Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-12-02

umore, was driven from ner anc hOrage, among
the breakers, and went entirely to pieces. We
regret to add that all on board perished A boats
crew, with the first and second officers and SUI
percargo of the Are,husa, were on shore at the
lime, anc were thus propidentially preserved
from death.
The editors Of the American have been po-
litely favored by a commercial house with a
list of arrivals at and departures from Valpa-
raise during the month Of August. The Chi
han heet purchased by the Baenos Ayrean Go
vernment, consisting of the frigate Buenos .Ay-
res, and the corvettes MomteUideo, and Chacabuco,
sailed for the river La Plata on the 9th August.
The Nontevideo put back leaky, and returned
to Valparaiso on the 9th of the same month.
Since the above was in type, a friend has
kindly handed US the following letter, contain
ing a detailed and highly interesting accoun,
OF the melancholy loss of the Arethusa, and
part of her crew:
Extract of a letter from Halpdraiso, dated ssd .auoust
received per the brig George Gardner.
"On Monday the l4th inst. we had a severe
gale, IN which deeply regret to say, that the
ship Arethusa, OF Baltimore, was lost. with her
captain and eight men. She arrived here after
a long passage onthe 4th, and the ship Covlng-
ton on the 5th inst; They both anchored too
close In, and Immediately over against a very
rocky beach, owing to mistaken information
given them On Sunday, the 18th, the wind
had freshened so much, that / began to feel
uneasy, not only for them, but for the Eliza
beth, although she was moored in as good a
birth as the harbor affords; indeed, l spent a
great part Of the day on the beach watching
them; they appeared however to hold on we'll;
but the next day the gale increased very much,
and about 10 A. NJ. the Arethusa, and shortly
after the Covington, made signals of distress.
In about halls an hour a boat from the former
came on shore with the ID mate and a men,
who told US they were sent for a Gable and an
chor--that the ship had parted her chain, and
was now riding only by a ten inch cable that
had been brought out in her for sale; both ships
IN fact were In the breakers. A cable and an
cnor were procured, but it was impossible TO
embark them, the surf was so very high; the
supercargo offered every inducement, but in
vain; indeed In attempting to go off in the boat
~unladen, ii was capsized, and fortunately the
boats crew remained on shore In the mean
While the Arethusa's last cable parted, and
she drove ashore in almost the only part of
the harbor where there was little chance Of
saving the lives on board. The difference of
her length in either direction would have
been sufficient TO have saved them all
as IT was, she drove midsbip on a rock about
twenty yards from the shore, and which at low
water IS entirely dry, and there beat to pieces
amid as wild a surf as ever dashed a Shore
The scene was dreadful-the shore was lined
with people anxious to assist, but who could do
little but gaze at them, owing 10 their situation,
and also to the want OF any preparation on
board; Tor strange as 1t may appear, they had
not a line there 10 fasten to a spar drifting "a
shore. The first mate, four Ct the crew, and
the supercargo's servant, a Peruvian boy, sue
ceeded by desperate exertions in reaching the
shore. The Captain, eight of the crew and a
Custom House officer, persisted. In about two
hours after she struck, this noble ship was bro
ken entirely in pieces. l send you a list Of the
ships company, with their fate, for the infor-
nation OF those more nearly interested in them.
Never havel witnessed any thing so distressing.
/ had been only a few days before introduced
to poor M'Cay, and was quite pleased with
him. His appearance on the wreck with that
OF his companions, will never leave my memo
ry; he was one of the last that persisted, and
was crushed between the rocks and the wreck,
to which he chung when the ship broke in two
Fortunately the Covington rode out the gale,
and the weather moderating next day she was
hauled out to safer moorings, with the loss of
an anchor which they broke in heaving up"
List Of the Rrefhusa's Officers and CreU.
The following came ashore in the boat, pre-
vious to parting the last cable, viz:-John II.
Ehrenoeck, "a mate; Alex Coleman, carpenter,
John Smith, seaman; Joseph Combs, do; John
Hilbert, boy.
Saved from the Wreck.
Shubael C. Rogers, lt mate; Samuel Nor
ton, seaman; Franklin Dyer, do; Henry How
ard, steward; Thos. Halfpenny, boy.
LOST.
John McCay, captain; Saml. Moore, cook;
Jefferson Martin, seaman; VIM. Hamilton, do;
w A. B. Hopkins, do; James Andrews, do
Saml. Sylvester, boy; John S. Graft, do; Hen
ry ]. Ross, do.
The dreadful disease among horses, called
the burnt tongue, prevails to a great extent a.
long the route from Pittsburgh to Philadelphia
In some instances i. has proved fatal. Stages
west of the Allegheny have been stopped and
a number of wagoners have been obliged to lie
by in consequence Of it. The sam disorder
prevails in Maryland.