Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1830-09-07
From the New York Journal of Commerce

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| From the New York Journal of Com,nerce
| L ~, Shapwreck-Eight Lsoes Lost
| ihe schooner lronsides, Capt. WEIGH, left this
city on Saturday August 9th, loaded with stone, for
.ne Delawaie Hfeakwater. There were 10 persons
on board, viz. Capt. WEIGH Andrew Brown. Of this
CITY, passenger, James Johnston, do mate, Samuel
aodgdon, anapprentice to Captain WEIGH md Capt
Welchs family consisting Of his wife, five children,
age Capt. Welch had taken his fawily and furpi
ture on boord for the purpose of rennving to Lewis
town at the entrance of Delaware Buy
en account OF head winds, after proceeding Us far
as the highlands he put back and anchored near the
Hook, where he remained till Wednesday morning
Aug. 22d. a breeze then sprung up from the nm Nv.
and he went to i'll company With about 10 other
vessels. The vino soon after increased to stiff
began to leak very badly. After pnssng Barnegat
the %ind still increasing, Capt.W. ordered some Of
his suils to be taken in, and others reefed. While
attempting to secure part of his deck load which
bad worked loose, Capt. w. vas severely wounded
IN consequence of some of the stones shifting sud-
denly toleeward, aud carrying him with them He
was assisted to the quarter deck by two of the men,
where he lay for time nearly helpless; but see.
ing the necessity OF the case, he took the helm and
ordered more sail tc be hauled in The schooner
now had large quantity of wator in her hold. Hos-
led signal OF distress, and soon after schoo-
ner astern, which having soon within hail, Capt
W. desired her to Keep him company, as be consider
ed his situation extremely dangerous The reply
was. that she would But night coming on, and the
wind blowing perfect hurricane, lost sight of her
Alter scudding ihe schooner as long he durst,
captain Wy had a balance-reeted mainsail set, hove
to- and let go his sheet anchor Payed out about %
fathoms of cable, which brought her head nearly to
the sea Il was now about Z O'Clock in the evening.
All hands then betook themselves to The pump and
about midnight succeeded in making them suck tor
perhaps half an'hour: after which they could do SO no
longer, though they Kept them constantly motion.
Al daylight (Aug. 25d) the water had gained upon
them very percevably Captain W now cut his
tn IN for and dor h,ai
and two-reeted foresail The water increased very
fast, and it was clear that the vessel must 60 down
Vhe only hope left was take to the boat and this
was at best forlorn one, account of the violence
OF the gale. About ten O'clock having done all he
could tor the safety of the vessel and those board
Capt. " told his wife and wifa's their danger
He requested all his family to bs in readiness 90 be
put into the small boat, although he did not see how
boat could live In such Accordingly, he or
dered her launched, and had the pantaD made
shroud III, Johnston was stationed IN the boat
tor the purpose of steering her alongside schooner
In launching the boat. Mr. Brown fell overheard with
IT. but holding on to the bow, and hI1. Johnston en-.
deavorng to help him. which pitched ta boat by the
head, she took frank stesr and pars,d her ps5nep
Every effort TO recover the boat was made but
IN VAIN In the mean time the W as increasing
rapidly In the held, Which running forward sett)sd
her bowsprt and bows under water She then set
tied to starboard, and came on her beam ends At
this awful moment, Capt. Wecd, his wife and chill
dren wfe's sister, apprentice, and two seamen were
ON the quartsr deck lie held his wife by the hand
till the sclooners tara was perpendicular and then
stepped upon the counter timbers, and was in the
act of pulling off his jacket, when the main boom slid
down from the Iarboard side and struck him on the
shoulder Immediately after, the vessel went down,
carrying with her eight human beings, in the bloom
and vigor of life. embracing the entire family Of
Capt. WEIGH together with his wfas sister and his
apprentice. After being time under water par
tally entang!ed in the mainsal, Capt Wech rose to
the surface and with great difficulty. account Of
his exhaustion and wounds, succeeded in gaining
piece of plank, by means of which he struggled his
way to the boat. Two We're rescued Ike
wise Captain w rising from the water, saw one
of MS children floating within ten feet of him, but
With all the agony of parental feeling, could render it
no assistance.
There were FIVE persons in the boat, out of thir-
teen who sailed from New-York All the rest had
persisted About O'Clock P III. the wind abated;
but they were not picked up till between daylight
and sunrise the next morning Aug 24th) when they
fell in with the soup Traveller, Brown
of New York, bound 10 Norfolk, who treated them
with the kindness of father, and in The evening of
the day put them board the sloop Co-nthian.
bound from Norfolk to this CITY, where they all safely
arrived on Tuesday last,-but of them at least,
with feelings of desolaon which cannot be described
FOREIGN.
Pc, tbo ooIo rhi {rnr1, iror