Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1852-12-10
Terrible Storm In the Mediterranean.

Shipurrecks and Loss of Lye-Narroav Escape Of the
y. S. Szoop Of Var St. Louis--Sufering Of her
Officers and CreaC.
M j. Gaines, Esq, u s. Consul at Tripoli, in
letter to the American Consul at Malta, communi-
Gates the particulars of terrible hurricane which
occurred on the Mediterranean the 10Th, 20th
and 2lst of October. In the harbor of Tripoli six
teen vessels and FIVE aebecks driven ashore and
went to pieces and eight nine lives lost. On the
coast seven other vessels were wrecked. Turkish
brig with valuable cargo, and fifty passengers, was
likewise lost The dead bodies, as we'll the cargo
subsequently pilIaged by the Arabs, but the
Governor General had despatched strong force 10
arrest the RIM leaders, and to demand the stolen
property or its value in money, from the tribe to
which they belonged. In the interior much damage
also sustained by the mountain torrents sweep
ing off the date and olive trees. A letter from Nal
ia says -
ely. and many lives lost Every arrival here brings
fresh accounts of disasters in different parts of the
Mediterranean. Several vessels were lost in this
harbor, and some twenty thirty lives also lost
Walls that have stood for hundreds Of years were
blown down, and the water Of the rushed into
the harbor with tremendous force. and caused YES
sells be forced from side of the harbor to the
other.n
The United States sloop- of-war st. Louis, D N.
Ingraham, Commander, bound from Tunit to Tripo-
Ii, encountered the gale when off the coast of Tripo-
H. and is believed to be of the few vessels that
survived it, 1t is believed that if the gale had last
ed ten hours longer, she too would have been driven
ashore. letter from of her officers published
in the Delaware Republican, furnishes the following
thrilling account of the storm =
Il When about 70 miles from Tripoli the wind
freshened, and sharp lightning was dscernabe some
distance asern of although it was moonlight, and
but few clouds to be seen. We had fair wind, and
all sails set. About 10 o'clock on the night of the
Goth, we had 10 take in all sal-double reef The top
sails-and at IL o'clock had to close reef the main
topsails and fur the fore and mzen, set the storm
H. kIor uI11
on shore, made lee shore by this time there
a heavy running and drifting us on shore at
the rate of or knots per hour; the gale still IA
ging with increased fury all day of the 2lst. AT
midnight it commenced numbering and lightning
which increased that had to furl the main top
SAIL and could carry nothing but the fore sormstay
sail and main storm stay sa both very small sails
the captain called all the officers on deck and bat
tered 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 terrifying
scene. The berth deck was scutted. the wind blow
ing and roaring uriously that we could not heal
each other speak. While battering down the after
hatch. myself and men were almost drowned by the
force of the water from the lee waist which was un
der water up to our matches 1t was gloomy anC
dark although the moon was up; ali ofhcere ane
men drenched with salt water; we run life lines
along to hold on by all shiverng with the cold, anc
anxious to sec daylight. The gale still raging or
the morning of the odd all down hearted, being Sc
from the rocks what solemn thought that there
we should be driven by the fury of the Storm as she
would certainly stlike in fathoms of water
AS a last resort the Captain called his officers to
gether. and consulted what was best to be done an
der existing circumstances, and they concluded, tha
in order to prevent such sad catastrophe it was
necessary to crowd all sail which they did-close
reefns the fnrcsail and main topsail. but it was
more than she could bcar-it put her almost on hel
beam ends, thus throwing her lee and lee guns al
her main yard almost in the water when, thanks tc
over-ruiing Providence, the wind shifted all a.
once, and such happy set you never saw some OF
the officers clappng their hands and rejoicing IN the
prospect of their dpliverance. ~ fg'stfas
should mention however, that just before tht
wind shifted. two doves lit on the ship. aft, remain
ing but few minutes and then disappearing and
in short time the wind in a measure ceased, wher
the birds returned to the ship il to eneonrageths
hands still to hope for deliverance from their peril
Gus situation f II had not Gained when it did