Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1852-12-08
rerrfbie storm IN the srediterraneon

Terrible storm in the Mediterranean.
a terrible gale lately occurred in the
Mediterranean. The United States sloou-
Of-war, st. Louis. ID. N. Ingraham com
mander, bound from. Tunis to Tripoli.
encountered the gale when off the coast of
Tripoli, andi is beliesedto be one ofthe few
vessels that survived it. 1t is believed that
If the gale had lasted ten hours longer,
she too would have been driven ashore.
a letter from one of her officers, publish
ed IN the Delaware Republican, furnish
es the following thrilling account of the
storm 80 sar1-
When about 10 miles from Tripoli, the
wind freshened, and the sharp lightning
was discernable some distance astern oil
us, although it was moonlight. aud out
few clouds to be seen. We had a falr
wind, and all sails set. About 1o O'Clock
on the night of the Goth, we had to take
in all sail-double reef the topsails-and
at I2 o'clock had to close reef the main
topsails, and furl the fore and mizzen, set
the storm stay sail, and heave the ship to;
the wind blowing US on shore, made us
ON a lee shore; by this time there was a
heavy sea running and drifting us on
shore at the rate of three or four knots
an hour /; the gale still raging with in
creased fury all the day of the 21st. AT
midnight it commenced laundering and
lightning, which increased. so that we
had to furl the main topsail, and could
carry nothing but the fore storm stay
sail, and main storm stay sail, both very
small sails; the captain called all the Off
GERS on deck, and battered down the
matches, fore and aft all anchors ready
for letting go, and with axes in hand we
stood ready to cut away the masts. 1t
was a terrifying scene. The birth-deck
was scuttled, the wind blowing and roar
ing so furiously that we could not hear
each other speak. While battering down
the after hatch, myself and men were al
most drowned by the force of the water
from the lee waist, which was under wa
ter up to our matches. 1t was gloomy
and dark, although the moon was up; all,
officers and lnen, drenched with salt wa
ter; we run life lines along to hold on by,
all shivering with the cold, and anxious to
see daylight. The gale still raging on
the morning of the 22d, all downheart-
ed, being SO near the shore in such a
heavy gale, (about eighteen miles from
the rocks, what solemn thought that
there we should soon be driven in the flu
ny of the storm, as she would certainly
strike in fathoms of water.
As a last resort, the Captain called his
officers together, and consulted what was
best to be done under existing circum-
stances, and they concluded that in order
to prevent such sad catastrophe, it was
necessary TO crowd on all sail, which til, V
did-ciose neeiag the foresail and main
topsail; bat it was more than she could
bear-it put her almost on her beam
ends, thus throwing her lee and lee guns
all under water, which forced itself up 10
the matches; her main yard almost in the
water. when, thanks, to a1 overriding
Providence, the wind shifted all at once,
and such happy set you never saw: some
OF the officers cIapping their hands, and
rejoicing in the prospect of their deliFe-
rance.
should mention, however. that Just
before the wind shifted, two doves lit on
abe SHY, aft remaining but few min
artes, :GNti then disappearing; and in short
time. the wind in measure ceased, when
abe birds retErncd to the ship as it to en-
courage the hands still to hope for deli
VeraRce from their Perltous situation. 1t
1t had not caln1ed when 1t did. the ship
st. Louis would haze been dashed to pie
ces, and the officers aad crew would be
sleeping their last long sleep on the rocky
shores of Taipoli. During the whole
scene, the Captain acted we'll.
The ship finally reached Malta On the
3Oth of October, eucounteriug bad winds,
and under double reeEed topsaiis all the
way, having been injured considerably,
and where they would have to go to work,
and repair her as soon rs possible