Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1839-04-18
OLD IRoNsIDEs ON LEE SHORE.
BY AN EYE WITNESS.
From tie Democratic Rsuiew.

From TIE Democratic Rsuieu.
1t was at the clese OF stormy day in the
year 1883, when the gallant friga'e Consti-
/ tuition, under the command of Captain Eli
ott-having on board the late Edward Liv.
ingston late n mister at the Court of France,
| and his family, and manned by nearly five
hundred SOULS drew near to "the chops" OF
! the English Channel. For iour days she
had been beating down from Plymouth, and
on The filth, at evening, she made her last
tack for the French coast.
The watch was set at eight p. M-ihe
Captain came on deck soon aiier. and hay.
ing ascsrtaiued the bearing OF Sciliy, gave
! orders to keep The ship FULL and bye, re-.
marking at the same time to the officer OF
the deck, that he might make the light on
The lee beam, but, he stated, he though il
more than probable tina, he would pass il
without seeing il. He then turned in. as
did most of the idlers and The star board
watch.
AT a quarter past nine, p. NJ, the ship
headed west by compass, when the call of
Light Or was heard from the ioretopsaiI
yard.
where away?" asked the officer of the
deck.
Three points on the lee bow" replied
the look -out-man; which The unprofessIon.
al reader will readily understand TO mean
very nearly straight ahead. AT this mo.
ment, the Captain appeared and took the
trumpet.
"Call all hands," was bis immediate or.
der.
"a II hands," whislled the boatswain i'm
the long shrll summons, familiar to the "a rs
OF all who have ever been On board a man .of.
man.
"a hands," screamed the boatswain's
mates, anu ero the last echo died away, all
bu; the sick were upon deck.
The ship was staggering through heavy
swell from the Bay of Biscay the gale
which had been blowing several days, had
increased 10 severity that was not TO be
made light oi. The breakers, where Sir
Cioudesiey Shovel and his fleet we're de-
stroyed, in the days Of Queen Ammo, sang
their song OF death before, and The Dead.
Mans Ledge replied in hoarser notes behind
vs.. 10 go ahead seemed 10 be death, and
TO attempt 10 80 about was sure destruc-
ton.
The FIRST thing that caught the eye of the
Captain was the furled mainsaij, which he
had ordered to be carried throughout the
evening-the hauling up of which, contra
~ 10 the last order that he had given on
leaving the deck, bad caused the ship to fall
OF TO leeward twopoints, and had thus led
her into "a position on ''les shore" upon
which strong gale was blowing her. in
which the chance OF safety appeared TO the
stoutest nerves almost hopeless That sole
chance consisted in standing on, to carry US
through the breakers of Scilly or by close
Craze along their ouIer ledge Was this
destiny TO be the end Of the gallant old ship.
consecrated by SO many prayer and bless
ing from the heart of nation,
Why is the msinsail up. when ordered
1t set 20 cried the Captain in u tremendous
voice.
Finding that she pitched her bows un-
der, l took il in, under your general order,
sir, that the officer OF The deck should carry
sail according 10 bis discretion" replied The
Lieutenant 10 command
leave The log" was the prompt com
mand, TO tho masters mate. The log was
thrown.
81 How fast does she go:''
Five knots and half, sir''
Board the main tack, SIR
"She will not bear I,' said the officer Of
the deck. "Keep her iull and bye, Quar-,
termasteT."
aye! aye, sir" The tack was board,
I" Haul aft the main sheet" shouted the
captain, and aft il went like The spreading of
sea birds wing, giving the huge sail to The
gale
"Give her the lee helm when she goes in
TO the sea-" cried The Captain.
Aye, aye! sir she has it, grow!ed
out The old seadog at the pinnacle.
Right your helm; keep her full and
bye"
aye! aye! sir! full and bye she Is"
was the prompt answer from the helm.
How fast does she go 90
Nine knots and half, SIR
"How bears the light.
Nearly beam sir
Keep her away hall poinl"
"How fast does she go 20
f" inc knots, SIR"
"Steady SOL" returned the Captain.
STEADY" answered The helmsman, and
all was the silence Of grave upon that
Crowded deck-eXcept the bowling of the
storm-for space OF time that seemed 10
my imagination almost an age.
III was trying hour with us-unless we
could carry sail so as 10 go al the rate Of nine
Knots an hour, we must of necessity dash
upon Sicily, and who ever touched those
rocks and lived duriUg storm! The sea
ran very high, the rain fell in sheets, The
SKY was one black curtain, illuminated
only by the faint light which was TO mark
Our deiiversnce, or stand monument ofour
destruction. The wind bad got above wbis.
ling, IT came in puffs that faiiened The
waves, and made our old irgate settle TO her
bearings, while every thing on board seems
ell 10 be Cracking into pieces. Al this NOS
pent ibe carpenter reported that the left
bolt OF the weather fore sbroud had drawn.
Get on The luffs, and set them on all The