Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1851-02-20
A MIGHT of Peril and Suffering.

A Night of Peril and Suffering.
'Qunils,' tie flying correspondent Of the
Boston Museum, in a letter dated at Castine,
N this State, gives the following account OF
the shipwreck Of mariner and his betrothed
bride:
on Monday night last, the 23d instant,
ourhig the 5ne, there ~xs q vessel wrecked
On 'he rocks but few miles distant from
this village. tCasIine) and every person on
soard-e consisting OF one lady and two gem
'iemen- eame very near perishing with
coki.
The facts are as follows-The vessel
was owned by oar worthy friend, Henry
Buffers, Esq, Of Haverhlll, Mass, who had
employed man TO 60 as captain, and con-
duct the business of the vessel--it being 4
coaster-as well as his own judgment should
dictute, and the advice OF his employer
This man, however, mol attending TO his duty
to the satisfaction OF Mr.. Buffers, he received
letter at one Of these sea-coast towns, in-
forming him that his services-afier the de-
livery of the vessel at stated port-would
be dispensed with, as a man more attentive
10 his business would be found 10 ell the
station.
information. the captain quit the vessel, and
left the mate and one man before the mast,
10 deliver her at the designated port, as best
they could. II the weather had been fair,
and the wind favorable, they probably
would have been enabled 10 have managed
the vessel with but very little or no difficult
~, and the mate, no doubt, would have had
Il nice, happy time OF il, as q Young lady to
whom he was engaged was on board, on her
way down to the nome oil the parents Of her
nfiianced lover, where The happy couple were
10 he married.
But the fatcs bad not been consulted, and
| they were intent on revenge. Being out Of
the Bay. Monday evening, they were driven
about al the mercy of The waves and winds,
until about eleven o'clock, when, with fear
ful crash, the vessel struck the rocks, and
instantly filed.
The young lady having retired tor the
night, was only enabled TO spring from her
berth, clasp one blanket in her hand, and
save her life by rushing on deck. The cold
was now most intense, and the entire deck
of The vessel fore and aft, was covered with
one hard sheet of ice, and that fast becon,-
ing thicker and thicker-for the merciless
waves were every moment sweeping across
the deck, and carrying away every light,
movable object into the angry, su r2ing
ocean. All hopes of saving the vessel were
now lost, and the poor, unfortunate victims
OF the merclless storm-holdng fast TO Ito
tatfrail, with their clothes every few minutes
covered with fresh supply of the brIny ele-
ment-tecame aware that unless some
prompt and immediate method was taken To
protect themselves until morning. from the
penetrating cold, certain and dreadful
death would be their fa,e. Consequently they
all laid down together packing themselves
as close as possible, with the young lady in
the centre, and covered themselves with the
blanket which she had wrapped around her
on springing from the berth. II required
but few NINA tes for the woulen blanket 10
become coated, and the poor, unfortunate
| sufferers TO be encased with one entire thick
sheet of ice, which, dismal as il appeared,
was unquestonably the only thing that saved
their lives.
The next morning at six o'clock, the sail
or broke out from his icy den, climbed over
the vessels side, dropped INTO the water, it
being low tide, and walked ashore; but the
moment he came upon dry land, the clod
oveTpowered him, and he sank helplt IS upon
the ground.
Persons living in this vicinity, having just
now discovered ihat Il vessel was wrecked
upon their shore hastened down 10 ascer-
tain the particulars. Finding the half-froz-
en- sailor lying upon the ground, part of their
number returned TO the house with him in
their arms, while the others proceeded TO
the vessel, and searched for other sufferers,
but finding none, they all returned TO ascer-
tain, (if the sailor could yet speak, the par
ticulars of the shpwreck. After being rub
bed in cold water for nearly an hour, he
was sufficiently restored TO be able TO inform
his rescuers that there were yet two more
persons in the vessel, and that they would
be found lying on deck under n sheet of ice.
The gentlemen returned to The vessel.
broke up the sheet of ice as directed, and
found underneath, locked in each others
arms the apparently lifeless forms of the
mate and his affianced bijel
The bodies were warmly wrapped in
blankets, conveyed TO the house, and after
nearly an hours proper care, br ought TO life
and consciousness.
They are now at the house Of the mates
parents, and the physicians think they will
shortly entirely recover from the almost un-
precedented endurance which they suffered.
May Heaven bless them, say we, and may
the mate so conduct himself in after life that
his affectionate and confiding sweetheart
may never have occasion TO regret her Jour-
ney East with her affianced lover