The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1846-10-29
THE GREA'r BRIrAIN


Tho Philadelphia Ledger Of Yesterday mo,n.
ing has a long letter from the Rev. Mr.. Brainard.
OF That city, who was a passenger in that shin.
We make room for a few extracts;
As The afternoon wore away the wind ffeshed
and the clouds l@Athe'ed over US. until we had a
Wholesale ote'z and u dark sky. But we had
no proper palr, IN the evening" ! was often nm
deck. and u, yer thought Of being in a tempest.-
Ahnni sun'oAn The officer at the wheel ooin,ed
out To oe The " Isle Of Man." which Law ON our
s'a 'h'r d. about seven or elgh, miles distant.
Our lady Pas.s ngers occupied the evening with
ST gn sd music on an excellent piano and organ,
with which the cabin WAS furnished. never
saw a a"pier group. and il was a common rc.
mark a'nong The gentlemen. we shall make the
shor ct passage ever made 10 New York" So
inuci for human foresight
Al half past nine u'rluck, before many passeo
gers had retired, we struck a rock which instant
~ uns!'ipped our rudder, aud so brought, il in run
tact with the propeller that the engine was use.
less. The shock OF the first blow was tremen-
deus.
The cry flew along the deck, stop bert ston
her!' but, alas! with such a press of canvass, and
snch momentum, and a crippled and useless
wheel and no rudder, nothing could be done. On
she went, and in two or three minutes more she
brought mp with a crash on the beach. and thumo-
ed ON and off, and up and down, as if every joint
was parting.
| could not dress and get out of nv state room
under eight or ten minutes. I then mund The
passengers collected in the large cabin. wives
cllnging to husbands, daughters TO fathers, and
all pale with The anguish Of despair. went IN
on deck.
The sails were I" shivered" and Tapping with
a great noise, the steam roaring in its ESCAPE. n a
vessel humping, and through the darkness
could plainly see the black rocks ON the RIGHT and
left. and the ybita hra,Ia,, al .....
saw the peril Of our situation, and went back
10 my state room, and after commencing myself
To God, then came into the cabin and said a few
words "f religious direction and encouragement, 10
my fellow passengers. DR.. Cox followed with
an address and prayer the Rev. DR.. Tucker read
the doth Psalm; and the Rev. Mr.. Gilyery. of
Glasgow. Scotland, made a short address and
prayer.
While engaged in these services the wind had
risen To a real tempest. and the tide, being about
hait IN. was rising, dashing over and against the
ship, making II 10 rise and fail on the beach with
a deep, heavy crash, most appalling. But not a
word was spoken nor a cry uttered during our
religious service.
There was a deep, abiding impression that our
help was in God alone-all were silent but him
who led the service. The tide and wind con.
tinned TO rise I'LL midnight. throwing us hipher
and harder on the beach. To add To- the horrors
"t our situation, a thunder gust and tornado came
n.
The lightning flashed a CLEAN an the breakers
and the rocks, and then left us in pi,chy darkness.
while the deep thunder mingled its voice with The
roar ut the tempest and the waves.
Capt. Hosken was calm, and at an early period
came down and assured The passengers that he
thought the ship would stand I'LL morning, when
we wonld take to the boats. Bat as he confessed
ne did NOT KNOW where we were, as the euuinoc.
tiai seemed to be on us. and as no buat could live
IN such waves. we all thought the probability Of
escape was slight indeed.
One OF our boats was torn off by a tremendous
wave which swept over us. Taken all in all. il
was a scene the most terribly sublime which man
ever contemplates.