Washington telegraph., 1851-04-30

take us to Valparaiso, from whence we
should be more likely to have an oppor.
tunlty of returning home. We left the
aalkands about the 25th of November,
IN his ship, which was loaded with coal,
but Which had been in so long that we
thought there was no dagger of it. We
had been at sea twelve days, and was
just round Cape Horn, when we discover
ed the ship TO be on fire. and it increased
SO rapidly that in three or four hours she
| was in flames.
We were at this time seventy miles
from land, and Immediately made pre-
parations to take 10 The boats, preferring
to take our chance of gaining the land,
although it was all inhospitable coast,
inhabited only by savages. Just at this
moment sail hove in sight. We hoist
ed signal of distress, and she bore down
for US. She proved to be an English ship
called the Symetery, loaded with coal.
bound to Acapulco. Capt. Thompson,
her commander. took us all on board, and
In a short time we saw the fine ship
Humayoon burn to the waters edge.
We remained on board the Svmeterv
twelve days, when large ship hove in
sight and in answer to our signals hove
to. She proved to be the American ship
Fanchon, of Newburyport, Capt. Lunt,
bound to San Francisco. She loaded at
Baltimore with coal at the same time we
did, and was well acquainted with Will
liam. Judge of his as;onishment TO learn
that we were on board the Symetery.
He Immediately invited US to come on
board his fine ship, and we a. once ac-
copied the invitation. This ship was
1000 tons burthen, and had in 1900 tons
coal.
On the 25th of December, when we
were in the Pacific. 1900 miles from land,
we discovered the Fanchon to be on fire.
Efforts were Immediately made to make
her as tight as possible, and Capt. Lunt
shaped his course for the main land. We
were on board this burning ship three
weeks, and inauguration cannot con-
ceive the anxiety of our minds during
this time. We never saw a sail OF any
kind from the time the fire was first dis
covered until we saw the land, and then
nothing but those little "Catamarans."
Capt. Lunt ran the ship into a small
bay, called the bay of Sechura, aud
anchored abouttwo miles from the shore,
at O. clock, p NJ. He Immediately COM
menced landing the dunnage in the surf
OH good sandy beech. A tent was
built. and after taking everything off the
ships deck they opened the matches, and
no sooner were they raised than she was
one sheet of flame below. The matches
were put on again and she was run on
shore and scuttled, but the flames were
too far advanced to prevent her from
burning. And there lay that noble ship
in this lonely bay, and burned to the
waters edge. Oh. it was awfully grand
it was scene never To be forgotten.
Give the freest fligh: TO the ina gination,
and it cannot conceive anything 10 surpass
the reality.
Think of the danger we incurred in re-
naming SO long (three weeks) on board
that burning ship. She was actually all
burnt out. inside. In one day more it
would have burst out at her sides. Twelve
hundred tons of coal with all her other
cargo. and all on fire, made no trfiing
heat TO be living over. But then we
hesitated to take the boats until we were
compelled to. on account of the sufferings
boat at sea.
The coast where we are now staying
is uninhabued. The nearest settlement
is fifty miles from US. The bay of Sechura
is on the coast os Peru, about fifty miles
from Payta. The first officer, with-a
boats crew. have now gone up TO Payia
to get the American consul to render us
assistance in getting US away.
This is a most picturesque spot where
we are encamped. We have four tents
pitched on the beach, while close behind
US are cliffs rising hundreds of feet above
us. and as far as the eye can reach are
mountains rising one above another. Ihe
burning of the ship was an event which
will long be remem bered by US all. The
flames roaring and raging to the very
topmast heads. lighting the whole heavens
the mountains in the back ground
brought into full vlew-with US poor
mortas standing upon the beach witness
ing the sublime scene, presented-a picture
we'll worthy the artists pencil.
The roaring of the snrf, for ONCE, was
completely drowned by the louder roaring
aud cracking of the flames. II was an
awful sight TO see the ship Hnmayoon
burnt at sea. But then it was day time,
and it had not the grand appearance OF
fire by night.
have been on board four different
ships since l left Baltimore, and have
been burnt out of three of them. They
were all coal laden. While at the Falk-
lands we heard of large American ship
loaded with coal, being burnt OFT cape
Horn; the crew took TO the boats and sue
ceeded in arriving at Cape Negro we
| did not learn her name. 1t seems sn'