The Columbia Democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1837-1850, 1846-10-31

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10 the blbst Daylight found her still
drsgging on,oud rising lothe seas which
appeared ressing on 10 her destruction
| II brought an increase OF wind and mos
gloomy prospect, the sea ran ieaIluIll
high, and appeared one sheet of foam,
far as he eye could reach. We had
lost Gurirg The night The lee boats, which
had filled torn from The davis, jlb and
flying jlb booms, topma5l, slaysolI, &C.
The lead, every cast Of which had been
watched with deep anxiety, told thai
we were rapidly drifting upon The shore
BY seven The winds tad increased to
hurricane; sail after sail had either
been ,sken in, or splitting with anolse
like thunder, blew into ribbons to lee
ward, the yards shiyering like pipe
stems; nothing remained but The forelop
sail, unconnecled under which The brig
'9y to- until eleven, A. NJ, when The
had reached ils height, and
ragged with extraordinary violence, sur
passing anything we had ever seen. The
brig lay on her side; the wafer boiling
over the lee rail; we were obliged 10
cling 10 The rigging, 10 prevent being
blown or washed overboasd, for the sea
uprooled from its bed and
borne in huge masses through The cir,
constantly swept our deck'. The le'
guns were thrown overheard, aud sub
the weather ones, and the
helm put up; she refused 10 answer H..
and the order was given TO cot away tn
msnmasls it was promptly obeyed, a.
was every other, our noble crew behav.
ing with The steadiuesS and dlsjplot
characteristic Of men OF wars men,,
la its fall The manmasl carried away
he head OF The foremost, topmasi ant
lorelop sail yards. which hungln mas
. leeword; every exerlon was made I'
null Of the Washington sDeercd Wild!
1n before the hurricane TO The shore, sh,
had strven so we'll 10 clear; The anchorsI
nad been prepared for letting go, as th'
last hope, YET no one Imagined that Ih'
ca bles would hold for moment 10 lhs
furious sea. The horrors Of Tho SceUe
bstlls description. The fierce howiIol
Of the hurricane, The roaring OF tn
waves, breaking in irreguIa. mssSes
round Us and press ng on mady in oul
wake, as eager 10 be IN al The death
were added 10 The crashing Of sPsrs,
which, falling from aIol or Iouoche d o
board by The sea, now made sad havoc
among us. Two officers and several 0
The crew had been borne wounded be
low: scarcely one among US escaped 10
Juy ; and yet throughout this IrylngI
sceIe not sign Of q nchog lore and
aft, not a banched cheek was to be seen
orders were gwen aud executed wllhI
he coolness Of every DAY manUlvering.
Never did the writer feel 50 proud of
his countryman'S sesmen as then. A.,
we neared the breakers, each man await
ed the fate which appeared inevitable
with a calmness and sell possession al
most incredilable.
At or near meridian, lhs helm was
put down, and he Iarboard anchorage
let 60; as she came 10 the wrod, heavy
sea broke on board, throwing The brig
upon her beam ends, shilling tanks, bal
last. SC. in The hold carrying away on
deck, cabin, wheel, boats, buIwa'ks,&c
and washing overheard nearly every
soul, bul thrown aboard by The sea, a.
she GIFTED half foil Of ws'er,Or cIogiDl
to fragments OF the wreck, TO wing, al
ucceeded IN regainrng the deck, tScep'
our Iamenled commander, Lieut. B1chc
and ten OF the crew. In moment they
were swept from our view, that momen
showed them calm aud composed, th'
determined SPIRIT which supported The n
on hosrd seemed ,ulI to aulma'e hem.
Ooe noble fellow, as he passed asJern
waved his hat in token Of Sditu, and lh