Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1843-11-16
MISCELLANEOUS
From the Boston Mercantile Journal.
BURNING OF A SHIP In GIBRALTAR BAY,
BY HAwsER MARrINGALE.

! 40 Jaw OEh hhRllN6ALEs
The destruction of the u. S. Frigate
Missouri, in the Bay of Gibraltar, forci-
bly, reminds me of an incident which &C.
Cured in the same harbor in the month
of September, 1924, and which is I'M
doubtedly fresh in the memory of some
of the readers of the Mercantile Journal.
1t was Sunday-about two O'Clock in
the afternoon. A couple Of friends had
been dining with me on board my vessel
land we were just about rising from
the table, when my second mate put his
head down the companion. way, and
/ shouted In loud and energetic voice
! There's ship on fire!' We rushed ON
deck, and, sure enough. on looking in
the direction to which lie pointed, we be-
held dense and black smoke issuing in
large volumes from the cabin windows,
sky-light and companion-way of large
and beautiful ship, belonging to Phila-
delphia, moored in the very midst of the
shipping about q. quarter of mile off.
The fire had evidently just been discov.
cred, and there appeared to be great con-
fusion on board the vessel-one man was
hauling the boat alongside-others were
rushing to the gangways-and one ap-
peared to be cutting some garments from
the fore rigging, which had been hung
there to dry.
immediately ordered SIX hands into
the boat, with axes. buckets, &c., and
accompanied by my two friends, put off
In all haste to render assistance. In a
few minutes we were within. a dozen
rods of the ship, when saw the ships
boat with two men, and the Captain,
COOK and steward, pulling away from the
burning ship as if for life! The Cap
tain, an old gray haired man, hailed Us,
and begged US not to go alongside, as
the ship had been taking in guapoacder,
the day before, which was slowed near
the cabin, and might be expected every
moment to ignite, and blow her into
atoms.
lhis was something Of poser. or
dered then men to lie on their oars, and
consulted Tor a moment with my friends,
what course Was best to pursue. We
were reluctant to forego our intention of
boarding the burning vessel, especially
as 1t appeared not unlikely that the fire
might be easily extinguished by few
Ifesotote men, and in few minutes the
opportunity Would be lost. On the 9TH
ef hanu II was known that the ship had a
valuable cargo on board and was bound
TO the faclhc-and had actually been
receiving Come gunpowder, how much.
no one knew, from a Stonington sealing
yessel' the Orig Hersiia, day or two be.
fore-and the Captain of the ship, whose
AMY II was to remain on board, and at.
tempt TO extinguish the flames, unless
the danger was most Imminent, and who.
from knowledge of all the facts, was
aoie 10 estimate the amount of danger in
lh's case had abandoned her to her fate,
aud taken refuge in ship near bv.
III the mean time, boats from othte,
vessels, vessels tulIy manned, approached the
burning Ship, but were arrested by the
cry There's powder on board p
me captain, who had thus cowardly
lieo IRON his post, kept vociferatlng from
the quartor deck of another ship-sDon'i
go any nearer! You will be blown to
atoms, if you do! There's gunpowder
on board! For Gods sake, pull away
IRON the ship. if you have any regard fol
Under such circumstances, it would
nave been madness to board the burning
vessel which, by this time, we were fair.
~ along side Of; but it was with fine
Greatest reluctance that ordered the
looat. to be pnled round, and we went on
Board the ship Ganges, of Marblehead.
few rods off, commanded by my worth
y old friend4 Capt. Bray, for the pur
pose of assisting him in his work of un
mooring, and hauling away from tile vi
cinity Of the ship on fire.
And by this time all was confusion In
the harbor. The cry Of .gunpowder' had
gone forth. The ship was expected ev
cry moment to blow up. and all the yes
sells, some twenty or thirty, and those
mostly Americans, which were supposed
! to be within the immediate sphere o.
danger, were busily engaged in getting
in their anchors. slipping their cables
and warplng off in all possible despatch
Boats also were constantly arriving Fl ON
the different vessels in port. but ere they
got alongside the vessel on fire, the pro.
gress was arrested by the constant cry
There's gunpowder ON board-for Gods
sake don't go aIongsidev from the cap,
tain and others who were infected by
his fears.
| The fire was obviously increasing.
There was but little wind, and the smoke
rose in curling. changing masses of min.
Egled black and white, from the quarter
deck, and hung in clouds above the rig
ging and the spars. 1t was distinctly
seen from the British ships of war an
chorpd off the Ragged staff, and from the