The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1836-06-01

A WRECK AT sEA.-Wc one day des-
cried some shapeless object drifting at a
distance. At sea, every thing that breaks
the monotony Of the surrounding expanse
attracts attention. 1t proved to be the mast
of ship that must have been completely
wrecked; for there were the remains Of
handkerchicfs, by which some Of the crew
had fastened themselves to this spar, 10
prevent their being washed off by the waves.
There was no trace by which the name Of
the ship could be ascertained.- The wreck
had evidently drifted nbout for months;
clusters Of shell-fsh hhd fsstcncd about it,
and long sea weeds faunfed at its sides.
But where, thought !, is the crew Their
struggle has long been over-they have
gone down amid the roar of the tempest
their bones lie whitening inthe caverns Of
the deep. Silence, oblivion, like the waves,
h ave closed over them, and no one can tell
the story of their end. What siglis have
been waited after that ship what prayers
offered up at The deserted fireside Of home !
How often has the mistress, the wife, the
mother, porcd over The daily news, to catch
some casual intelligence of this rover ofthe
deep How has expectation darkcned in
to anxiety-anxety into dread, and dread
into despair Alas not one memento
shall ever return for love to cherish. All
that shall ever be known, is, that she saiiei
from her port, g" and was never heard Of
more ~
The sight of this wreck, ms usual, gave
rise to dismal anecdotes. This was partic-
ularly the case in the evening, when the
weather, which had hitherto been fair, be-
L., ,,,,lI ,.,I IL.
Indications of one of those sudden storms
ihlt will sometimes break in upon the St
rcnily Of summer voyage. As we sat
round the dull light of lamp in the cabin,
that made the gloom more ghastly, every
one had his tale of shipwrcclk and disaster.
was particularly struck with n short one
related by the captain.
GAS was sailing," said he, /" in fine
stout ship, across the banks Of Newfound-
land, one Of those heavy fogs that prevail in
those parts rendered it impossible for ns TO
see far ahead even in the day time; but at;
night the weather was so thick that we
could not distinguish any object at tv,ce.
the length fthe ship. kept lights at the
mast head, and constant watch forward
to look out for fishing smscks, which arc
accustomed to be at anchor on the banks
The wind was blowing smacking breeze,
and we were going at a great rate through
the water. Suddenly the watch gave the
thrilling alarm Of a sail ahead !-it was
scarcely uttered before we were upon her.
She was small schooner, nt anchor, with
her broadside towards us. The crew were
all asleep, and neglected TO hoist light
We struck her just amid-ships. The force,
the size, and weight Of our vessel, bore her
down below the waves /; we passed over her
and were hurried on our course As the
crushing wreck was sinking beneath us,
had glimpse Of two or three half naked
wretches rushing from her cabin; they just
started from their beds to be swallowed
shrieking by the waves. l heard their
drowning cry mineling with the wind. The
last that swept it to our cars swept US out
of all further hearing. shall never forget
that cryt 1t was some time before we
could put the ship about, she was under
such headway.. We returned, rs nearly as
we could guess, to the place where the
smack had anchored. We cruiscd about
for several hours in the dense fog. We
fred signal guns, aud listened if we might
hear the halIoo Of any of the survivors; but
all was siieut-wc never saw or heard any
thing ot them more"