Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1837-02-23
THRILLING NARRATIVE.

d
collected the dead Of the bsrque Mexico. ~as
written by gentleman IN ,hi. city TO his Il lend
in Boston. We copy from the Mercantile
Journal:
On reaching Hampstead. I conclud-
ed to 60 somewhat Off the road 10 look
At the place where the barqu- Mexico
WAS cast away. In half an hour We
came 90 Lou's tavern. some four or FIVE
miles this side Of the beach where the
ship Law. and here. in his barn, had
be.n deposited the bodies Of the I'LL.
fsted Passengers which had been
thrown upon the shore. | went out
to the barn. The doors were open,
and such . scene as presented itself to
my view. certainly never could have
contemplated. II was q DIRE sdful. a
irishtful scene Of horror.
Forty or fifty bodies. Of all ages and
sexes, were lying promiscuously before
me, over the floor. all frozen as if as
maIols-and all except = few, in the
very dresses in which they perished.
Some with their hand, cienched. ~ #
for warmth, and almost every one with
an arm crooked and bent as 1t would
be clinging to the rigging.
| There were scattered about among
the number four or FIVE beautiful little
girls, from six TO sixteen years Of age,
their cheeks and lips as red as roses,
with their calm blue eyes open. looking
at you in the face as If they would
speak.
could hardly realize that they were
dead. touched their cheeks, and they
were frozen as hard and as solid as a
rock, and not the least indeniion could
be made by any pressure nj the hand.
could perceive a resemblance TO each
other, and supposed them To be the
daughters Of passenger named Pep
per. who persisted together with his
wife and all the family.
On the arm Of some were 10 be seen
the impression Of the rope which they
had chung to-the mark Of the twist
deeply sunk into the flesh. saw one
poor negro sailor, a tall man. with his
head thrown back. his lips parted. and
his now sishtless eyc-ball. turned up
wards, and his arms crossed over his
breast as II imploring Heaven for aid.
Tins poor fellow evidently had frozen,
while in the act Of fervent prayer.
: One female had a rope tied 10 her
leg which had bound her ~ the rig
Ring-and another little fellow hal
been crying. and thus frozen, with The
muscles OF the face just as We see chit
dren when crying. There was brother
and sister thrown on the beach loc',ed
in each others arms; but they had
been separated in the barn. All .hr
men had their lips firmly compress
together. and with the most agoniziny
expression on their countenances ever
beheld.
A little girl had raised herself on tin.
toe, and thus was frozen Just in tina,
position. II Vas an rwful sisht-and
such picture Of horror was before me
that became unconscIou>ly fixed IN
the spot. and found myself tr, ing In
suppress ny ordinary breathing le>i
should disturb the rrpo,e &c tLose
around me. was aroused from the
revere by the entrance Of a man-a
coroner.
A, vas about 10 leave, nv a,,en.
ion became directed to eirl. who
, siirru ards learned, bad come that
morning from the city. 10 search for her
sister. She had sent for her to come
over from England and had received
intelligence that she was in this ship.
She came into the harm. and the second
body she cast her eve upon, was hers
She gave way 90 such burst Of impss-
stoned grief and anguish. that could
not behold her without sharing in her
feelings. She threw herself upon the
cold and icy face and neck Of The lite
less body. and thus. with her arms A.
round her, remained wailIng, moaning.
and sobbing. I'LL came away and
when some distance of. could hear
her calling her in the most frantic man
( ner.
! So little time had they to prepare for
their fate. that | perceived bunch Of
keys and half eaten cake fall from the
bosom Of girl whom the coroner was
removing. The cake appeared a. Il a
part Of Il had just been bitten and
thrust into her bosom-and round her
neck was a ribbon, with a pair Of scis.
sors suspended.
And to observe the stout. rugged sal.
7 Tors. too. " hose iron frames could en-.
dure 30 much hsrdship-bere they lay
masses Of ice. Such scenes show US,
indeed. how poverless and feeble are
all human efforts. when coniendinR a..
gainit the storms and tempests which
sweep with resisiless violence over the
face Of the deep. And yet the vessel
was 20 near the shore thSt the shrieks
and mosns Of The poor creatures we're
heard through that bitter, dreadful night
iIll towards morning. when the Rroan,
died away. and al vas hushed 10 death.
and The muFmur Of the raging billows
was ell the sound that then met the
esI.
One Of the journsls tells a story Of .
voun0 u,sFt vvho had ,,,ttn The rraost,o.