston pa
rers that the Nautilus has been advertised
AS lost, we fear Our friends, most vi whom
reside in Virginia, may be very uneasy a.
bon, us, we therefore will thank you to give
the following statement Of facts 4 place il.
your paper couched i'll sucn Language as you
may think proper to dress 1t.
The Nautilus was ordered to Newport,
(R. IL where captain Sinclair was to re-
ceive the command of the Argus, X return
TO Norfolk with her. The Nautilus sailed
from Norfolk on the 22tl uit. and Oh the Esd
was met Of the Delaware by a snow storm;
every thing was accordingly prepared auG
the vessel hove too, but at - O'clock at night
the storm increased 20 unparalleled vio-
lence the vessel was thrown on her beam
ends and nearly filed with water--she was
happily relieved by the presence of mind OK
the Captain. who, having his commands well
seconded, got her before the wind. 1t was
instantly decided that the only possible
means OF saving the vessel and our lives was
to throw the guns overheard, and the ycssei
was kept be tore the wind Tor that purpose
but such was the stress of weather, that
| this arduous task could not be completed
| until the evening of the Oath, by which time
we had arrived almost to the climax Of hui
| man suffering. The vessel had been several
times filed between decks by the sea pass
ing hcr-her stern was shivered to pieces,
her rudder loosened, and all her pcrts bur-
stcd out. The lower deck was scutt!ed to
let the water to the well, and the pumps
were now kept well employed to free her,
although she did not leak drop III her bot
tom. lncessant hard labor, continually
drenched with water, benumbed with cold,
not dry rag of cloathing CT bedding, or
| dry spot insthe vessel to comfort us, nor
| fire to warm or cook for us, with amomen-
tary expectation OF being swallowed by each
| mountainous wave, which had LOW got So
| nigh, that the close reef main topsail, under.
which she scedded, was frequently becalm-
| ed, and although she was going IL OF Is
| knots, she was often deiuged by it. Having
completed the getting the guns overheard, it
| was believed the vessel would bear heaving
too again, and it was determined to do SO, as
there was a long night before US, the storm
increasing, every thing beginning to give
way, and that fatal spot Bermudas, right in
| cur track! 1t was dreadful crisis--howe-
yer it " as our only alternative. The axes
II,
| ready nj case OF the sea heaviilg her down,
TO cut:,he maihmast away-an opportunity
was @atoned, and to our great joy, she lay
ltoo.extremely well /; but, great God! what
was the raging OF the storm we were now
resisting No language can describe. 1t -
There were not more than 90 cut or 100 men
could be kept ON deck, and they were at
| length left quietly below, as being unsafe on
deck. AT midnight tremendous sea took
the bow-sprit, and the fore-top-mast was
Immediately, by order of the Captain, cut
away to save the fore-mast it succeeded,
but we were tAumping upon the wrecks
until nearly day light, expecting them eve
| ny minute togo through our bottom.
| On the 26th the gale began to moderate,
and We rugged our jury bow-sprit and top
mast, and stood III for thesCap.s Of Virginia
| -On the 9th spoke the brig Ann Of Pc
tersburg, 63 days from Lisbon, had been OIL
her beam ends, shifted her ballast, and had
her staIrboard waist drovein and her sails
most all blown away; she was short of prOvi-
sions, & was furnishedby us with ever, thing
lshe wanted. This night another tremen-
dous gale came OH, which lasted ID days,
during which time we lay too under a storm
lmainstaysail, and Grifted near a thousana
| miles to the eastward--it rained, hailed OF
showed incessantly--itt then shiIted to n. E.
and blew gale, with torrents OF ram anu
hail. We bow run fer the land, but, with
all the sail we could carry, We did not reach
soundings before it shifted to the westwarC.
and blew gale from that quarter. Finding
we Could not gain the Chesapeake, and TINS
wind being likely to stand, the Captain de-
termined to>run for his port of destination,
and in "a hours we made 1t and got pilot !;
but were again driven out by a violent snow
storm. This was more than we could bear
as we had not cooked five days. in ~ or
had a IRE. We had but one days sun du-
ring the whole time. There was not dry
stitch OF cicsning on board, or dry bed or
birth, or single dry plank inside OF the
vessel. Her decks were covered with a
green slime-;he people from constant wet
and exposure we're breaking out full of ul-
GERS and biies all over their bodies, and now
the frost was distressing beyond description.
We lay under our storm sails for "a hours,
when it moderated, and we beat in to the
light again; but another snow storm coming
OH, the pilot wished to run cut again; but
the Captain taking the risque upon himself,
with infinite iabour and suffering, we an
chored on the 18th January in Newport,
loaded with ice, * many Of the crew frost bit.
Com. Rodrers came Oh board Of us, and
acknowledged. that he had never seen such
distress on board any vessel before. He sent
his people to fur our sails, as ours cou! !
hardly stand the decks, and offered every.
comfort to us his ship could afford. Such a
winter has never been known here--it is