Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1825-04-21

violently aSitated, the waves makinga
complete breach over them, and the
rolling of the mast adding to the diff
Guilty Of holding on. The cold and the
water benumbed the bodies and limbs
of the poor men, and made them al.
most insensible to feeling; they were,
too, nearly naked, the suddenness Oft
accident, not allowing them time to
clo,he themselves. Meanwhile, the
mast to which they chung was rolling
about under the stern of the ship, fire.,
quently within FIVE yards OF the wreck.
The heat from the hun was sensibly,
and even gratefully felt by the unfortu-
nate men, warming them after the sea
had washed over them, and preserving
their bodies from total insensibility.-
About two o'clock the Kent blew up,
with an explosion not remarkably loud,
in consequence Of most Of the powder
having been destroyed by the water
which inundated the magazine. SIEVE
raj fragments of the ship fell on the
survivors on the mainmast, but they
were fortunately too small to injure
them. One of the men thinks that
few dead bodies fell into the sea, having
been blown up with the decks. The
hull of the Kent still continued to barn
on, the flames Illuminating, by their
dreadful glare, the surrounding scene
Of dc isolation. BY half past two the
fire had reached nearly TO the waters
edge, and the wretched survivors be-
gan to be apprehensive that they would
be drawn into the vortex which her
sinking would cause, and perish in the
yawning abyss.
But relief was near at hand. BY
three O'Clock, they deserted, with SELL
sations of Joy which we cannot attempt
to describe, a vessel rounding at short
distance, the burning hull of the Kent.
They instantly and simultaneously
set up as loud a shout as their enfeebled
state would permit, in order to attract
the attention of the crew. The vessel
proved TO be the Caroline, Capt. Bibby,
Of this port. A boat from her was
soon along side the wreck, and the sur.
vivors Of the dreadful catastrophe were
rescued from the very grasp OF death,
and successfully ana safely conveyed
on board the ship which so providen-
TALLY and almost miraculously came 10
their rescue, after they had been up
wards Of three hours in the water, and
all hope of deliverance had forever fled.
Capt. 1ibby states, that it was about
midnight when a fire was observed on
the lee-beam Of the Caroline. She was
then in latitude 400, N. and longitude
100. So, w. He had no doubt, that it
proceeded from ship on fire; and, with
Characteristic humanity, Immediately
bore down wards The connagration.
after running about twenty miles, he
cane very near 20 the wreck, but pru-
IDENTITY kept aloof, his ship having bales
VI cotton on deck. This was at three o.
c.vck "A the morning, the moon shin
ing brightly. He very judiciously and
skilfully ran to leeward of the ship, to
allow any person who might be in boats
or on pieces Of the wreck an opportu-
nifty of more easily and safely getting
on board the Caroline. The moment
his vessel was little clear Of the hull
of the Kent, he and his crew heard
loud cry, as if from the deep. Con-
tinuing his course in the direction Of
the cry, he saw, by the glare Of the COIL
flagration, number Of poor fellows
clinging to the mast, which was vio-
lently rolling about, owing to the force
of the gale. Perceiving that there was
not boat near them, he sent his jolly
boat, which is only fourteen feet long,
manned by his mate and three seamen,
to take off the sufferers, directing the
mate to bring only as many at time
as the boat would carry with safety, the
sea then running very high. When
the boat came alongside the mast, the
poor fellows were so benumbed that
they could not help themselves, and
the seamen were obliged to lift the
helpless creatures out Of the sea. Six
were conveyed to the Caroline on the
first trip, and six on the second. When
sitC oOol w 40 iStuihihS ehiia sh'iS w
the wreck, the hull Of the Kent sudden
ly disappeared, and the crew had only
the light of the moon to guide them to
the spot.
They found only two survivors, two
men having died in the meantime, their
lifcless hands still grasping the mast
as firmly as though they had been alive.
The poor fellows were lifted by the
seamen out Of the boat into the Caro-
line as they arrived, and carried, like
helpless children, to the fire. Captain
Bibby had them Immediately stripped,
and dry clothing put on their enfeebled
and worn out bodies. He ordered the
cook to make some coffee, which he
gave them to drink. This beverage re-
vived their exhaustedse lansuid frames.
They were afterwards put into the best
place that could be prepared for them,
and soon fell into a sound sleep, from