Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1851-03-08
A NIGHT OF PERIL AND SUFFERING.

'Quali. "A tne Hylng correspondent Vi '"s
Boston Museum, in letter dated at Castine,
Me-, gives the following account OF the snip
wreck of mariner and his beiro,hed bride:
'on Monday night last, the 2srd instant du-
ring the gale, there was vessel wrecked on
the rocks but a few miles distant from this
village, (Castine) and every person on board,
consisting of one lady and two gentlemen
came very near perishing with cold. e y
The facts are as follows The vessel was
owned BY our worthy friend, Henry Buffers,
Esq, of Haverhil Mass, who had employed
man TO go as captain, and conduct the busl-
ness of the vessel it being coaster, as well
as his own Judgment should dictate, and The
advice of his employer. This man, however
not attending to his duty to the satisfaction OF
Mr.. Buffers, he received letter at one OF
these sea-coast towns, informing him that his
services-af,er the delivery of the vessel at
stated port-would be dispensed with, as
man more attentive 10 his business would be
found to filI the station.
On receiving this somewhat unwelcome IN
formation, the captain Quilted the vessel, and
lsft The mate and one man before the mast
10 deliver her at the designated port as best
,bey could If the weather had been fair,
and the wind favorable. they probably would
have been enabled to have managed The ves-
sci with but very little or no difficulty, and
the mate, no doubt, would have had nice
happy time Of 1t, as young lady 10 whom
ne was engaged was on board, on her way
down TO the home Of the parents OF her atfl-
anced lover, where the happy couple were 10
be married
But the fates had not been co1snl,ed, and
they were intent on revenge. Belng onl "t
the Bay, Monday evening, they were driven
about at the mercy Of the waves and winds,
until about eleven O'Clock, when with fear.
fuI crash, the vessel struck the rocks and in-
s,antly filled.
The young lady having retired for The
ngh,, was only enabled TO spring from her
berth, clasp one blanket in her hand AID 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 thai, becoming thicker
and thicker--for the merciless waves were
every moment sweeping across the deck and
carrying away every light, movable object
into the angry surging ocean. All hopes OF
saving he vessel were lost, aud the poor, nn-
fortunate victims Of the merciless storm, hold.
ing fast to the iafrail, with their clothes eve
~ few minutes covered with fresh supply OF
the briny element, became aware that unless
some prompt and immediate method wa'
adopted to protect themselves until morning,
rom the penetrating cold, certain aud dread
'ul death would be their fate. Consequently
lhey all laid down together parklnT them
ielves as close as possible, with The young la
iy in the centre, and covered themselves
with the blanket which she had wrapped
around her on springin" from the berth. II
.-quired but ii few minutes for the wollen
pIanket 10 become coated, aud the poor w.
or,una,e sufferers to be encased with one en-
ire thick sheet OF ice, which, dismal as i, ap-
scared, was unqueslionably The only thing
hat saved their lives.
The next morning, at six clock, the sailor
broke out from his icy den, climbed over the
ressel's side, dropped into the water, it being
,ow tide, and walked ashore; hut the mo.
neut he came upon dry land, The cold over
,nwered him, aud he sank helpless upon
he ground.
Persons living in this vicinity, having Just
row discovered that Il vessel was wrecked
lpon their shore FASTENED down TO ascertain
he particulars. Finding the half-frozen sal
or lying upon the ground, part Of their number
-eturned to The house with him in their arms
While the others proceeded 10 the vessel, and
,esfched for other sufferers, but finding none,
hey all returned 10 ascertain Ut The sailor
could yet speak) the particulars Of the ship
wreck. After being rubbed in cold water
Tor nearly an hour, he was sufficiently reslor-
ed to be able to inform his rescuers that
there were ye, two more persons in the ves-
ael. and that they would be found The
leck under a sheet Of ice.
The gentlemeu returned 10 the vessel,
proke up the sheet Of ice, as directed, and
ound underneath, locked in each others
ums, the apparently itelosS forms of the
nate and his atIiauced bride
The bodies were warmly wrapped in
blankets, conveyed 10 the house, and after
Yearly an hours proper care, brought 10 life
md consciousness.
They are now. al the house Of the mates
parents, and the physicians think they will
shortly entirely recover from the almost uII-
orecedented endurance which they suffered
May Heaven bless them, say We, and may
he mate so con duct himself in afte: life, that
his afectionate and confdng sweetheart
nay never have to regret her journey East
with her affianced lover.