Morning herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1837-1840, 1840-09-03
ID eaafut shipyvrect--Loss of Brig Florence
and Fifty Lives


Yesterday we received the truly melancholy in
,elligenee of tae los, of the Florence" of New
York. and slty lives Not since the destruction OF
the Inflated . Lexington in Long Island Sound,
have we read a more heart rcndng account OF a
shipvreck than the following, which we take from
the - Boston Transcript" ct Tuesday. The inteUi
gence reached BOSTON by the q" Attention." Captain
NcCnrdv, from ST Johns, y. +. The particulars
we're furnished by person on board the lost
brig and the chief mate OF the . Florence" whr
has arrived at Boston in the g Attention" The
" Florence" we understand, was nearly a new ves-
sell She sailed from Boston last spring for Ro;ter-
dam and was on her return voyage 10 New YORK.
Annexed are the particulars OF the wreck.
The following disaster is one OF those awful occur
rences with which the south eastern coast ct New
fcunda is often the sceae. The brig Florence oil
aad for New York, Samuel Rose, master. sal eo
from Rotterdam June 30. with crew OF eight per.
sons aud sevcntv-niue passengers. Cargo, ballast
and few casks Of wine. They were favored with
pleasa,- weather until nearly NJ WIN the eastern
part of the hanks OF Nc'yfruralagd " h"" they were
a.saiI~I q Nh succession of gales, attended with
fog and rain, mp 20 the time Of their shiPwrecS
On Sunday mora ng, August9 the man on the iook
out cried, bard dow1 tn. helm, breakers ahead"
The helm was immediately put a lee. but before the
sails were taken absck the brig struck the rocks on
her s,arooaro side 4 moment before she was going
AZ the rate Of eight miles the hour she it,
,tantlv filed and Tell on her side, when scene
OF confusion and terror presented itself, the horror
nf which can better be imagined than described.
Here were the wife aud husband bidding each other
last fsrewell-the frantic mother cia,p'rg her IN.
Cant TO her BOSOM as IL even death itself should not
separate them-whilo some few, who bad no rela-
tons on board, were endeavoring 20 secure what
money they had, by fastening to their bodies, but
which, alas proved the means OF their Destruction
For that which they vainly thought would secure to
them comfortable home in the fertile lands OF the
FAR west. changed their destination to an eternal
home IA death. On attempting 20 swim To the land,
the weight &c the money sunk them 90 the bottom
Captai. Rose, with commendable coolness, com
manded all to remain by the wreck until some mesns
were devised for cscarina with safety, For this
purpose, Mr.. william Vobbs, al Springfield, Niassa
chuset,s took the end o( lice and sprsns from the
| vessel "a a ledge which lag between her and III.
| shore. An overwhelming wave, however, overlook
| the devoted sailor and dashed him against th'
J rock :, n msngicd corpse. captain Rose next az
tempted this. the only means Of saving the lives n
tho.e on board. He was more fortunate. and reach
Ell the land in safety The crew were all saved. cN
cept the second mate. But only thirty o. the seven
tv'ni,c pas.eogers were saved and &c these. many
were saved bv Captain Rose and Nr. Schoield,
chief mate 81 the imminent peril 81 their own lives
and by lifetime these were saved. about three hours
after the brig struck, there were scarcely two oi
her planks together. All were literally IN SPIN
tiers
Thus thiriystveu persons were thru n ashore
on a barren, and To them an unknown par OF The
coast MANY of them were but half clad. aud most
Of them were without shoes. Not solitary biscuit
was saved IN this pitisblc condition th.v com.
mcnced their Journey through thick woods and
swamp, and over black and rugged hills, IN hopes
&c finding some human bshiistion.
For four DAYS they continued their course, go
verned chiefly by the wind; the SUM- mot and stars
being ohscured nearly ali the time bv the fog and
rain squalls. which latter were very frequent-sorne
times eating the bark from the trees and what few
berries they could fnd Early on the morning 81
the 18Th, Ca-tain Rose and MIR. Scho6eld assembled
a hill. N hopes tho fog might clear of, and afford
them a view of the surrounding country At nine
o'clock the weather cleared little, and they were
enabled 10 sec the harbor and village Of Renouse
/ The happy intelligence was soon communicated "a
the rest a-d thew resumed their march with lighter
hearts When 'hey entered the village, its bospra-
Z BILE inhabitants welcomed them with every thing
which their present need demanded. Mr.. Goodrich
of whose the crew and passengers speak
IN the warmest terus Of gratitude, gave money and
clothes 10 them, and furnished vessel 60 convey
them 90 ST. Johns the residence Of the Uaiicd States
Consular arent.
Az 2. on saturday. the 18th. they were land
cd al ~. Johns. The pews Of their arrival soor
brought 20 The shore rich and poor old and young
| some thrustRg bread into the hands of the ship
wrecked strsrrrrs. and others taking the poor
wrctches hone viii them. Nothing spared
which pity could suggest 10 alleviate their want,
and sufIerinss. The next dav BEING sunday. no.
~ nr was psblicly done for them bat on oDday
baudbiIls were posted M, rcquestinga meeting "a
take place az the Chamber of Commerce. {, devils,
means TO relieve the necessities Cf those whom fate
had thrown upon their shores. Some seventy ~
oiob+v mounds were coll, eed IN short time and
resolutions were passed 20 raise sufficient sun
whereby the G Migrants might be enabled u reac
the place of their destination. \ committee was
appointed 10 receive clothing and money from al
/ Who feit disposed 10 give. Capt McCurdav did not
hear the result as he sailed on The following morn
ing. bu' thinks, from the philsHthropic spirit mani
Tested bv the people Of 81 Johns that these rnror
trnste people were amply provided fer.