Mississippi palladium. [volume] (Holly Springs, Miss.) 1851-1852, 1851-04-25
VOLUME |.

C0Eg1lF CO-Sl>lll- oA fOO Istop4S- w IoN
2 survey upon the ship-opened the hatch
Is and found her al on FIRE. We COM
menced throwing water into the hold with
an engine. but the fire still increasing we
had no alternative left but TO run the ship
On shore and scuttle her
This was done, and after the fire was ex-
tinguised We went TO work and stripped the
wreck Everything between decks was
saved in a damaged state, and was sold at
aaction- She was dreadfully burnt inside
F Her beams and stancheons were burnt off,
and her lower deck had fallen in She was
8 burnt :. he bo5Som IlIaG she DIlged I'M
mediately, although she was run on shore
whore il vas very soft bottom.
Afer the business was all settled
We should have come directly home, but
the Island being little frequented by YES
sels we might have remained there year,
perhaps, before an opportunity would have
enabled US TO return. There was in port a
Scotch ship from Dundee, bound for Val
psraiso, called the HUxAYooN, Capt. Nc
Henry. master, and he said he would take
rs 10 VALPARAISO, from whence We should
be more likely TO have an opportunity of
returning home We left the Falkland Is
lands about the 25th of November, in his
shin. which was loaded with coal, but
which had been In so long that we thought
there was no danger from 1t. We had
been at sea twelve days, and was just
round Cape Horn, when We discovered the
slsip 10 be on FIRE, and II increased so rapid
II that In three or four hours she was In
flames.
We were at this time seventy miles from
land. aad Immediately made preparations
70 take to sbe boats, preferring to take our
chance Of gaining the land, although it was
an inhospitable coast, inhabited only by
savagcs. Just at this moment a sail hove
n sight We hoisted signal of distress,
and She bore down for us She proved to
be al English ship called the Symmetry,
loaded viii coal, bound TO Acapulco
Capt Thompson, her commander, took us
al on board, and In a short time we saw the
Ene ship Humayoon burnt to the waters
edge
We remained on board the Symmetry
Fxeive DAYS, when a large ship hove IN
sight, and In answer 10 cur signals hove to.
She proved 20 be the American ship Fan
chon, Of Newburyport, Cspt- Lunt, bound
- San Francisco. She loaded at Baltimore
uith coal a. the same time we did, and was
zell acquainted with William. Judge of
his aStonishment to learn that we were on
bs.s. sise s. s14I--lTy- I.e immediately IN
xiied u 10 come on board his fine ship, and
we Al once accepted the invitation. The
shsn was 1000 tons burthen, and had IN
15l0 tons coal
On the o5.h OF December, when we were
= slae Pacific. 1900 miles from land, we dis
covered the Fancbon 10 be on fire. Eff
fo-ts were Immediately made 10 make her
as tight as possible, and Capt Lunt shaped
hls course for the main land. We were on
board this burning ship three weeks, and
IMAGINATION cannot conceive the anxiety of
{ our minds during this time. We never
szw sail OF anv kind from the time the FIRE
Eas first discovered until we saw land, and
then nothing but those little 'Catamarans.
Capt Lunt ranthe ship into small bay,
called the bay Of Sechura, and anchord a
bout tEc miles from the shore, at 4 o'clock,
+ NJ lie Immediately commenced land
ing the dunnage in the serf on good
szadE beach A tent was built, and after
saizl8g every thing of the ships deck they
IheE raised than she was one sheet of
fame below The matches were put on
again and she was run on shore and scut-
ted, bat the flames were TOO far advanced
. prevent her from burning. And there
IzY that noble ship In this lonely bay, and
burned 10 tie waters edge. Oh 1t was
zwfElly grand: II was scene never TO be
forgotten GIVE the freest flight TO the
imagination, and il cannot conceive any
thing 10 suEpass the reality
Think Of the danger we incurred IN re-
ulzlning 50 long (three weeks on board
that burning ship. She was actually all
burnt oai, inside In one day more it
would have barstout al her sides. Twelve
hundred scas OF coal with all her other car
20. and al On FIRE, made no trifing heat TO
be Irving over But then we hesltated TO
take the boats until We were compelled to,
q account Of the sufierings We should have
% endure In an open boat at sea-
s Ihe coast where We are now STAYING is
zniahabis-d- The nearest sediment is fifty
miles from US The bay of Seehura IS on
The cczst OF Peru, about fifty miles from
Pzyez- The first officer, with a boat s
cre~, have now gone up to Payta to get
ne American Consul to render US assist
znoe N getting US away.
+ Tbs Is most picturesque spot where
we are eneamped We have four tents
rzzched On the beach, while close behind us
are ch.zs rislng hundreds of feet above us,
ana aS far Is The eve can reach are mount
ans risiag one above another.
The burning OF the ship was an event