The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1825-04-11
PERfLOIS SITUATION.

PERfL0i ) SITUATION.
The following striking account of
the scene on board the GljpGr, dis
coyery ship, at 4 moment when all
on board had reason to suppose their
lives were about 10 close, is from the
pen Of Capt Lyon, the commander
of the vessel, who has published n
narrative Of his unsuccessful voyage.
After touching Southampton Is
land, where they were visited by n
party of The natives. of whom Capt.
Lyon has given pleasing aud en-
tcltaining description, an oNtraordi-
nary change took place in the deyia-
ton Of the needle, which was tho
means of involving the Gripcr in the
most imminent danger. She sud
denly came into scven fathoms wa
ter, and was only by great exertions
preserved from running on 4 de
structiye shore. IN this situntion,
and fcari., the falling OF the tide,
Capt. Lyon, prepared for the event
by ordering The boais TO he made
ready but the scene which cnnSed
is told by him in SO Impressive n
manner that we should wrong our
readers by not inserting it.
i" The officers drew lots for their
respective boats, and the ships com
pany were stationed IN them. x
n In making these preparations for
taking to the boats, II was evident
to all, that the long boat was the on
" one which had the slightest
chance of living under the lee of the
ship, should she he wrecked but
every officer and man drew his LOT
with the greatest composure, al
though two Of 0ul boats would have
been swamped the instant they were
lowered. Yct such was the noble
feeling of those around me, that it
was evident. that had | ordered lhG
boats in question 10 be manned, their
crews would have entered them with
out murmHr. In the afternoon,
on the weather clearing little We
discovered low beach all around
eastern of rs, on which the turf was
running TO an awful height, and il
appeared evident that 10 human
powers could save Wis. At thr,e Z.
NJ. the tide had fallen TO % feet,
CON SIX more than We dirw,) and the
ship having been lifted by a tremcn-
d0us sea, struck with great violence
the whole length Of her keel. This,
we naturally conceived, was the
forerunncr OF her total wreck, and
we stood in readiness to take tn The
boats, and cndeaNor 10 hang under
her lee. She continued to strike
with sufficient force 10 have burst
any less fortified vessel, at intervals
Of few minutes, whenever an un-
usually heavy sea passed rs. And,
as the water was so shallow, these
might almost be called breakers ra-
ther than weyes, for each in passing,
burst with great force over our gang
ways; and as every sea topped"
our decks were continually, and fire.
qucntly deeply, flooded. All hands
took hole reircshmert, for some
had scarcely been below for twenty
four hours, and l bad not been in
bed for 3 nights. Although few or
none Of us had amy idea that we
should survive the gale, we did not
think that orr comforts should be en-
tiIely neglected and an order was
therefore given to the men 10 put on
their best and Warmcst clothing, to
enable them tc support life as long
as possible. Every man, therefore,
brought his bag on deck X dressed
himself, and, in the fine athletic
forms that stood exposed before me,
| did not see one muscle culver, nor
the slightest sign Of alarm. The
officers each secured sOinC useful in
strument about them for the pur-
poses Of observation, although il was
acknowledged by all that not the
slightest hope rcrcained. And now
that every thing in orr power had
been done, called all hands aft, Il
to a mcrciful God offered prayers for
our prcserYaiion.---i thanked e.
very ono for their excellent conduct,
and continued them, az VIC should
in all probability soon appear before
cur Maker, TO enter bis presence, as
then, resigned to their fate. We
then all sat down in groups +; and,
sheltered from the wash OF the sea