Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1825-05-17
MELANCHOLY sHlPwREcK.


Esq
Dear sr,-I have the painful task to relate to YOU
the loss of your schooner Chstiana. departed from
the Capes of the Delaware April 9th bound for Alva
rado and on the 20th after light and varied winds I
reached the lat of 81, N lon 10, w. The weather ha
wing strong appearances OF being stormy and unsettled
generally in the Gulf Stream, using every
eXertion I'm my power to get the vessel under snug sail
before dark and while the act of sending the re-top
sail yard down deck, which partly down the fore
rigging the vessel unfortunately capszed at half past
O'clock IN the afternoon, with moderate breeze from
S. S. W.. Immediately cut away the lanyards of the
weather rigging and used every effort far as my abi
tues would admit TO right the vessel but they were
useless; she filled with water almost in an instant in so
much that the upper rail wash.-At half past
O'Clock or thereaboUt brig the south steer
ing about west, TO which immediately made a signal
with piece OF sail on the gatop-sayard but in con
sequence of night coming after and we ~ in so
very ow IN the water, and the brig being consilera.
bic distance Off, IT impossible for her 10 sec rsVe
succeeded IN saving the boat aud the square sail Du-
ring the night the wind shifted to the ~ W. and blew
ires, with gh sea, IN consequence all wash
cd oil the vessels bottom number of times and tbe
square sail on top of which caused us To reject il;
thus we exposed to The mercy of the wind aud waves
without shelter of any description whatsoever The
sea still getting higher and the gale increasing was
Obliged to send two in the boat to keep her from
tIiging; these men were John Il. Roberts and John
Pickett On the morning ofthe 21st, the gale incrcas-
ing with violence and the running still hpher
self and others washed from the wreck as far rs
our lasings would admit, almost constantly which caus
ed our bodies to be much bruised and the skin rubbed off
our legs from end To the other About fo,lr x i'm
The afternoon brig to the S. r. (dead TO leewar
SO PLAN Tat persons were perCeivabIe her deck AS
wen as we could we showed two signals, which were
TWO pieces OF canvass stopped on the oars and be-
e'e tsiat thcy saw them, and also but owing TO tle
empestuous rain squalls, and they being dead 10 lee
ward, 1t was matter of mpossbity to render us any
assistance Night coming on, lost sight of her soon
alter During the most violent part ofhe storm which
was from the evening of the 2st until the morning of
the 22d, the vessel and ourselves were under water al
most constantly, a0d an Italian passenger whose name
was Don -, was drowned on the night of the 2lst
about 10 o'clock. My mate and myself rescued him
several tunes previous from his fatal destination bu
alas the sea washed him far from the wreck that il
was impossible for us to reach him. Soon after the pas
senger was drowned discovered that the Two men tha
were III the boat for the purpose OF keeping her from bill
ging had cut the painter and abandoned the schooner
an acon tnat cannot see how any PERSONS conscience
would allow About half an hour after the men had
lett the vessel with the boat the Almighty God stretched
forth his proyientia hand TO our assistance
the masts from the hull of the vessel and rigted herfn
simultaneously eXnicated myself soon as possible
from the rope that dashed with assembled he deck
anu assisted IN getting my poor fellow sufferers on
board, IN which | succeeded. We then dashed our
serves 10 the Wlnaass bits and other venien places
about the deck After being deck some time Il
Judged 1t 10 be about midn@ht the cook whose name
was Joseph Green, aged seventy five years died tbroug
fatigue by my side On the morning of the 22d the gale
was more moderate, and the less we yentured aft
10 the cabin TO II we could get any thing TO cat mr.
drn having been 40 hours without rishnent of any
KIND OF which 30 hours Cn the vessels bottom. we
succeeded IN getting key of vinegar of which we all
look nearly drink We then took the main BOOM
shlpped II on the stump of the nainnast, which was
about i've feet high and lashed the after part TO the taa
aii' we 'en took what quarter boards remaining on
inc vessel nailed them 10 the main boom and upper part
OIL lie trunk over which spread the rcnaius of the
mansail, which made toerabie good house for me tb
nam gait, winch was the only other spar REMAINING ON
oodu we iashcd 10 the paul bit of the wndIass for
nag stan on which nailed two fiams and secured
ri,,FtI ~,
ljd, the weather being more moderate we dove down
the CABIN or 10 feet under water To see what we cond
hna we succeeded Ia getting jug OF peach brandy
lew bottles OF ale and porter, ep of trce hams
and cheese; the porter and ale lasted t,ren dave t
hams SIX days, and the cheese seven DAYS: fbc rc,;n
der OF tue VINE we left on board Although every no
we ave ana drank was wet with salt water it rclished
olcrabIy well.
On the 9th the weather being calm and clear ,ve
ooh tlG quarter boards from off the main BOOM and
nacu Heh over the mann hatch and also three or four
tmckIeS'es OF canvass, and eDdeavoured to get the
water out OF the vessel, the mate and one oc te
dt the pump, tic other seaman bainr from ont fine
forecastle and myself bailng from out The cabin We
all baed and pumped for some lcnotl, of tip,e hit bi
very much iaiiSued and the swell 50 HIGH that the water
came IN as fast got it out we were a last oblioed
TO give up in despair of success.
On tue 10Th q 10th, heavy gales from ~ W. accom-
panied with thick rainy weather. On the 9th which
was the 9TH day we had been on the wreck the weather
oeng rather more moderate and clear we saw shin o
wlhdWard, steering y r. about O'clock in the after
hoo' my nale ahd my sell got the flag staff up again
winch had been previously blown down by the heavy
gales of wind a;'d showed signal to the ship the two
seamen at that time were far exhausted that they
could not assist us IN getting il up after my mate and
myself had secured ii; legs could but lust support
our bodies The ship passed with her hull very plain
IN sight and 1T my candid opinion that she sa us and
so 1T crime that the most barbarous nation in e
world would not let pass unnotced however there is
but little utility IN SAYING any more on this subject as
we DO not know the ships name On the 28th in fo
afternoon WhIie my mate and myself were standing on
ne 'ahefal looking ronnd the horizon for a sail, was
80 wear th'I Ie over the stern, but fortunately my
mate threw me rope, and with his assistance soon pot
on board again. On The GOTH we were so far exhaust
ed that we gave up all hopes of being saved and were
preparing to meet death. While my mate and myself
were consulting, expected in our last moments
san move IN sight TO windward which relieved our over
our'he,ed souls oil sorrow and fatgue-Forunate for
us our was up had it not been we were not able
TO have put 1t up Providence directed tue vessel TO.
wards US they saw the flag and came to our assistance
Immediately; she proved to be the hermaphrode brio
Susan Elizabeth, Captain Richard GRAY, from l. eq.
horn bound to Philadelphia, who relieved us from our