The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1829-09-24

on board 10 tho last, suggested the best ar
ranRemenis, and assisting TO hand US any arii
Gle that could be got at the moment, ,.hat nigh
DO useful 10 Us in the extreme perils we were
about to encounter.
Many Of the party having retired TO thei
hamunocks before the electric fluid struck III,
vesscl,were halfnaked; but were supplied will
| trowsers and jackets, by those seamen who ha,
bten on the watch; who, in consequence ofth,
heavy rain, had cased themselves in double o
treble their usual quantity of clothing NJ,
own dress was merely a nankeen jacket ant
trowsers, shirt and neckclotb had lost m
hat IN assisting to get out the boat.
We happily succeeded in bringing a way tive
! compasses from the binnacle, and a few can
| dies from the cuddy table, one ofthem lighted
cne bottle Of wine and another of porter wer,
handed to us, with the table cloth and knife
which proved very useful but tho fire rageo
so hercely in the body Of the vessel, that nei
iher bread nor water cohld be come at.
IL was now about nine o'clock the rain
poured in torrents; the lightning continued IL
stream, from one side Of the heavens 10 the
other, one moment dazzling us by It's glare
and the next leaving US in darkness, relieved
only by the red flames Of the confiagration,
from which we were trying 10 escape.
Our first object was to get clear ofthe YES
sell lest she should explode and oyerwhelm us
But to our great distress we discovered, that
the yawi had no rudder, ana that in tho two
boats we had only three oars, all exertions to
obtain more from the ship having proved un.
successful From The gig, which had rud
der, they gave US rope s end TO keep MS IN
tow, and by means of few spars found at the
bottom Of the boat, we assisted in moving ou..
Spluas glnypf ~ flr1nnl tha ApafIT PFnVldau.
tally the sea was very still or our boats would
have swamped and We must have pershed -
There was also very little wind, but it some.
times changed, and, assisted by the prevailing
current, urged forward the burning ship; for
the sails, being drenchod with rain, did not
easily take FIRE Our situation, therefore, was
for some time exceedingly porlou5 The vos'
sci nearing us more than once, and seemed to
threaten to involve us in its own destruction
The cargo, consisting chiefly of hams, cheese
ale, porter, spirits and other things equally
combustible, burned with violence and rapid.
~. and the danes rose to an amazing height
We succeeded IN increasing the distance
between us and the vessel, directing our course
towards land by help of the compasses, which
we could SEQ by the LIGHT Of the candles we
he'd with MS. About ten O'Clock we saw tho
masts 90 overheard, and tho sides Of the yes.
sci seemed Ia be burnt down TO the water S
edge. The spectacle was awfu!ly grand, even
contemplated abstrah9dly from u recollection
of our circumstances The destruction,
bg fire, ofthe animals Oh board dogs, sheep,
&c. at another time, would have excited our
deepest commisscration, but. at present, the
total loss of property, the aw!uIly sudden death
of the scamen, our own narrow cacape, and
the great probabilities even yet that We .hpuld
reser again see the light Of day, or. set our
feet on solid ground, seemed to absorb our fac.
ultics and feelinns for some time the silence
was scarcely broken, aud doubt not, that ma.
ny, like myself were engaged in thoughts
most suitable 10 immortal beings OH the brink
Of etcrnity--in thankfulness and in prayer.
The number of persons in the two boats
was torty.cight, and all, with the exception OF
the two ladies', who, must observe, bore these
awful circumstances with extraordinary torti-
tude, took il il, turns to work at the oars and
paddles. After some time, to our great relief,
the rain ceased; the lubor of bailing water
from the boats was considerably dim inisiiod
we hailed Zach other ffequcn,ly through the
night, and the honest tars. true hearts Of oak ;,
occasionally gave u simultaneous "hurra," TO
cheor each other, and to keep up our spirits.
The TAM ore must have risen in the water,
az 1t gradually consumed wc saw it burning
the whole night and at day break could dis.
tnguish column Of smoke, arising from il,
which, however, soon erased, and VIC saw and
heard no more Of our iavorite ship. When
tho sun rose, we could clearly discern lard a.
head f; the sight of it filed us with grateful
joy, and nerycd us with flesh vig0r.