The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1840-06-03

and the stewards pantry, into the cabin, rem |
deriog it impossible for any one 10 remnn be- |
low long at a time. Captain Anthony coolly.
calmly. and quietly gave his orders. and they
were obeyed in the same spirit by his men.-
He remarked that il was useless to bringup any
thing but such light articles as we could easiest
find. as the boats would not be able 10 carry any
baggage. One caught carpet bag, and anoth-
er a cloak some opened their trunks and took
out their money. leaving every thing else be-
hind; and some caught blankets from the
berths. The steward got up a barrel Of bread,
and Others assisted him in putting whatever Of
earabes there was in his pantry into bags, &c.
A barrel and two or three jugs of water were
put into the long boat, with such coats. cloaks,
&c. as could be got AT in a few minutes, and
then she was launched overheard. The women
and children were first handed over the side OF
the ship, and then the cabin passengers all ex-
cept three. a few Of the sieerags passengers,
the second mate. Mr.. Keeler. and four sailors.
The other boats were also get out, and two men
pared in each All this WAS done with order
and regularity, without auy pushing or crowd
ing, and in ,acit obedience to the captains
deis in a very short time. IL was ten O'Clock
before the long boat was pushed of, and line
attached to her aud the ship-having on board
thirty five persons. Nothing was said at the
lime about the other two boats. and those OF us
who remained on board the Poland were wait
ing for the first break Of morning TO learn the
fate to which we were dOsmed-knowIng that
ii would be madness to put more into the long
boat. aud that not more than one half of thOs,
Of us who remained could ever get into the 9th
er two. The ship, at the time we first suppos-
ed ourselves in danger, was put upon q south
casterly course. in the hope OF falling in with
or cuitin. off the ship We hnd passed in the
a l.. -.
the rigging, but when we commenced getting
out the bo,IS she was hove too, and she rode
very easy all night the sea not being very bos-
terous and there being very little wind. 1t
ransd at intervals all night and although it was
daylight and clear about four O'Clock in the
morning. the time seemed almost an eternity.
Afer the hong boat was hoisied out, an attempt
was made TO save some articles from the cabin,
aud the steward succeeded IN saving the cap
lan's watch. and chronometer and trunk, with
small box containing about three hundred
dollars in specie, but the gas and the smoke
soon obliged us to abandon all further attampts,
aud TO close all the doors to tho cabin aud to
the house over them.
/ We walked the deck all iha, night, and said
but little. Capt. Anthony was watchiul, and
going silently about in every part Of the
deck, stepping up "a crack here and adjusting a
A
! of those whom at that moment he must have
felt were dependent almos, entirely upon his
discretion for their lives Morning broke. and
the sun rose but no sail was in sight. There
we lay OF the broad ocean, fine ship smoking
At every crack with three trail boats attach hed
TO her by single rope, and no hope OF rescue
except through the goodness of the Almighty.
Whatever may have been the relig girus feelings.
or the want thereof, among theso sixty-three
persons so awftIlly situated, there was no cow
ardcc exhibited no sudden outbreak OF prayer
and repentance, no murmuring. But there
did appear TO be a confidence in the breast Of
every one that the God who had thus suddenly
sncted us would not leave US TO perish in that
i~~o-a ruu,aIucu III Inis state OF suspense all
day Sunday, making ourselves as comfortable
as possible. Every crack where we could find
the smoke coming out, was stuffed with cotton
, or plsstcred over with pipe clay, OF which the
captain found small lot on board attached tC
, to the galley erected for the stserage passen
gers. The ice house on deck contained iresl
meat, such rs beef, chickens, ducks, &c, anC
the cooks were employed all day in cooking
We sent some warm coffee and fresh milk, with
l some boiled fowls, to our friends IN tho long
beat, and made every excrtion TO tighten then
misfortunes. But still no ship came in sight,
and evening at last found us in the same peril
: Gus 'tuafion thar we were in the night before.
During all this day, the deck was quite warm,
on the light hand side forward Of the mninmast.
indie atng ~ we supposed, that the fire was
under that part of the vessel; the thick glass
dead lights set into the deck at intervals OF a
hout two feet from stern to stem, were also
quite hot. But towards night, the deck and
glasses began to cool off, and there was less
smoke apparent; tho forward hatehes, too,
were not quite SO hot at night as they were IN
the morning and we began TO have more hope.
We had cot man over the stern in the fore
noon, on spar, 10 faSicn down the shutters TO
the cabin windows and nail them down, but this
did not prevent the Smoks from coming through.
The wooden shutters to the sky hts on deck
were put on to prevent the glass being broken
by accident, and towards night we thought that
the glass under those shutters had cooled OF.
About ten o'clock. on Sunday night, most OF
the unfortunate people on board the ship sunk
10 sleep on the deck from mere exhaustion.
leaving only three people awake 10 watch for
help, or to warn us Of what We most dreaded,
a bursting out of the flames. No language can
tell Of the sufierirgs Of that night. which was
more dreadful than the last. We were like
people confned on the top of Il burning mine,
with no power to escape-death almost certain
10 be our portion within few short hours, and
our minds tortured with suspense.
\ DWins the night, Capt Anrhouy laid down
and caught short sleep. The weather was
tolerably fair bat silence reisned thrsug ghsut.
except so far as il was broken by the occasiuu-
al rumbng and dashiug Of the sea. Just be-
fore two o'clock laid down beside him 10 wait
my fate. leaving only enc man walking TIE deck.
aud in doing so, disturbed him. He walked,
and turning over, he took my hand and re-
marked. {" feel that we shall DO saved-l have
had pleasant dream" This Circumstance
slight as it was had its effect. and did impart
some little consolation to both Of us-So true
it is that drowning. men will catch at siraws.
About this time the weathsr was changing
aud the sea had risen, aad the people IN the
long boat became alarmed. Mr. Wainwright
! L,Ilol .L... IE II ,rnllll ha kn.t