The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1841-07-14

Ienough." He then left us, and in ten min,
utes was out of sight. The mate had
some of the provisions served out to all
hands without exception, and used every
means in his power for the safety OF all on
board. 1t required great caution and
exertion to keep clear ofthe ice with which
we were surrounded. The sea however,
was smooth; and had the boat been tight.
notwithstanding the incessant rain and
hail, we might have made arrangements
that would have rendered the boat more
sea-worthy.
During the whole of the day, l do not
recolIcct having heard the mate in CON
sultation with any of the crew about light
ening the boat, or any other subject. lie
seldom spoke, except when he ordered
something to be done. That he could
have consulted the<cre without my
knowledge is possible, for l was sometimes
busily engaged in baiIing, and doing other
necessary work About snndown we
again had some provisions and water SER
we'd to US with the same impartldlly as
before. When night set in it was bitter
cold; the sky locked dark and threatening;
the passengers huddIed, ifposslble, closer
together; hardly voice was heard, except
when we called upon each other to take
turns at tbaiIing the boat. About midnight,
tremendous squall burst over us, accom-.
panied with severe hail shower. The
passengers, who had heretofore been par
TALLY quiet, in order to avoid the severity,
of the storm, created some confusion, and
in their fiuitess attempts to seek shelter,
unfortunately forced the plug out of It's
place. The water rushed in through the
opening with great rapidity, and neither
threats nor cntrcaties could induce them
to get out of the way, SO as to enable us
to stop the leak.
The sea was making a fair breach over
us, and the boat seemed to settle IN the
water. 1t was trying moment. Our
lives hung upon the mates decision. Had
he faltered we should. have gone to our
long home in few minutes. After using
every exertion himself 10 replace the plug
without effect. in consequence OF the obstl-
macy of the passengers, he exclalmed,"My
God! it must be so-iighten the boat
men," Those passengers whowere near
est the plug-hole were then passed over
board, and the plug was replaced: The
mate ordered the men to stop when ne
thought the danger was past, and even
prevented, with his own hands, the throw
inc overheard of two or three who had
been seized for that purpose. The young
man who said his prayers was never seIz-
ed for the purpose Of being thrown over
board,-hc might have remained on board.
A man and his wife said they were willing
to walk overheard together, if thu mate
thought it necessary for the safety OF the
boat. To this he replied, that it was not
necessary, and he pulled the man down
by his coat into the midships otthe boat
There was no blood split. The whole
affair did not occupy three minutes.
Some suppose that the women were
spared on account of their scx-lt was not
so. Had they been near the plug hole,
they would doubtless have been passed
over the side. There was nothing, to the
best of nv knowledge, prcconccrted.r 1t
appeared to me to be the work ofthe mo-
ment. Had we not been struck by the
squall nor the plug knocked out, believe,
the mate would never have ordered SIN
ole creature tobe disturbed. His conduct
from the moment we leftthe ship until we
were picked up, appeared to me 10 be
:. impartial. He worked harder than any
of us, and when provisions were served
out he Jared no better.
:, When the boat was lightened, we COM
menced bailing, and continued without IN,
termission until daylight. The sea had
risen with the squalr, which was soon fol,
lowed by strong gale and we shipped
several seas, which almost swamPed the
boat. In the morning, we found the Do-
dies of two men lying in the bottom OF the
boat who had died during the night
doubt not that several of those who were
passed overheard when we were struck
by the squaIl were dead, as they must have
been entirely under water. When we
were seen by the Crescent, she was under
close reefcd topsails, all her other sails
being handed.
As the account of our having been pick
cd I'D and carried into Havre is already
known by the public, I will close my state
mont cynres,Inp nv firm conviction tina