The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1851-11-13

and lance was thrown into his head. The
ship passed ON by and Immediately after they
discovered that the whale was making for the
ship. As he came up near her, they hauled on
the wind. and suffered the monster 10 pass her.
After had fairly passed, they kept off to over
take and attack him again. When the ship
had reached within about fifty rods OF him,
they discovered that the whale had settled down
deep below the surface of the water, and, az it
was near shutdown, they concluded to give up
the pursuit
Captain Deblois was at this time standing in
the night-heads on the larboard bow, with craft
in hand, ready to strike the monster a deadly
blow should he appear, the ship moving about
five knots, when, looking ON the side Of the ship
he discovered the whale rushing towards her at
the rate of fifteen knots In an instant the
monster struck The ship nth tremendous rioIenoe,
shaking her from stem 10 stern! She quivered
under the violence Of the shock "a If she had
struck upon a rock. Captain Deblois immedi
ately descended into the torecastle, and there,
10 his horror discovered that the monster had
struck the ship about two feet from the keel
abreast the foremost, knocking great hole an
tirely through her bottom, through which the
water roared and rushed in impetuously.
Sprngng 10 the deck, he ordered the mate to
cut away the anchors, and get the cables over
board, to keep the ship from sinking, as she had
a large quantity of pig iron on board In doing
this the mate succeeded in relieving only one
anchor and cable clear, the other having been
fastened around the foremost. The ship was
then sinking rapidly. The captain went to the
cabin, where he found three feet of water he
however, succeeded in procuring thermometer,
sextant and chart. Reaching the decks he
ordered the boats to be cleared away and to
get water and provisions as the ship was keel
ing over. He again descended to the cabin,
but the water was rushing in 20 rapidly that
he could procure nothing He then came upon
deck. ordered all hands into the boats and was
the last himself TO leave tie ship which he did
by throwing himself into the sea and swim-
lW1ts Fl t';e S'@ase~t ssey' foe Amp Mns w her
bam-ends her top-galIant yards under water.
| They then pushed off some distance from the
ship, expecting her to sink in a very short time.
I Upon an examination Of the stores they had
been able to save he discovered that they had
only twelve quarts of water, and not mouth
full of provisions Of any kind The boats con-
tanned eleven men each-were leaky, and night
coming on, they were obliged to bail them all
night TO keep them from sinking.
Next day, at daylight they returned to the
ship, no one daring to venture on uoard but the
captain, their intention being to cut away the
nilsts, and fearful that the moment that the
masts were cut away the ship would 60 down
With a single Ratchet the captain went on
board, cut away the mast when the ship right
ed. The boats then came up, and the men, by
the sole aid of spades, cut away the chain cable
from around the foremost which got the ship
nearly on her keel The men then tied ropes
round their bodies. got into the sea, and cut a
hole through the decks to get out provisions.
They could procure nothing but about five gal
Ions of vinegar and twenty pounds of wet
bread The ship threatened to sink, and they
deemed it imprudent to remain by her longer,
80 they set sail on their boats and left her.
| On the 22d of August mt about o'clock p.
NJ, they had the indescribable joy Of discern
ing ship in the distance They made signal
and were soon answered; and in short time
they were reached by the good ship Nantucket
of Nantucket Massachusetts Captain Gibbs.
who took them all on board clothed and fed
them, and extended to them in every way thu
s-@I-iss. iaoAsilih hospitality l. .1
On the succeeding day, Captain Gibbs wen
to the wreck of the ill-fated Ann Alexander
for the purpose of trying to procure something
from her; but, as the sea was rough, and tin
: attempt considered dangerous he abandone'
: the project The Nantucket then set sail fo
{ Paita, where she arrived on the l5th Of Septen
Der, and where she landed Captain Debois an
his men. Captain Deblois was kindly and ho'
pitabIy received and entertained at Pata b
! Captain Bathurst an English gentlemen re
siding there, and subsequently took passage OF
board the schooner Providence, Captain Star
buck, for this port arriving here on Sunna.
last the 10Th instant
At Paita, Captain Deblois entered his protes
at the United States Consulate, which was au
thenticated by the following officers and sea
men on board at the time of the disaster, thu
two officers and rest of the crew having shipped
on board other vessels Joseph X Green, frs
mate; James Smith, third mate John Morgan
carpenter James Riley, cooper James Nc
Roberts, John Smith, VIM. Smith, Henry Reid
and Charles +. Booth, seamen