Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1824-09-28
Loss OF THE SHIP FAME.

nc IouoWihiS Is an extract OF letter from
SIR Thomas Stamford Rallies, late Cove OF
Bencoolery, communicating the destruction of
the ship Fame by fire. in which he had embark
cd with his family and suite on his return To Flu
rope. more provdential escape is scarcely
To be found upon record -
eve embarked on the 2d February i'm the
Fame, and sailed at day light for England, with
ia'c WIND ana every prospect of quick and
comfortable passage. The ship was every thing
we coc'd wish, and having closed nv 'cI;arpe
here much to my satisfaction, it was one of the
happlcst days OF my life. Wcwcre pcrhaps too
happy, Tor I'm the evening. came a sad reverse
Sophia, had mst gone TO bed, and had thrown
OIL haii my Clothes when cry of FIRE fire rous-
ed us from Our calm content and in five minutes
the whole ship was in flames! l ran to examine
whence the flames principally issued, and found
mat the lire had its origin Immediately under
our CABIN. Down with tire boats where is So
phia here; the children here; a rope to the
side; lower lady Ralles-give her to me SAYS
one-l'll take her, says the captain-;hro,y the
gun powder overheard; it cannot be got at; it
is IN the magazine. close To the fire Stand clear
of the powder. SCuttle the water caslls-wa-
fer water! Where's Sir Stamford Come in
to the boat. Pusi, OFT; push off; stand clear of
the after part of the ship.
All this passed much quicker than can write
IT; we pushed off, and as we did so, the flames
were issuing from our cabins, and the whole of
I
Tnasts and sails now taking fire, we moved TO 4
distance, sufficient TO avoid the immediate ex-
Piosion, but the flames were now coming out of
The main batchway, and seeing the Ecst of the
crew with the captain, &c. still on board. we
pulled back To her under the bows so as TO he
most distant from the powder. As we approach
Cd we perceived that the people from on board
were getting into another boat on the opno,itc
side; she pushed off, we hailed her have Won all
on board Yes, all save ono . no is he John
son, sick in his cot.-Can we save him M
impossible; the flames were then issuino from
the hatchway; at this moment the poor fellow.
scorchcd. Imagine, by the flames, reared out
m ST Justify, having ran upon the deck. will
60 for s!ln says the Captain. The two boats
then came together, and we took out some ofthc
persons from the captains boat, which was over
luden. He then pulled under the bowsprit Of
the SHIP and picked the poor fellow up Are
you all safe Yes, we've got the man all lives
safe, thank God; pull off from tie ship: keen
your eye on star, Sir Stamford; there's onc,
| barely visible.
g We then hauled close 10 each other. and
found the captain fortunately had compass, but
| we had no light but from the ship. Our distance
| from Bencoo!en we estimated to be from % ,o
50 miles in 5. w. direction, there beino mo-
| landing place to the southwark of BeucooIcn our
only chance was 10 regain that port. The Can
'ih thtn undertook TO lead, and we to follow i'm
~ ~ 80 sirHe as wen rs we could. chance
no possibility being left that we could again an
| Proach the SHIP, iuT she was now one splend;d
flame ihrc aud att and aloft her masts md sails
IN blaze, aud rocking 10 and fro. tbreafening
! to fall IN an instant. There goes her mizcn9
mast pull away ny boys; there goes the run
! powder, thank G Oh
| Oh may nudge of our sit,ation without fur
ther particulars; tic a5riB was given al about
~ minutes past eight, and in less than ten mi
nutes she was in flames. There was moi q so,,1
"n board at half pas; ci@ht and in less than fen
J minutes afterwards che was one grand mass u
FIRE.
Wy only apprehension wds The want Of boat,
TO iroid the people there was MOI time f. have
got out Il long boat, or make raft ali we la.
To rely upon were two small boats, which forth.
nately were lowered without accident and n
these two small open boats, without a dr.y, q
water or grain of food, or a rag of COVERING. e &
cept what we happened At the moment fo bav,
on our backs, we embarked on The WIDE ncc,p
thankful to god for his tnerclcs Poor Snnl;.
having been taken ont Of her bed had ,,nfl,;u.
on but wrapper, neither shoes nor s;ock,uos
the children were Just as taken out of bed
whence one had been suatched after the Ga,ne
had attacked il. In short there Vas not ti,nc r.,
any one 10 think of more than two tlinos-- C'.u
Ties rp be saved No. let ns save onr.clve
then; all else was swallowed up IN one rroa
!, ruin.
! TO make the best ofour misfortune, we avail
e1 ourselves the light from the ship t0 steer
'"erabie good course towards the shore: SIN
continued To burn TIL about mi. n ght, wi.cn N,
sa', pctre, Of which she had $50 IONS on board