The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware register., 1825-06-16
A SHTPWRECH,

A sIzLPwRECx.
The following graphic and interesting de-
scrption of a shipwreck, is extracted from
the volume of Sayings and Doings," said to
be written by Theodore II ook, of London, a
wit and man of the world.
"At midnight it blew tremendously, and
the ship was under two close reefed topsails
straining and laborng dreadfully; about one
a. m. she shipped heavy sea which washed
away all the starboard buwarks and wash
boards, and deluged the cabin which was
near the companion, and yet in the midst of
the hurlcy-burley of the elements, the rat
ting of chairs and tables adrift, which skir-
red the cuddy from right to left, as the huge
helpless ship rolled about in the mountain
ous sea, Wested could hear the sobbing of
lady Brashlcigh, and the incessant reproach.
es other husband, for such absurd timidity.
when there was not the smallest danger
cat daylight the gale blew, if possible still
harder; the men were constantly at the
pumps; at eight, a. m. another tremendous
sea struck her, and stove in the larboard
quarter boats; the davits were shipped, and
the boats cut away: in moment after the
iron work of the dead eyes of the main rig
ging went, and three seas swept her fore and
aft; before noon, another sea equally awful
with the former, struck her on the quarter
way, as had been that on the larbord side be-
fore, and the night closed in with the most
awful presages of even yet worse wealth
er.
L "All these prognostics were verified. a
little after midnight, the darkness unmiti-
gated, except by faint unfrequent and dis
tant lash of forked lightning, which seemed
itself, to be bafed and driven about with the
wind huge sea rolling onwartls like a black
mountain topped by snow, broke directly on
beard to windward, and swept away the
launch, the live stock the cabose, the staun-
chions, and the ring-bolts, tearing up the
decks along with them, and leaving them
open to the rolling waves, which made reg
ular way over her.
sin the midst of the night, all the STAR
board main chain plates gave way, the fore
runners and tackles were got to secure the
mast, but the worst misfortune was vet to
occur: a leak was discovered under her
stern post, through which as she rose to
meet the coming waves rushed in at every
pitch an awful quantity of water
"As soon as day dawned, and the wretch
ed state of the ship, then almost wreck,
was evident, the master gave orders to COM
mcnce tightening her; all hands were turned
up; the bulk heads forward were knocked
down, and all hands sctito work to heave the
it, as she was then rolling and pitching was
great; but after half an hour, chain of hands
was formed aft, and bales, and chests, and
barrels, and cases, were promiscuously hois-
ted upon deck, where the foam.ng waves
took them and swept them into the boso m of
the deep.
"All exertions, however, appeared una
vaiing, and though the day had been expen-
ded in alternately heavng overheard and
pumping, the ship labored just as much, the
leak continued to gain, the men grew fain-
ter, aud the storm, if possible, increased
BIRDS Hooked for shelter te the rigging, and
the bravest sailor there stood still and trem-
bed.
AT eight at night the master resolved. if
possible, to wear ship, without consulting or
comnunns with a human being, conscious
as he was, that the experiment was peril
GUS III the extreme, and would in all proba-
olN'y be fatal; he gave the word, and in a
momentary lull, she went about without
strain'ns rope yarn. Hope beamed on his
mind then; these who knew not his tho'ts
fet increased apprehensons, for she lay in
tne through otthe sea rolling gunnel under;
no sail set, for none could stand the weather:
the small one used to bring her round. was
blown into riDbands from the stay; till lust
at midnight, crash Oil deck announced the
mainmast gone; at one blow, like the strck-
en- deer. she fell toppling with her yards
and topmast over the starboard side; she~
went about ten feet above the deck, and Just
above the mizzen stay; and the mizzen mast
Itself trembled like reed, as Welstetl clung
to it, to watch the work of havoc above
ut was scene for a painter; the noise
was inconceivable, the night iney black, the
waves dasiing over every part of the vassel,
the women battened down forward were
screaming for mercy, and their cries were
mingled with the clashing of axes used by
the men cutting away the rigging, by the
cleaning light of lanthorns, disposed in the
most advantageous points, and the stern
bawling of those in command, with the fam.
reply OF others, who, in the midst of the
stupendous waves were in the main chains,
over the side endcavoring to clear the ship
of wreck; for the mast clung as it were to
the quarter, and the counter beat so heavily
upon the main top, which lay close beneath
it. that every moment they expected she
would be stove in.
cat this moment, three following seas
again swept her fore and aft, and shrek of
horror which overtopped the howlngs ofthe
tempest itself, announced some dreadful ca
lamity. All those who were forward were
washed at one 'fel sweep from off the bows,
and plundged into inevitable destruction
Even Fanny was conscious of the incre Sc