The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1843-07-20
Loss or STEAMSHIP CoLUmn1A.

! alternoon the second instant, during fog
while going at the rate Of ten kaots, upon
Black Ledge, near Seal Island Light House.
We are much gratilied, however, at being
able TO state that all her passengers aud
crew, 1870, among whom was Abbott Law
renee Of this city with lis lady ard daugh-
:. ter got safely on the island with all their
|, trunks, baggage, &c. where they were wait.
ing for a steamer rom Halifax TO take them
off. Seal lslaudi crdggy rock, in some parts
covered with soil, situated about IS miles
to the westward Of Cape Sable, the south.
ernmost point Of Nova Scotia. 1t is about
20 miles from The nearest land on the con-
tiuenl-a peninsula, forming the western
boundary OF Darlington bay.
The following letter was Yesterday re-
celvcd from lieut.. Parsons, the admiralty
agent, on b1ard the Columbia, giving some
interesting details OF the disaster
SEAL ISLAND, July 4lh, 2 P. NJ.
Dear Sir The Columbia left Boston
at 2 P. NJ. the 1st instant, with the Ameri
can mail for Halifax and neland, with
ninety passengers, auI crew of eighty in
number, making in all from l7O upwards.
Water smooth, bat weather very foggy.
Ga Sunday, Cd instant,at 4 past l PM,
while steauing at the rate of len knots per
hoar, grounded, and heeed TO por, with
her bow high up, leaving her stern in deep
water, having qulrIer less five faihoms
: depth aft. Observed splnters from tbe false
keel and fore foot along side. Fired alarm
guns which were answered by muSkets, and
the sound Of fog horns. At 4 P. NJ. a boat
with the keeper Of Seal land light came
: alongside. lie Informed Us that we lay on
Black Ledge reef, and were within mile
=. and lafter Of the island. The fog wa,
dense The wind moderate from SSE. AS
the tlde fell, pointed rocks Of sugar loaf
shape, uncovered to the depth Of ten feet,
aud We're about ten feet distant from the
bows. The vessel lay on an Inclined plain
Of smooth rocks abreast Of her paddles, willie
her sern lay in deep wafer; and as she
strained it was deemed necessary 10 land
The lady passengers, about twenty ia num-
Der, who, throughout the whole catas trophc.
had displayed The utmost tortitude and self
possession.
Nor did these characteristics desert lhem
when placed under the protection Of an en-,
tire sirnnger. The keeper Of Seal Island
light is worthy Of all praise for his kindness
TO the ladies', add indeed 10 US all.
On The night tide, having lightened the
ship by discharging coal, anchors, chains,
&C., tried the only engine that would work,
she rolled in her bed, she did not start an
inch. AT 5 A. NJ, judging from her dis
tressed situation, a1d the falling tides, that
our chance Of saving her was small, landed
the mail on Seal Island and got ii secured
by The kindness OF MIR. Kitchens, The light
house keeper. Notwithstanding the kind
attention OF our hienIs ashore, we found
the ladies' bat roOny accommodated aud
sadly in want Of wafer. Still they were
cheerful aud jgntd.
have to observe that ibis beautiful sea
hoat ran ashore under The charge Of her well
| 'ned pIIot Cap AIN Stairs; and that the COOL
seandnhke conduct Of captain Shannon, his
others aud crew, not only excited Giy al
0iirAion, bat thai Of all til, passengers.
They abored Ioag a0d uAcea in,lg 10 save
the vessel, but in vain. Taji excellent
steamer, ia my opinion, viii only 0oat in
pieces from Der present position.
We Wefe eaabled yesterday 10 send the To-
tetiitence to HilIax, aal expect the steam.
err Margaret here 10 morrow night.
G. S. PARSONS, r. N.
70 GEoRGE GORDON, esq. ?. M. Boston.
STEAMER CoLuMBIA.-Capt Duggan, Of
the British schooner Acadian, watch arrived
at ibis port on "Wednesday, 13th inst. on the
/ , colsted along The west side Of Seal Is
( land, aud on the 9th stood to The norihward.
along he east side OF the island, about Il
m,lt distant from the shore. The weather
was unusually clear the wind light and va
rI4bIe, aud the sea quite smooth. He PASSED
close BY Black Ledge Reef, the place where
! he Columbia went ashore, bat saw her not,
nor any thing Oh shore, such tents or men,
to indicate that it had been Tue scene Of shii
week. lie states positively, 50 close was
he to land. and SO clear the day, that he
could have seen dog on the shore. lie
had been tecalmed and beset with logs in
thar vicinity from the 8 INST, and ufers
from the state OF the weather and the rise Of
the tides, that if the Columbia had not
sprung leak, she must have been got off
about high water on the 5,h, and accounts
Tor bis not having her on that day by the
fact that lie was on the other side ii The Is
ldnj.- Boston TraretLer, Jtly III.
STILL LATTER TIE columbia has mol
been got or but is a total wreck, a we learl
from passengers on board the steamer Pc
uobscut, which arrived al This pert Yesterday,
from ST. Johns, N. d.
We learn from the ST. Johns News Of
wednesday, that the steamer Margaret,
which had sailed TO the assistance Of the
Columbia, arrived at Halifax at 3 o'clock
On Friday, with the mails and passengers Of
the i'll fated steamer, aud tue sad iidings
that the Columbia would become a total
loss.
! All The passengers baggage and parts of
the engine were saved. The ship was driv-
en- upon the rocks five feet above high wa
ter mark. When the Margare, left she was
sinking by her bows, certain to go TO pieces.
The passengers and mails Of the. Colum,
ba were to be conveyed to England ia the
reserve steamer Margaret, TO sail on Sunday
or Monday ID.
THE FOURTH AT CORNWALL.
The Day was very appropriately
observed III Cornwall. A process