Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1848-03-16
miscellaneous.
From the New England Puritan.
WRECK OF THE MAMLOUK.
FORTY LIVES LOST.
AN INTERESTING NARRATIv
BY A LADY PASSENGER.

BY A LADY PASSENGER.
The Mar1ouk sailed for Liverpool on the tenth
of August last. We gave, at the time, a brief
account of her total loss before she had been at
sea week. The extraordinary character of
some of the incidents connected with the wreck
of this vessel have been communicated to us by
one Of the lady passengers, in a style which will
at once convey TO readers the lively and indeli-
BILE impressions which the gifted writer must
have brought from amidst the pers of the scene !:
Our fifth day out was Sunday, and it blew
gale--the wind raging all day and with ncreas-
ing violence The captain remained on deck all
the morning, and busted himself taking in SAIL
He made few hasty visits to the cabin, always
consulting the barometer. 1t continued to fall,
and the storm to grow more dark and lowering
The careoning Of the ship and its plugging mo.
ton rendered 1t almost impossible to retain ones
self in berth at the leeward. The captains
wife, being too sick 10 rise, carried from her
state room over to the windward and placed in a
berth contiguous to the state room of another
passenger, who was sick likewise The cabin
was occupied alone by lady passenger, who,
reclining upon the sofa in the fearful foreboding
of evil to come, watched the mournful prepare.
lions which were making for possible security a.
ganst impending desolation The caTpenen
having made all snugn on deck, entered the
cabin and proceeded with his work. The extern
sion table was rolled up and made additionally
fast by ropes drawn through staples driven into
the floor. The same precautions were taken
with regard 10 the other pieces of furniture, al
though they were fixtures and very strong.
The day waning towards its close when
the captain entered the cabn-surveyed it with
great seeming satisfaction, and rubbing his hands,
excaimed-"Now we're as snug MS biscuit,
and she'll ride like duck tonight" He accom-
panied these words by turn to the barometer
and saying between his closed teeth, "twenty-
nine," thrust his hands into his pockets and went
on deck. remembered hearing the mate say,
the day before, twenty eight was hurricane point
thought of my mother, and of the green earth
had willingly forsaken, and pressing her last
gift close to my heart, | turned away my eyes
from beholdlng His path in the waters, whose
footsteps are not known, and sought to under
stand His dealings with me. The captain re.
entering the cabin, said, The maintop gallant
mast had blown over the side,' but added, "there
is no DANGER" and advised that the passengers
should 60 to their berths, for he would stay or
the lookout, One of the two remaining passen
gers signifed his intention Of doing the same
The other manifested much reluctance to leave
the cabin, and would not be persuaded to 90 t.
the state room on the lee side. Already was thu
lamp lighted, but remonstance was vain. An in
definite apprehension of evil strengthened tn,
u
spare berth, on the opposite side. In littl,
more than one hour that forsaken berth was era
ding the waves, and but for the Circumstance o
Its fellow occupant being sick and carried owe
In the T.ornIng, both must inevitably have perish
ed. This is one Of a series of most signal prov
ldences in the case of those who were saved.
About ten minutes before midnight roar wa
heard suddenly the ship lurched. seized m
cork jacket, and tied it on, calling at the sam
time TO the passengers in the adjoining stat
room to get up. But the reply was, "Go t
sleep" Then addressing myself to my immedi
ate fellow passenger, said, "She doesn't RICH
herself" Scarcely were the words spoken whe
tremuousness was felt like the throes of
mighty earthquake. We sprang from our berth
and found ourselves standing upon the base, wit
the bulls eye over our heads. The ship was "
ing over, and full Of water. The pent air extr
guished the lights, and produced a sense of sui
location. We held on TO the doors, and LITE
our heads vainly above the pillows, sense
drowsiness came over us, and ringing in ou
ears. The waters rose over our heads and agai
subsidized The soughlng of the wind added lei
ror to desolallon. We bowed our heads, and tn
voice OF prayer went sereney up from those Ion
depths. What was there in all this mighty d
order that the human soul could apprehend?
was God-noI the Thunderer-not the Rider vi
on The storm, but the God of megcy-ihe God
my mercy. The veil seemed rent in twain, an
the communication Immediately between Ii
"great white throne" and the spirits that bowe
beneath il. Death did not seem near, but Iii
within us-we felt our Immortality
Long and weary did the time seem till brea
of day, aud we knew not that brave hearts al
strong arms were abor.ng nightly for our d.
liverance. The waters had somewhat abate
but we knew not ,ohy. We were still alive,
that dark abyss, but we knew not hoW. Thr
hours we retained our clinging posture, when
rapping was heard on The outside of the bul
eye 1t was quickly responded to from with
After some difficulty the bolt unscrewed, VIII,
hand met hand. in hearty grasp, and words
comfort aud cheering were spoken. The ca
tain, for it was he, told us how he had succeed,
in cutting away the rigging, the weight of whc
falling in the water, broke off the main and mi
en- mass, so that the ship righted. But he to
us not them how, while thus employed, a wa
swept him from the deck, and returning, broug
him back--agan receding, swept hlni yet "a
Their; when, throwing away his Ratchet, he swa
and by the glimmer of the last lamp, saw a
seized the brass railing leading on the poop dec
He told us not of the five hardy sailors, some
which had crept over the rail on the wealth