Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1838-06-28

The boat continued to settle rapidly
and in about 40 minutes the water ha
reached the promenade deck above the
ladies' cabin. Previous to this period
the ladies', children, and the gentlemen
who were in the after part of the boat
were placed on the promenade deck
About the time when the water reached
that point, the boat parted in two with
a tremendous crash, and the bow and
stern rose somewhat out of the water
but the latter again continued to sink
until the water reached the promenade
deck, when il separated in three parts.
upset, and precipitated all OH it into the
water Many then rcgained the de-
tached portions. The gentlemen who
occupied the forward cabin took refuge
on the extreme bow, when the boat
broke in two, and clung to it and the
ioremast others had placed themselves
on settees, and the fragments Of the
wreck.
There were four boats belonging to
the boat two being swung to the sides
and two placed on the top Of the prom
enade deck. The side boats were both
lowered down, within five minutes of
the explosion. In that Oh the starboard
side, the first mate Mr.. Hilbert, Mr..
Swift and one other person had placed
themselves in that on the larboard
side were Mr.. j. III. COupcr with Mrs.
Nightingale and child, and Mrs. Fraser
and her son, who were under his charge,
Captain X. w. Pooler and son, and
Mr.. VIM. Robertson, all of Georgia,
Barney and Solomon belonging to the
crew, and two colored women. by di-
rection of the mate, two Of the crew
launched one Of the deck boats and got
into her but as, from her long expo
sure to the sun, her seams were all O.
pen, she Immediately filled, and Mr..
HILBERT removed the men to his boat.
The boats met, when those in the sec
ond proposed to Mr.. HILBERT TO strike
for the land, as it had on board as ma
ny as it could with any safety carry
this he declined to do, as he said he
was determined to stay by the wreck
until daylight, and had yet room for
more persons. Both boats then con-
tinued to row about the wreck until the
mates boat had picked up as many rs
she could carry, when Mr.. Hilbert
yielded to the propriety Of consulting
the safety of those in the boats, by go
ing to the land rs their farther stay
would endanger them, without atIording
any aid to their suffering friends, and
they left the wreck at 3 Il. m. The
boats took N. w. conrse, being ia
vored by heavy sea and strong breeze
from S. f..
Here follows an account Of the land
ing of the first boat, in which was Mr.
HILBERT, the mate, whose narrative we
have published.
The other boat continued to keep of
until about sunset, when, finding the
night approaching and there being no
appearance Of aid or change in the wind,
which was blowing freshly in to the
land, and the persons in the boat hav-
ing previously refused to row any far
ther, Mr.. Couper reluctantly consented
to attempt a landing.
Before making the attempt, it was
thought necessary, to prevent the infant
Of Mrs. Nightingale, which was only
seven months old, from being lost, to
lash it to her person, which was done.
Just as the sun was setting, the bow Of
the boat was turned to the shore, and, /,
Mr.. Coupcr sculling, and two men at
the oars, she was pulled into the break
ers--she rose without difficulty upon
the first breaker, but the second, COM
ing out with great violence, struck the
oar from the hand Of one Of the rowers.
The boat was then thrown into the
trough of the sea, and the succeeding
breaker struck her broadsidc, and turn
ed her bottom upward. Upon regain
ing the surface, Mr. Couper laid hold
of the boat, and soon discovered that
the rest of the party, with the cxcep-
tion of Mrs. Nightingale, were making
for the shore of her, for few sec
onds, he saw nothing, but presently
feeling something like the dress of te-
male touch his foot, he again dived down
and was fortunate enough to grasp her
by the hair.
The surf continued to break over
them with great violence, but, after a
struggle in which their strength spent
it's last efforts, they reached the shore,
utterly worn out with fatigue, watching
hunger, thirst, and the most intense and
overwhelming excitement. Besides this
tho ladies and children were suffering
severely from the cold The party pro-
ceeded short distance from the shore
where the ladies lay down upon the side
Of sand hill and their protectors GOV
cred them and their children with sand
to prevent them from perishing. Mean
time some of the party went in quest o
aid, and about 10 o'clock the whole
of them found kind and hospitablc re
ccption, shelter, food and clothing, un
der the roof of Mr.. Siglcc Redd, OF On
slow county.
Mrs. Mig ghtingalc is the daughter o
John A. King, Esq. Of New York, am
grand daughter Of the late distinguish
ed Rufus King. During the whole o
the pcrils through which they passed
she and Mrs. Frazer displayed tn
highest qualities of fortitudc and hero
ism. They owe the preservation