The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1822-02-13
From tie -Nerr.l'ork .9duocdre.
SHIP ESSEX.


In our last London papers, we find the fol-
lowing account OF the three men belonging
TO the Essex, Pollard, Of Nantucket who have
Sidney, N. S. WALES, June 9.
Just as Capt. Raine was on the eve of leae-
ing Valparaiso for this part oi tho wosld once
more, bs was informed OF most marvellous
sffaic relating 10 an AmericsG whaler, that
had been et,scked By a whale at sea'in so sio-
lent and itcacfui q mrnncr az 10 eccasioD the
vessel 10 founder, end most Of the crew cven-
tuai!y to perish something OF whose d,sas-
terous history We have bcen fivored with, aud
shall present ,he same 10 ocr readers. Capt.
aino received information that there were
three men on Ducie's Island, who mad prefer
red remaining there rather than vent0re g.
c,oss the ocean in a boat, 10 which tho crew
had been compelled to fly frosn the ship
The commander OF the Surrey, 6ecoming op.
pottunely acquainted with those painful and
distressing circumstances, human-fy dcter-
p,incd on calling at Duc.e'. Island and be in.
s,rumen,al in restoring three unfortunate fcl.
low creatures TO society, and very possibly
rescue them from miserable end, par,icu
larry as this island was no great distance ont
Of his tract from Valparaiso TO New Holland
On Thursday, the sIh Of April, Capt. Rsinc,
considering himself within ve,y short dis.
,ance Of Ducie's Island, which 10 laid down
in Norie's Epitome 10 be in lat. Is deg. 80
min. S. end long. l24 deg. 81 min. w kep,
good look out. About P. Nj. land was
pCr ceived, which TUNED out TO be an Island
in lat ~ deg. 26 min. As the vessel nearcd
the iand, a gun was discharged, and shortly
after the three poor men were seen 10 issue
forth from the woods. The boat. we're pres
emily lowered, Capt. Raine taking ono himself.
On approaching the shore, IL was found not
only dangerous, but utterly imprsc,icsb,e, TO
land, of which cireumstaocs hey we're infor.
med, in weak az tremulcus voices, BY tho al
most starved and nearly worn ou, creatures
themselves, who could scsreslyv from the
miserable plight they were in ar,icula,e q
syllable. One poor fellow summoned ur
coursge TO plunge into the wavos, and with
great difficulty reached the boat: he said one
OF the others Snly, could swim.
After wariy backing the boat az near the
rock. U possible, amidst a heavy surf, they
succeeded In getting on board, much bruised
and lacorated by repeated falls which object
was no sooner effected, thsn each devoutly
expressed bis gratitude to that benign Being,
who has so wonderfully preserved them from
sharing in the destruction 10 which their On.
happy shipmstes bad fallen victims These
men ore now with Capt. Raine, and declare
their names to be Thomas Chapel, William
Wright and Seth Weeks: and the account
they give Of the distressing circums,sneo, we
feel no hesitation in declaring may DO nun.
bered with one OF those events that arc With.
out . pa'sllel in the history Of man. They
sailed from Nantucket in the American ship
Essex, Ceptt Pollard, &c. On the is.h Nov.
1920, they were among the whales, and three
boats were lowered down the mates boa, GO,
stove and bad returned 10 the ship to be re-
paired. Shortly after whsle Of the ,arges,
class struck tho ship, and knocked part oil the
false keel oil, jus, seresM of,the main chan.
ncls. The anime, then remsioed for some
fune slong.side, sndeavorins to clasp the