Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1846-11-05


seemed sunken rocks | tried to be and
was then composed, continuing in bed and
inqulrlns what these strange signals could
import. II Presently a noise ofunkappy vol
ces uProse,a and then my daughter opened
lhe door and assured me of our situation.
tslt strangely obtuse, and even stupid at first
In the confusion, and said, Where are we !?
How came il? What is IL? Are we in
danger but could get no answer. The
wind now raved through the rigging, and
taught US with what rage, till then unknown,
we had been precipitaled on our way; since,
when going with the wind, we were ignorant
Of its power, and now, being stuck and i'm
movable, its terrible forces beat on us with
tuil effect. The sea, too, seemed regularly
discharged broadsides, with Numbering
strokes, one after another, booming awfully,
against our ship; SO noble, so inyincible-
Just now. Alas! she seemed suddenly ar
rested by the power of the elements, and all
her grandeur vanished. 1t was a solemn
time, and its solemnity seemed only to in.
crease. We were all ignorant Of our novel
condition, and as unhappy and uncertain,
often foreboding the worst. The plot was
tnickening-ths noise, the peril, the anxiSt.
were tremendous. In the mean time we
could get no assured explanation. How is
it? How happened it? Is there any hope
What shall we do? Must we all perish?
Such questions were spoken or pondered !;
but answers for them could not be found
Where shall we be in one hour? Can she
live through it? Will she not go to pieces
Is she perforated yet? Does the water rise
in her? What says the cartain?-who
knows ?-"Who will show us any good ?'
inquired the many Of the many; but with
no satisfaction, 1t was only dark, and tenn
pestuous, and terrible.
Then shr;eked the timid, and stood still the brave.
ln the promenade cabin of the ship were
perhaps $50 persons, standing, walking, or
reclining, all greatly harrassed, and al their
a0a's end; gentlemen, ladies, children, most
~ strangers to each other, of different ma
tlons, and religions, and characters: am
oassadors," clergymen, scholars, merchants,
and persons OF almost every grade and call
ing. 1t was motley scene, and who could
venture 10 suggest any concert or united &C.
lion! II was, however, crisis and eli
max, and more and more dark and deadly
rolled the storm, We all thought of ship,
wreck, drowning, and eternal judgment. 1t
was terrible death to meet. and yet il
seemed inevitable. Proposed prayer to a
friend OF resTectability, layman. "No,
no." said he, cit will not do. 1t will in
crease their fright. They will then think
we are all gone, without hope and for Ger.
tain. We must keep still and gee the end"
So il seemed. -.,, .,..5 ......E ..
This checked, but did not satisfy me.
viewed the scene, the groups of misery a
round me again and rejecting on the pow
er Of religion to sooth the mind away from
its fears, which Otherwise feeds on it own
woe and vacancy, wasting its energies for
no profit. A higher argument had its sway.
God ought to be honored. Prayer was his
own ordinance. 1t was plainly our duty
None but God could undertake our case or
help us; aud felt tenaciously that HE
could do ii. III"
1.-THE letter then goes on to speak of ad-
dresses to the passengers, and supplica tons
to Almighty God, in which DR.. Cox, Rev.
Mr.. Brainerd of Philadelphia, and Rev Mr..
Gilvray, took part. The effect of these ser
vices on the minds Of the agitated crowd in
the saloon was strikingly manifes,.] ra'
All talking, and walking, and outcry,
were Immediately suspended. They, all
stood silent as statues. There We. no
infidel contemner Of God to be discerned.
That God is our refuge, was the common
feeling. Our thoughts and our hearts seem.
ed fused together, comfOrted and confuent In
one stream Of prayer. The result within
was calmness, order and hope, apparent in
all. Without, the storm gradually stbsi-
ded those surges and swells, that before
had been constantly in terrific succession,
striking and staving their broadsides against
our iron Iamparis, and thus jarring and
shocking terribly The vessel, stroke after
stroke, like death. peals, Of which every one
seemed TO be the last and sen, to destroy
us, were now sensibly mitigated, and dimi-
nishing, remarkably, both in their speedy
and their severe occurrence. The Captain
came among Us, and with great GOODNESS ex-
pressed his opinion, shat though the Great
Britain was probably gone as wreck, yet
our Hives were all now beyond danger-of
this latter, however, he seemed rather desir-
Gus than convinced or convincing. On deck
they had fred signal guns Of distress and
sent blue lights and rockets, we were told,
into the air, which we're answered from the
distant shore, but with no assistance, till
morning. And oh, how long seemed the
night! My own fears were that the ship
was stranded on the top of ledge Of rocks,
and that as the tide receded, she would
probably fall or capsize on her beam-ends,
with crash Of horrible destruction. How
perilous it all was! How desolate!r How
hopeless all human. help! We were all
prisoners, captives, victims in our own es-
timation. The real terror Of that night is
now disparaged BY some light minds whose
ballast Of arrogance was wanting in the
time Of danger. They speak of il all as if
they knew then, what, BY great mercy, they
know now, their escape with life. This is
friviious and unfair: and their Boosting Is
characteristic, I must say, eiths. Of ignor
ance, or only OF cowardice and hypocrisy.
T was afraid, and so were ali and my mind
took hold OF this beautifnl and sweet express.
sion Of the royal bard OF Jerusalem: What
time am GfrdiJ, ! wiH trusI N Thee. Ps.
1873. Hence I felt no panic, no disnay Of
miad though called, Is We ali seemed to be,
TO trim ouf lamps, and expect the abrupt ap-
pearance ofthe Bridegroom. !, vas one Of the
sermons Of God 70 q most attentive and ar.
rested audience and seemed worth more
tkan . fhnusa I'D ~ <... A.as r.. i. Gau.:... q 4 !.