American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1826-05-23
From he Museum Of Foreign Literature and Science.
TEE EHIPWRECK.
By A COUNTRY CITRATE.


TEE EHIPWHECK.
COUNTRY CITRATE.
DURING the months of February and March, in
the year 49,, the coast of Kent was visited by
succession oil violent storms which caused greater
quantity OF damage to the shipping and Villages on
he sea shore than had been known to have occur
red in the memory OF man. On certain day in
the earlier part of the latter month, my duties led
me visit that quarter OF my parish which lies
the other side of the last range of hills, and sdoins
TO the parish, rather to the outskirts of the
OF Folkes stone. The wind was out with degree OF
| fury, such as even /, who reside near this TEN
pestuous coast, have seldom Witnessed. The clouds
were not sailing, but rushing through the sky. IN
grey flee ces a huge black mass ever and anon
up upon The blast, driving away from east 10 west
and sending forth shower OF hasiones, which beat
in my face as assembled the height and compelled
me more han once TO cling TO piece Of go re, or
fern, for support. The sheep we're all covering I'm
der the hilltop for shelter, with their backs turnsd
towards the storm, and hndded closely together !;
and the shepherds either took their places besidt
them, or ran horne to their different houses, among
the elens and hollows near. Il was, Indeed, day
in which no one who could find roof to him
| could have chosen 10 be abroad; SO boisierous
was the gale and so keen and cutting were the
gsts OF hail and sleet which RODE from time 10 time
up il.
it is impossible for one whose habitatiou, though
il b. shut out from view Of the ocean stands with.
in the sourd of IT'S waves, when they are in wrath
rot 10 think with peculiar anxiety, during every
gale or storm, of the poor mariners who are ex
posed to its violence To day, in particular, Tell
myself full of apprehension Tor there was con
siderable feet of vessels at anchor 10 the Downs and
several Ia. pe Indiamen had beeu at late hour
last nieht not far from the point OF Dungeness.
They had not passed, my man told me- during the
night indeed, the night had been too dark and too
clustering, to encourage than 10 lft their anchors
hu, the gale had increased SO much towards sunrise
and was still 81 heavy that could hardly hore that
the anchors had not dragged. or, which might
prove even more fatal that the cables had not parted
AS neared the top OF the hill, the noise of the
mig hty element increased upon me, ill its roa
would have almost drowned the thunder itself, 81
loud and so increasing had it become. But it tn,
sense OF hearing had impressed me with feelings o
awe these feelings increased to an indescrba
BILE degree by The spectacle which presented itself
3 the sense of sight Immediately below me was thu
ocean, boiling and foaming far and nea' ; one hug
, caldron of troubled waters, which tossed and tum
bled as If Thousand fires burning beneath 1t
: The coast of France, which, ON other days, may b
, distinctly seen. even to the glancing Of sun bean
on the windows of the houses in Calais was now en-
. tirely hidden could not, indeed, send my eaz
e beyond mid space between the two shores; an
; from that point EDWARDS, followed wave, i
fearful succession till one after another, they burs
in ire nendous force upon the chalky cliffs and peb
y Div strand of Kent. The town Of Fokestone ap
c pea ed devoted to utter destruction The tide wa
pouring through its lower Streets sweeping all liv
u and dead substances before its the few fishing YES
: sells whth had been moored in the haroor were ly
: ing high and dry, far up the side OF the hill, o
e oaing in broken fragments upon the water; Wills
the inhabitants, who had with difficulty escapee
ID were congre gated in the upper parts OF the town,
u watch with grief and dsmay the p, ogress oil pow
~ to which human ingenuity could oppose no OF
= s,ace All this was awful enough; but my fear
were too much alive for the brave men who wer
embarked 10 ships, 10 think much OF the state {
these who suffered only from loss of property.
looked anxlously, first towards the Downs an
afterwards 10 the direction of Dungeness. troI
the former point the fleet had entirely disappeared
., Many | saw stranded upon the shore; others ha
ar probably escaped to more safe anchorage; an
nd those which had endcavored to beat out to Sc
were lust visible on the lower part of the Goodwin
he The waves were dashng over their broken hull
~ and their very masts hidden, as every breake
cf size somewhat larger than the rest, burst upc
e them For them and for their crews there was r
BY bope--all must persh--and all did perish before
e. quilted my station 10 the direction OF Dungenes
49, again only one ship could be deserted. She hs
succeeded, apparently, in working out before Il
Il, storm had reached its height; and now having s.
he ed sea-room, was endeavoring TO scud, either 4
the Downs or the river. Her top-gallant- rnasts we
all struck; the only sail noisted was the fore to
sail and that close-reeied; under which she mat