Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Wayne County, Ind.) 1831-1837, 1836-08-27
HORRIBLE NARRATIVE OF THE WRECK OF
THE SHIP FRANCIS SPAlGHT

The Francis Spaight, Of 345 tons, laden
with timber, sailed from ST. Johns, New
foundland, on Gath November, bound for Linn
erick. The crew amounted to fourteen men,
with the captain and mate; they had fine
weather for a few days, but it afterwards
blew SO hard, that they were obliged to drive
before the wind. At three in the morning
Of December Sd, the vessel, through the care
Iessness Of the helmsman, suddenly broach-
ed to, and in less than an hour she lay on her
beam ends, the greater part Of the crew saw
ing themselves by cIinging to the rigging.
Patrick Cusack and Patrick Behane were
drowned in the forecastle, and Griffith, the mate
IN the after cabin. The Captain and Mulville
got to the fore and man masts, and cut them
away; the mizen-topmast went with them O.
yer the side, and the ship Immediately right
ed. As soon as she righted, she settled down
IN the sea, and there was scarcely any other
to be seen except the poop and buIwarks.
No situation could be more miserable than
that of the unfortunate crew, standing ANGLE
deep on the wreck, in a winters night, and
clinging to whatever object was nearest, as
sea after sea rolled successfully over them.
On the dawn, they discovered that their pro-
visions had been washed overheard, and thew
had no means of coming at any fresh water.
The gale continued undated, and for safety
and shelter they gathered into the cabin un-
der the poop. Even here, she was SO deep
with water. a dry plank could not be found,
and their only rest was by standing close to-
gethcr. At ten in the forenoon a vessel was
deserted to the westward, but she stood far
away beyond the reach of signal, and was
soon out of sight. That day and the mex,
passed away without any change in the wealth
er. On the third, it began to moderate
There were thirteen hands alive, and not one
had tasted a morsel Of food since the wreck
and they had only three bottles Of wine; thi:
was served out in wine glasses, at long inter
walls. There was some occasional rain which
they were not prepared at first for saving
! but on the fourth or fifth day they got a els
tern under the mizen-masts, where it was fiji
led in two days. The periods in which lii
:. tie or no rain fell were however, often long
T SO that they st,nted themselves to the small
, est possible allowance. In days after tn
I appearance of the first vessel, another wa
, seen only miles north. An ensign was hois
: ted. but she bore away like the former, an
/ was soon lost to their view. Despair wa
4 now In every countenance. How they live
through the succeeding days it would b
{ hard to tell; some few endeavored to eat tn
|. horn buttons of their jackets. Horrible a
E this situation was, it was made vet worse b
II As their sufferings increased, they becam
e cross and selfish-the strong securing plac
: on the cabin floor, and pushing aside the wea
i to shift for themselves in the wet aud cold
n There was boy named OBrien, especialI,
p who seemed to have no friend on board, an
g endured every sort Of cruelty and abus,
n Most Of the men had got sore legs from sta1
d ing in the salt water, and were peevish an
Of being hurt; as soon as @
Brien came near them in search Of a dry Der,
e he was kicked away, for which he retaIiate
lin curses.
+ On 10Th December, the l6tl. day since tn
d wreck, the captain said they were now
T. ilength Of time without sustenance, that it W.
Il beyond human nature to endure it anv lol
d ger. and that the only question for them
o consider was. whether one or all should d
his opinion was, that one shou Id suffer for Il
e rest. and that lots should be drawn betwee