The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1844-11-14

the CABIN. A girl thirteen years OF age
was swept from The grasp other mothers
hand and carried off into the waves
The dead body has since been found or
the shore. The Buffalo papers repor
the finding of e mother and her three
daughters among the dead on the shore
who were said to be on board ofthe Rob
ert Fulton. thought of my dear wife,
with her babe in her arms and five other
children around her, passing through
here On this same vessel three months
before. Situated as they were alone
they had tedious time of il then. But
what what if they had been with me now?
Il was enough for the most efficient to
take care of themselves. In proportion
as there was occasion to extend aid to
the helpless there was increased hazard
to both, as the facts demonstrated in the
cases ofthe lives lost. Some suppose
there were more lives lost than have been
reported, or were known Of, Be that
as it may, the wonder is that any were
saved tina all did not go to the bottom.
AT half past a, the vessel was driven up
on the ground, helm off and anchors
dragging. All CONTROL Oft was lost,
except from the anchors, for some length
of time preceding its going aground
The anchors kept it from drifting with
such velocity and striking with such vi
olence as it otherwise would. 1t went
ashore very moderated with so little
conclusion or Earring as scarcely to be
perceptble. A better place for going
upon the ground could not have been Sc
lected, if we could have had our choice,
had daylight, had knowledge of the
ground, and command of the vessel.
The beach is smooth and sandy, and the
inclination so gentle as to make the wa.
ter shallow for considerable distance
A little way above or below, we must
have been dashed in pieces against a
more precipitous shore, and perished.-
The vessel now lies quite out of water,
when the waves have receded. And yet
it is so far broken in two that the bow
has fallen. The hull is shivered 1t is
a perfect wreck. So frail had it become
before reaching the shore, it is plain that
it could not have held out much longer.
That if it had not gone ashore as it was,
it must very soon have gone to pieces, in
the water. In fact it had commenced
going to pieces, and the work had pro.
ceeded not little way.
Every thing considered, the escape is
cause for the greatest wonder. The strong
development of 6rmness, destructiveness
and hope, which are known to be among
the leading elements of my organiza-
ton, were greatly favorable for mo during
the imminent exposure. Then, with me,
it was no time to give way to agitation or
dsqIletule. 1t was a time and an occa-
sion TOR adhering to collectedness, calm
ness and composure. But now that | am
delivered from the horrible predcanent, |
can look back only with the deepest agi.
ta,ion--wilh profound amazement-with
shuddering that produces prosralon..-
Those who have lived 10 this region for
twenty years past, say they have never
known storm like this. The water was
raised at least fifteen feet above the COM
mon level. People living on The shore
say it was six feet higher than it was in
November, 1912, when so many vessels
were driven on shore, and so many lives
were lost. From one end to the other of
this hospilable beach that received u.s. the
largest trees are washed out by the roots.
Tney lie here in row by hundreds if
not by thousands The exceeding height
of the waves was favorable to US 10 the final
result, inasmuch as the vessel was carried
so much the higher on the shore. The
place where we are is called DibbIe's
Bay, abou! twenty miles above Buffalo.
1t was in sight OF here that the steamers,
Washington and Erie, were burnt
When it was found that the vessel was
beached, the instant inquiry was, 10 know
how we were 10 escape from it TO the land.
The escape was easily effected. The dan
ger was now over. Ladders were let
down, on which We descended with safety.
The waves still extended, of some little
depth, between the vessel and the shore.
But we could wade through them very
we'll in such an emergency. Some of the
first were made TO stagger. But wading
a little was a lriffng difficulty to overcome,
after all we had passed through. IL was
rather privilege than otherwise The
wind continued 10 blow tremendously,
and we were in the woods wet and shv>
ering. But this, too, was triflng com
pared with our previous situation. Fires
were soon kndled, around which we
gathered, ongratulating ourselves and
each other on our marvellous escape with
our lives. o. S. MURRAY.
P. S. Before this reaches you, you
will have read in the papers of the shock
ing destruction of life and property in
connection with this storm.
JAMES CANNINGs FULLER is in IndiaS
ma, and was present at the annual meeting
of the State Antislavery Society. He