The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-01-20
ThalIing Account Of a sA,pwrssk.

&
To the Editor Of the Union:
from our ysse
paraso, Col. William G. Moorhead. II is dated
ST. THOMAS, December is, ls4o
"On Friday, the 10th November, we left Cape Henry,
fine breeze and with every prospect Of pleasant and rap
i'd voyage We made evident progress until Sunday
ming when black running clouds hanging across the sky
storm: The intervals between the squalls gradually be-
came less frequent and more brief strong gale setting m
from the s s. w. when Captain Jackson
but double reeed fore and main topsails The storm con-
unued TO increase until it blew hurricane and it be.
breaking the stern Of the vessel threatened 10 car
ry away the upper cabin; accordingly, at o'clock p M
the ship was hove to- under bare polls In this position
ing ali this time the storm was gathering new strength
the mountains high, and the wind hurled the
spray above our yard until the dominion Of the
passed their limits, and to have become mingled into
Torrents of rain wcre constantly descending loud peas
companisd i ' by vivid lightning There was no horizon
At one moment we saw mountain wave on either aide
OF U.S. and looking up between them, the black lowering
short distance Of their summit The next instant we
mounting higher and higher upon the wave, until
our vessel seemed poised upon its pinnacle. and then
possible that any ship could live in such sea- AT one
o'clock p. M, heavy wave broke over the starboard
bow, which threw the vessel on her beam ends. Our
little barque lost her bouyancy and while she lay in the
rectly over US The vessel would not right. and as
force which heaeneds to sink her. Tmbins IN
every timber and lying helpessy one side, our noble
little vessel received the watery avalanche An interval
and the ship slowly struggled up into the air again But
she was no longer the trim coquettish looking craft
which few moments before g gallsn,ly dshsd &c
barque still lay like wounded bird upon her side her
bulwarks broken in the gibboom and flying gib-boom
gone the fore top the bees Of TIE bospfit
figure head and the fore castle scutle were carried away
50 that every succeeding sea that swept the deck poured
water Nearly everything on deck except the long boat
and few water casks which strongly lashed waa
swept overheard, Our yard arms almost touched ia
vessel fore and aft All attempts to right hs wefe ii
vain There was but one resource the top masts,
the etop and main rigging were successfully cut acay
with the mizzen top-masts, had been carried away.
Scarcely was the rigging parted before the mass foil over
te s ss sp % s s reS a. T
cd, and we felt that danger less than before;
yet we were in shattered condition. The stem of the
bow had been knocked sde and the bolts drawn out
of their places. The fear them was that she would part
at the bow, and go down foremost The pumps were
tried and seventeen inches wafer found IN the hold This
not bad anticipated and the pumps being kept
going all night succeeded in keeping the ship free
We entirely at the mercy Of the storm, and the
prospect of our seeing the light of the morning was con
sidered by every on board almost hopeless Yet
noble vessel though nearly all the tune under water
from the constant SUGGESTIONS OF heavy seas breaking
over her. lay to very well until the morning At a,
m on Tuesday though the gale had seriously moderated
the captain attempted to bend the topgaan stnddng
sail forward the main stay, to scud with it, but il
instantly split to pieces Three other sails were bent
successfully in the manner and the fury Of the gale
such that they were instantly carried away;
therefore compelled to lay to until the next day (Wednes
day. when succeeded in rigging temporary sail, and
scuddng for few hours only before the wind Towards
might s ss s .S he n s asS e% ss. s
more violently than ever, During all the night the
ragged fearully gathering strength daylight
approached. There seemed to- Be a fierce coaten-
ton between the wind and the waves The for
ner bowling dismally around US seemed fairly to
shrek for very Madness beat d0to the seas which
were endeavorng to heave their oaming cres high into
the air, Each wave swept our deck fore and att and
That night seemed an age, but morning came at last and
the day advanced succeeded in rigging jury mast.
and hoistng top-gallant sail to yard oreseil
D h ass increasing sassses ill senpsd Sssss
The next morning FRIDAY 27h) the gale sui continued
to blow most fuousy accompanied with squalls OF nam,
thunder. and lightning. The decks were stlu under
water fore and aft The latter part OF the day the gale
moderated and had intervals of clear sky The cap
tain succeeded in getting observation he first TOR six
days) and found latitude to be SO degrees 40 minuts
north The wind by this time had shifted to the N ~
w and the gale continued to moderate until Sunday
evening Il became comparatively calm The storm hav-
ing blown between two or three hundred miles to
the northeast OF the Berm9das and the wind blowing ~
20 the southeast found it impossible to make thsse
islands or to put back to Baltimore, for with tempo
rary sails we could only run before the wind accord
ingly bore away TO the S s. F. until we struck the
bore us down at the rate of 100 miles day. until hav-
inr been on the ocean wreck for seventeen days,
at length succeeded in reaching this port.
"Mrs M suffered severely, "a we were sxpQsed N