The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1846-11-17
Particulars Of the Late Gale al the South.


Lieut. PEAsE, U. s. N. furnishes the De-
ia with the following account OF the late ter
rife gale in the Gulf.
The gale commenced about 10 O'Clock,
A NJ. on the llth inst. and al 2 o. clock P M.
II blew perfect hurricane. / was on board
the revenue cutter Morris, about one mile
from key West. at anchor. with $50 faith
oms oil cham out, yards down on deck, and
every preparation made Tor the coming
storm. Our riding bits were working, and IL
became necessary to back them with deck
tackles, the current was now moving by rs
at the rate Of - miles an hour; the Morris
lay bioadslde to II, as well as the wind. made
her labor very heavy, and in danger of part
ing our chains, when we were compelled TO
cut away the msinn,ast for The safety Of onr
lives as well as the vessel. When the mast
went over the side it hung by the triaiic-srav,
and IN danger Of falling upon US every mo-
msnt; man could not get aloG. and we
were anxious to hold on The foremost a, the
last resort in case the schooner should fourr.
der at her anchors. After few nome nrs, n
man made out TO get aloft and cut the stay,
when the mast fortunately fell clear OF us.
IL was narrow escape. Thirty men toss
with mast suspended over their heads as il
were by thread, made the situation any,
thing but enviabfe. We now battered down
the matches, and all hands passed through tbs
wardroom. The vessel continued TO labor
very heavily, and the sea made complete
breach over US. 1t was with difficulty we
could keep her free with both pumps going
and bailing from wardroom and birth-deck
AT T. nj. the air was full Of water, and no
man could look windward for second
Houses. lumber and vessels drifting By us--
some large sticks Of timber turned end over
end by the force fthe current and the sea
running so high aud breaking over ms brought
lumber, casks. &c, on board of Us and
across our decks. At quarter past the
water was up 10 our lower half-ports inboard.
and gaining upon us when OBJ srarboard chain
parted; and we commenced dragging VIC
knew not which way. as our campasses flew
round in such manner that they became
useless for that object. Now our fears were
that we should go out over the Reef into the
Gull, and before we got into the Gulf The
vessel must strike and bge; but that W ould
not save her. AT this time we cut away the
fOremast, when a sea struck her. knocking the
schooner on her beam-eDds, carrying away
eur bulwarks, cranes. larb0ard boat. quarter
house, swinging boom. and every thing nova
BILE off deck; and TO light the vessel we hove
the lee guns overheard and knocked out the
ports-all expecting momentariIy to 90 TO
the bottom. We were in this suspense for
an hour, when we struck on some reef I'M
known, " hen our larboard chain parted, and
we made preparations TO scutfle the vessel.
The hurricane gradually subsidized. although
at ~ midnight we were sticking heavy, and
blowing gale from S. E.
On the morning Of the 18th the scene was
anything but agreeable; we had driftedI about
three miles, and one half that distance over
shoal with only two feet Of water on il at
ordinary rides-.his was the depth of water
around the Morris when left her. Around
her large wrecks OF all descriptions were;
one ship on her beam ends three briggs dis
masted also, three schooners; three YES
sells sunk in a small channel. and four YES
sells bottom up. How manv persons al
tsched to these vessels have been drowned
am unable TO say we have picked up only
two-one ofrhem Dung man whom knew
The light ship at the N. w.
Pass had gone from or sunk at her mooring.
The lighthouse at Key West and Sand Key
washed away, aud Key West was in ruins.
A white sand beech covers the spet where
Key West lighthouse stsod,. ssS DO waves
roll over the spot where Sand Ka1 Va4
Fourteen persons vsss sithsf Killed -
drowned At Key West Light Fl use. and ~
soul escaped to tell the tale. The onsy
vestige Of the Light House to be seen. is
portion of the iron posts of the lantern. and
some pieces ofsoap stone which have wash
ed one hundred yards from the spot where
they left.
At Sand Key, six persous were killed or
likely the former,as the gen.
eral impression is they flew to the stone Light
House for refuge, the Key being very low.
Poor old Capt. Appleby-I knew him very
we'll; he has told me tie first hurricane
would sweep all to destruction, and alas.
his prediction is verified.
AT Key West the tide was FIVE feet high.
and running six miles an hour through the
centre OF the town. The citizens fed TO the
back part Of the town. which is rather high
er than the rest, into the bushes-'aid down
laa