American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1823-01-28
FROM THE BRIDGEPORT COURIER.

Particulars Of the loss Of the sLoop Eliza .NicoH
II has seldom been our duty to record a more
melancholy disaster than the following, the partcu
ars OF which we have received from the mouth of
captain Perry, who with Mr.. Drew mate are the
only survivors of eight persons, who sailed from
New Bedford in the sloop Eliza Nicon, at about
O'Clock, on Saturday morring last, bound to New
York The company on board at the time Of sailing
consisted OF the captain aud mate, above named and
Two blaCk) men, and a boy of the crew, togethe,
with three gentlemen, passengers, capt. Christo-
pher Smith, late commander of the India ship
Louisa, of New York, MIR Fuller, of New Bed
tord, and another gentleman, DR. Edmonston. AT
The time the Eliza Nicoll sailed the wind was strong
from the east and increased in violence as the day
advanced with occasional squalls of snow, rain and
sleet driving the vessel at the OF nine and ten
knots an hour, at The same time seriously incum
berng the sails and rigging with ice. Nothing
thowever OF importance occurred, until about I
O'Clock in the evening, it being extremely dark cold
and rainy, when surprising themselves to be fas,
inearing the harbor OF Black Rock, (the light OF
which they had for some time but family discern
ed, owing to the accumulation of ice which had
formed on the ianthern) began to haul upon the
wind to clear the point of the island, and in few
minutes after the vessel struck with great violence
on the reef which projects southerly from the west
end of the island, and remained fast In this situa
though the tide was al ebb, tremendous sea con
santly beat over her, which soon demolished the
cabin Windows, and filled the vessel with wafer
(which still kept her position An attempt was then
made to cut away the mast by parting the weather
llanyards, and cutting with the axe, but from the
constant wash OF the sea and their beEumbed and
Suffering condition, could not effect a sufficien,
breach to break it off, and the attempt was abandon
led. Their prospects were now awful in the ex
Etre f,afa 81.
theat over the reef, and probably sink in deem wae
land put period at once to their hopes aud theil
Hears all exertcn Tor the preservation of the vessel
Twas therefore abandoned, and each sought his owr
tsafety by clinging to the wreck. In a short TINT
1.-THE vessel heeled off, and fell on her beam ends into
Ideep water and drfted slowly to eeward with yer,
little OF the hull out; here they all sought msera
Ible refuge, and constantly breaking over them
IunIil cold and numbness had parallzed every exer
ttion, they one by one, were washed from their fee
fble grasp and sunk in watery grave Cap PER-,
land Mr.. Drew, with wonderful perseverance ant
Isufering maintained their hold, until near six oclocl
ION Sunday morning., when from their repeated
Though feeble cries, they were discovered from OF
lboard the schr. Maria, captain Mather, of Lyme
twho Immediately, and at imminent hazard hoarde,
THE wreck and rescued the unfortunate survivors
lwhen in the very last stage OF human exhaustion
when taken on board the Maria, they We're en,re
linsensible to what passed, having been beaten AM
ldrenchedby the cold waves of winter from o'cloc
IN the evening to 6 the next morning. Capt. PER-
* Mr.. Drew, who are literally covered with wound
land bruises, now at comfortable quarters in tn
Village OF Black Rock, and slowly recovering from
their late horrible disaster. The vessel which j
fbelieved not to be bilged, lies on her beam ends a
the west side of the harbor, and exertions
S making to right and repair her. None the boaie
have yet been found Capt. Smith, we learn, hat
but recently been married, and probably, that ia
tai morning had joyed in the anticipation of speedil,
meeting with the kind fluctuations of his ant
dearest friend. But alas
81 GLOW vain all things here below,
Il How false, and yet how fair'
Ell Num- made 1cAsr