Alexandria gazette, commercial and political. [volume] (Alexandria [Va.]) 1812-1817, 1816-03-20
Miraculous Preservation.

NliraCulOuS PreSeFV2tl0n.
The following are the interesting
particulars Of a late shipwteck,
wherein the suffering and priyations
of the Survivors are almost without
q parallel 10 the chequered detail;os
the danger to which seamen are ex-
posed :---On the 4tEl OF Septcmbee
the brig Friendship, capt. n. Z. Car.
der, sailed from Miramichi, New
Brunswick, with a cargo Of timber
for Bedford. O., the morning Of
the 18th size sprung a leak, and OF
22d, Cine Rnremitting efforts of The
crew at the pumps proving unavsil-
ing to keep her free) she WAS full Of
water. In this deplurab!e condition,
without the possibility of getting be-
low, and distant, by their calculates,
Iabout SAY leagues from the coast Of
Ireland, they Kept the vessel before
the wind. under easy sail, in tie for
Torn hope ofbeing able TO make the
land; bet uniappily on the 2Sth,
I(wlien, by suppositisn. they were AZ
bout 20 leagues from Cape CIear)
10 sudden squall coming on, she
preached TO aud eyeFset !! BY Ibis
melancholy disaster, two poor souls
were washed overheard and drowned
and the whole Of the provisions and
watey they had collected or deck,
with Both boats aud every moVcabie
criticize we're swept away! The rest
ef tie crew, consisting ofthc captain,
mate, three men aad four beys
with difficulty supported themselves
on tho side CT the ship; wheo after
remaining in this awful situation a
bout 40 minutes, having in the mean
Esime carried away hcr foremost,
|bowsprit, and main topnlast, she
Erighted. Frsm the condition the
vessel was in, however, she bad gra-
Fiually settled abatt, and from MD
ships forward was the only part Istt
laboye water, upon which the M
I6erao.e survivors could obtain an
Insecure footing. every succeeding
wave threatening to hurl them ITO
the dreadIal abyss For six iedious
days and nights did these deYCtcs
IS sufferers remain in this wretched q
hopeless state, without a mOrsei u
fbreadto sustain tise cravings ci na'
lure all Of them very thin'y cio'5'
led. several without shoes, stockings
|or bats, aad the few garments 'a,sy
Wore constantly wet, Owing 10 'no
rain that fell, and The sea hit DFoH0
over tfiem. From tie former now
ever, they fortunately derived Sung
sustenaace for during rain thel
suspended a ted quite in the replnar
oftke rigging, and, when eomPle'F
.atpra.ei, by carefully sqaetzihg''
|shey obiaincd three pin's Ut VIZ,
on each trial: with his, and r"
quantity OF rum, On orly nsctr55
saved, hut SO laa.h pregna'tY"
salt water that Cap CardeF, ~
vent its berg used III raYp:s's'
frequently threatened TO shFf w.
yerboard) they made veal S,'s :"
which was sparhg!y srsva 0a' ~
lhem 10 the heel OF ~ cid IT, ''0
best substitute they conid '''
glass. The ssii? bad sssa ~ ,sa 'm
Tested with rats and aA ,'E
yermin we're dIiyen fronrief i .na.
Jag places below BY the r. ~ !, h 1i
took refuge on those w. ahrrt
were left drJ, and openEp a ayge'
among the people on ttOs,a o"1i
From this station the ('s' 3g '".s,
not permit them T. s", ,;.,.ees
in the extremity of !" "'so' !,
should no lricaiiiyt "pl'@ aom
view, they might u ta..'' :, ~ these
peiled to have '' To-, ,orary
troublesome sucsYa. a., me
respite TO esEir'iJ 80