Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1846-10-02
VERY DISTLe I.ssING CASUALTY.

On Thursday of last week, between one and
two o'clock, p. NJ three young gentlemen Of our
village. EDWIN r. CLANCY. aged lS a brother
Of Professor CLANCY of the University, CHARLES
Henry THOMPSON. aged Is. son of the late Judge
Thomson, and ROBERT CoNoLLY, aged Is, son
of Mr.. JOHN CoNoLLY. embarked in a small sail
boat to take an excursion in the Bay. When
about two miles from the wharves and nearly
the same distance north of Juniper Island
sluall of wind struck the boat and capslzod il.
notwithstanding the iudcous prccau,on. that
had been rcso-ted to Immediately previous, or
taking a double-reef in the sail This occur
red at about o'cock.P NJ. The young men
clung to the gunwae of the boat. and were drift
ed in the direction of Juniper Island, the hope of
reaching which constituted for time. their en-
couragemcnt and support. But this hope they
were disappointed The wind which was very
strong from the northwest and was accompan-
led by a chilling rain. drove them past the Island.
and about c1ui-diStaut bctweenitand the Rock
1t was now getting dark. and the rain had been
beating upon them, and the wind and waves par
alyzng their strengthen unncrving theirspiritS,
for some hours. Young THOMPSON was the first
to fail. Through exhaustion, and doubtless,
an utter extinction of hope, he became deiirioUs
and between s and . o'clock dicd in the arms of
CoNoLLY. From this moment young CLANCY
began to lose heart and hope. Iashing the boz
dy of THOMPSON firmly to the shrouds, CoyoLlY.
with a sclf-rosscsson and generous courage al
most unparalleled exercd himself to animate
the filling efforts, and cheer the spirit of his re-
manning companion Amid the almost impenc-
trable darkness. without hope Of help from any
human arm, and half the time completely sub
merged in the waves, they thus drited till after
10 o'clock, when the boat struck rock some 20
or 20 yards from the shore, on the west side OF
Shcburn Point and from ) to 6 miles from the
place where she was capsizcd. The conclusion
broke the mast, and the boat Immediately right
ed. At this time CHAyEY had become delirious
and resisted every effort of his heroic and SEX.
| forgetting friend, CoyoLLY, to dctach him from
his desperate hold upon the boat, and finally
throwing himself into the boat, he dicl almost
within reach of the shore 'CoNoLLY, thus fear
fully LETT ALoNE,snccecded in reaching the shore
and literally craw'ei to a barn, where he remain
ed till daylight, when, faithful and fearless t
the end, he obtained assistance to secure and re
move the bodies of his companions, which wer
found in, and dashed to- the boat precisely as h
had left them. They were brought to the vii
lage on Friday, and on Sunday committed t
the grave.
Amid the gloom that this calamitous accider
has so naturally occasoned, it is impossible t
forget the extraordinary szLr-PossEssIoy and tn
calm, consderaie, devoted, and invincible corF
AGE Of the survivor, ROBERT CoNoLLY! Il
these qualities, so admirably evinced, he was. b
a beautiful and benign adaptation of cause an
effect mainly indebted, doubtless, for the prese
, walton of his own life; consideration tn,
po,ntedy illustrates the truth, that compensatin
benefits, in the ordination of kind Providenc
always accompany the disinterested periormanc
of good deedS.