Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1856-03-28
JfiisrEIlanRuu5.
From the Anslo-ssrou.
The Steamer Pacific-is she
Lost


interest to the reader, as teaching
us never to despair while there is
vet hope and as showing, in a
very remarkable degree, the proyi-
dence of God.
The town of Liverpool, in Nova
Scotia, situated about sixty miles
from Halifax, is a place OF some
magnitude for a colonial outport. II
is and always has been remarkable
for the neatness and comfort Of its
houses, for the activity and enter
prise of its people, and for the wealth
and well-being of all who choose to
be industrious and inclined TO lay up
worldly goods. The intercourse
with Halifax, the capital of the Prov
ince, was at the period of which we
speak, chiefly kept up by a smart
and dashing little craft, called the
Liverpool packet, commanded by
Captain Bass, which piled weekly
between the two places throughout
the spring and summer months, lay
ing up during the severity of the
winter, when the communication
with Halifax was for the most part
limited to a weekly post by land.
About the year 1915 or 1916, as
the season for navigation was draw
ing to a close, great number Of
passengers went to Halifax, as was
the custom, to replenish their stores
for the winter, while many heads Of
families proceeded thither to make
purchases Of clothing, groceries, &c,
for their private winter stock /; and
as this was to be the last trip of the
season, the little barque was crowd
ed with some forty or fifty passen-
gers, chiefly fathers and mothers Of
large families who were left at home.
The voyage to Halifax was pros
porous; the voyagers made their
purchases, and in due time the Liv-
erpool Packet was ready to return.
All the passengers embarked IN good
spirits aud the bark sailed cheerly
down the harbor and proceeded for
her destination.
A few hours after her departure
there sprung up one of those terrific
North WeSterS, so well known on
the coast of Nova Scotia, aud blow
ing with the utmost fury for sever
al days, attended with intense frost,
it was clear that no vessel could
keep the coast she must either put
herself before the wind and run out
to sea, or all perish miserably by
wreck and the rlgor Of an atmos-
phere twenty or thirty degrees be-
low zero. A change of weather so
sudden, and so severe, and SO unex-
pected, gave rise to great fears for
the safety of the little Packet, and
the next post by land was anxiously
waited for by friends and relatives
al both towns.
The post at length arrived, but
brought no tidings of the Liverpool
Packet another post and another
came in, and yet no news of the
missing vessel Search was then
made along the shore, to see if the
wreck could be found, but as in the
case of the Pacific, not vestige
could be discovered. The bold
began to doubt and the timid to de-
spair, and the opinion was at last
arrived at, that the vessel had been
blown off the coast or sunk in the
gale. II the latter, she and her pas
sengers were of course irretrievably
gone, as no person could live in
boats in such weather; if the form
er, there was still hope that the next
arrival from Bermuda would bring
some intelligence.
We will not attempt to describe
the deplorable state of mind of the
people in the once happy little town
for nearly all had a relative on board
either father, mother, brother, or sis.
ter. Prayers were put up in the
churches, and gloom mantled over
the countenances of every one.
Advices were in due time receiv.
ed from Bermuda, but nothing was
heard of the little packet and hel
passengers. Accounts were also re-
ceived from several of the West
India islands, but still without intel.
ligence of the missing vessel.
Three months at length passed
away, and the Packet was given uJ
for lost. Those who had friends on
board went into mourning, and
prayers were even offered up for the
repose of The souls of the departed
and so connected were the differ.
ent families with each other through.
out the town, that the Sunday on
which all who had friends put ON
black, put nearly the entire popula-
ton in the habilments of woe.
Four months had passed away
the mourners, notwithstanding theil
irreparable loss, were becoming
reconciled to their bereavement, for
there is a philosophy in the human
heart which teaches us to bear with
fortitude great losses, when those OF
less severity are met with impa-
thence. All hope had now fled the
vessel had, without doubt, gone ia
the bottom with all on board bat
when, or in what part of the vast
ocean, was to remain yelled in the
secrets of the deep until the sea
should give up its dead.
Sixteen weeks had now elapsed
when one fine morning in the spring
some sea faring people down at the
Fort deserted strange brig an
nroarhinp the harhor Sha -.