Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1840-06-18
NUMBER IL.

want thereof, among those sixty-thYee per-
sons so awfully situated, there was no
cowardice exhibited, no sudden outbreak
Of prayer aud repentance, no murmuring.
but there did appear to be confidence
in the breast of every one, that the God
who had thus suddenly afflicted " would
not leave US 10 perish in that desert sea.
We remained in this state Of suspense
all day Sunday, making ourselves as COM
portable as possible. Every crack where
we could find the smoke coming out, was
stuffed with cotton, orplastered over with
pipe clay--of which the Captain found
small 10, on board, attached to the galley
erected for the Storage passengers. The
Ice house on deck contained fresh meat,
such as beef, chickens, ducks, &C., and
the cooks were employed all day in cook.
ing. We sent some warm coffee and
fresh milk, with some boiled fowls. 70 our
friends in the long boat, and made every
exertion to tighten their misfortunes.---
Blu, still no ship came in sight, and eve.
ming ut las, found us in the same porilous
situation that we were 10 the night before.
During all this day the deck was quite
warm, on the right hand side forward OF
the mainmast, indicating, as we supposed.
that the Gre was under that part Of the
vessel; the thick glass headlights, set
into tho deck at intervals Of about two
ieet from stem to stern, were also quite
hot. But towards night the deck and
glasses began to cool of, and there was
less smoke apparent: the forward hatch
es, too, were not quite so hot 81 night
as they were 10 the morning, and we be.
gun 20 have more hope. We had got
man over the stern in the forenoon, on
spar, to iasten down The shutters TO the
cabin windows and nail them down, but
this did not prevent the smoke from coming
through. The wooden shutter TO the sky
lights on deck were put on to prevent the
glass being broken by accident. and to.
wards nigpt we thought that the glass I'm.
der those shutters had cooled off.
Abou. ten o'clock on Sunday night.
most Of tho unfortunate people on board
the ship were sunk 10 sleep on the deck,
from mere exhaustion, leaving only three
people awake 10 watch for help, or 10
warn us Of what we most dreaded, q burst.
ing out ofthe flames. No language can
tell Of the suiTerings Of that night, which
was more dreadful than the last. We
were ike people confined on the top Of .
burning mine, with no power to escape
death almost certain 10 be our portion
within tow short hours, and our minds
tortured with suspense.
During the night. Capt. Anthony laid
down and caught short sleep. Tho
weather was tolerably fair. but silence
reigned throughout, except 30 far NJ it
was broken by the occasional rumbling
and dashing Of the sea. Just before two
o'clock, laid down beside him to wait
my fate, leaving only one man walking
the deck, and, in doing SO, | disturbed
him. He walked, and turning over, he
took my hand and remarked, II feel lhss
we shall be saved-I have had pleasant
dream" This circumstance, slight az ID
was had its effect, and did impart some
little consolation to both Of US. So true
is il toat drowning men will catch at
straws.
About this time the weather was chang.
ing, and the sea had risen, and the people
in the long boat became alarmed. Mr..
Wainwright hailed the ship, to know III
would not DO best to take the boat in.--
Capt. Anthony answered that they had
better wait patiently until daylight, and
then walked forward to examine into tho
state Of the ships We now found that the
FIRE had evidently increased, the deck and
matches were still quite warm, and the
pitch was beginning TO boil or melt in tho
seams between the planks. A shor, con.
ference convinced us that but little time
could elapse before the fire would burst
through the deck, and then there would
be no further hope. What we said and
what we felt between that time and day.
light, is not to be- told here il 10 sufii.
Gent that we thought we knew the worst;
the two small boats could hold no more
than fifteen persons. and there were ncsr.
ly thirty on board the ship: under the
best OF circumstances some Of US must b
lost, and it is needless TO say that Captain
Anthony determined that be should stick
TO his vessel and run the risk rather than
crowd the boats with too many people, or
exclude any one else.
At daylight, Mr.. Wainwright came on
board in one Of the small boats, and we
explained our situation to him. There
was but chance for any Of US. Ii he
and his party remained in the boat they
might be saved, but If they were taken on
board the ship, and the fire should break
out, it would be then impossible to put the
people into The boats again, end launch
them over the side, and death by fire or
by Growing would be The certain fate Of
all. The case was too strong, and the
horrid conviction was too apparent to be-
disputed. and. as was his dutv. he prena.