Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1830-06-15
From the N,w York Atlas.
BURNING OF THE SHIP FAMN
AND ESCAPE OF PASSENGERS

DURNlN0 Of 1ftE SHIP FAME,
ESCAPE PASSENGERS.
We omit other extracts for the present to give
place vivid sketch OF this remarkable event.
FLe happy escape ofthose whose lives were expose
in the calamity relieved 1t of its frightful tlri
bu:es, but the loss to science and learning which it
occasioned will never cease to be deplorcd
we embarked on the second and sailed at day
light for England from the East Indies, with everv
prospect of quick and comfortable passage The
ship was every thing could wish and having clo-
scd my charge here much-to my satisfaction we
were, perhaps, too happy; for in the evening came
sad -everse. Sophia had just gone to bed and had
thrown of all my cloths, when cry OF fire. fire! rou-
sed us from CAIN content, and in five minutes the
whole ship was in flames l ran quickly to examine
whence the flames seemed principally to issue, and
found that the fire had origin nme dately under
our cabin. Down with the boats. Where is Sopha5
Here The children? Here. A rope to the side.
Lower Lady Rallies. Give heI to me, says rne?
Ill take her. says the Captain. Throw the gun
powder overheard l, cannot be got at; it IS in
the magazine, close to the fire. Stand clear off
the powder Shuttle the water casks Water!
Water! Where's Sir Sanfsrd Come into the
boat, Nilsson! Nilsson into the boat. Push
off, push off, Stand clear Of the after part of the
ship
All this passed much quicker than I can write it.
We pushed off, and did SO, the flames burst ont
OF our cabin window and the whole after part of the
snip was IN flames The inasts and sails not tokinu
tire, we moved to distance sufficient TO avoid the
immediate explosion; but the flames. were coming out
OF the main hatchway and, seeing the rest Of the
crew, with the captain, still board, we pulled to
hef under the bows, to he distant from the
powder AS we approached, we perceived that the
people on board were getting another boat on
| tao opposite side. She pushed off; hailed her.
hove you all on board? Yes, all, save Who is
be- Johnson, sick in his cDt. Can we save him.
No; impossible The fumes We're issuing from the
hatchway. AT this moment, the poor fellow scorch-
cd imagine by the flames, roared out most Justify
having run upon the deck. will go for him. says the
captain. The two boats then together, and we
look out some of the persons from the captains boat
which was overaden. He then pulled under the
bowspr OF the ship, and picked the pcor fellow up
Are you all safe? Yes. we have got the man. all lives
safe Thank God! Pull off from the ship. Keep
your eye on the star, Sir Stanford phere is one
scarcely visible.
| We then hauled close to each other and found the
captain fortunately had compass, but we had no
light except from the ship. Our distance from Ben
coolen we estima ed 10 be about fifty miles, in south
west direction There being no landing place to the
southwark OF Bencoolen, our only chance was TO
gain that part The captain then undertook 10 lead,
and we to FOLLOW; in N N. Il course, as well as we
could; no chance possibility being left, that we
/ could again approach the ship; for she now one
SPLENDID flame, fore and aft and aot her naass and
sails In blaze and rocking to and fro, threatening
to fall in an instant There goes her mizen mast;
pull away my boys there goes the gunpowder. Thank
| Cod thank God!
| You may judge of our situation without any fur
ther particulars. The alarm given at about
twenty minutes past eight and in less than ten mi
nutes she was LII flames. There was not a soul on
ooard at haif past u and IN less than minutes ai
forwards she was one grand mass of fire.
My only apprehension was the want of boats to
hold the people. there time to have got
the long boat, or to make raft. All we had to rely
upon were two small quarter boats, which fortunate
/ ly were lowered without accident, and these two
small open boats without drop of water grain of
food or rag OF covering, except what we happened
at the moment to have Backs embarked on
the ocean, thankful to God for his rnercles! Poor
Sophia having been taken out of her bed, had no
| thing on but her wrapper neither shoes stock
ings. The children just taken out Of bed, whence
one had been snatched after the flames had attacked
It. In short, there time for any one to think
of more than two things. Can the ship be saved
No. Let ourselves then. All else was swal-
lowed up IN grand ruin.
| 10 make the best of our misfortune, availed
ourselves OF the light from the ship steer toler-
ably good course towards the shore. She continued
to burn till abon midnight, when the saltpetre which
she had on board took fire, and sent up one of the
most splendid and brilliant flames that ever seen,
illuminating the horizon every direction to an eN
tent Of not less than fifty miles, and casting thai kind
OF blue light oyer us, which is OF all others most ho
rble She burnt and continued in flames in this style
tor about an hour two, when we lost sight OF the
object in clouds of smoke.
/ Neither Nilsson Mr.. Bell, our medical friend,
who had accompanied u.s. had saved their COATS but
the tail OF NINE. with pocket handkerchief, served
| to keep Sophia's feet warm and we made brooches
for the children with our neck cloths. Rain
came on, hut fortunately it not of long contin-
uance and we got dry again. The night became
serene and star light We now certain of our
course, and the men behaved manfully: they rowed
necessarily, and with good heart and spirit; and ne
yer did moras look anxiously for day light and
for land, than we did, Not that our suferings or
grounds OF complaint any thing to what has of
ten befaen others but from Sopha's delicate bealtlI
as well as my own, and the stormy nature of the
coast, felt perfectly convinced that were unable
to undergo starvation and exposure to the sun ani
weather many days-and aware of the rap,dy of
the currents, feared might fall to the southwark
of the port.
At day light we recognized the coast and Rat Is
land, which gave US great spirits and though we
found ourselves much to the southwark Of the port
We considered ourselves almost at hcme.-Sophia
had gone through the night better than could have
been expected, and we continued to pull on with all
our strength. About eight or nine we saw "a ship
standing to US from the Roads. They had seen the
flames on shore and sent vessels to our relief and
here certainly minister of Providence in the
character Of minister of the Gospel, for the first