Litchfield enquirer., 1856-04-24

| ated about sixty miles from HALIFAX, q place
of some magnitude for colonial outport Inc
intercourse with Halifax, the capital OF the
Province was at one time, chiefly kept up by
q smart and dashing little craft, called the Ly-
erpool Packet, commanded by Capt. Bass,
which piled weekly between the two places
through the Spring and Simmer months, lying
up during the severity of the Winter, when the
communication with Halifax was, for the most
part, limited to weekly post by land.
About the year 1915 or 1916, as the season
i for navigation was drawing to close, great
number of passengers went to Halifax, as was
the custom, to replenish the stores for the Win.
ter, while many heads of families proceed thith.
er 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 bark
was crowded with some forty or Fifty passen.
gers, chiefly fathers and mothers of large fami-
lies who were left at home.
The voyage to Halifax was prosperous the
voyagers made their purchases, aud in due time
the Liverpool Packet was ready to return AL
the passengers embarked in good spirits and
the bark sailed cheerly down the habor 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, which,
blowing with the utmost fury for several days,
attended with intense frost, made it clear that
no vessel could keep the coast she must either
put herself before the wind and run out to sea,
or perish by wreck and the rigor of an atmos-
phere twenty or thirty degrees below zero. A
change of weather SO sudden, so severe, and SO
unexpected, gave rise to great fears for the
safety of the little Packet, and the next post
by land was anyiously waited for by friends aud
relatives at 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 tho
missing vessel. Search was then made along
the shore for any wreck of her, but not a yes
tige could be discovered.
Advices were in due time received from Ber-
muda, but nothing was heard of the little pack
| ct and her passengers. Accounts were also re-
ceived from several of the West India Islands,
but still without Intelligence of the missing vessel.
Three months at length passed away, and
! the packet was given up for lost. Those who
had friends on board went into mourning, and
so connected were the different families with
each other throughout the town. that the Sun
day on which all who had friends put on black,
saw nearly the entire population in the habilia-
ments of woe.
-Four months passed away. All hope had
fed the vessel had, without doubt, foundered
and gone to the bottom with all on board /; but
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 her dead.
Sixteen weeks had now elapsed, when one
fine morning in the Spring some sea-faring peo-
pie down at the Fort deserted strange brig
approaching the harbor She attracted atten.
ton from the circumstance that, although
| ,el,n ntol he, o,.,i,~ "a
knew the entrance of the harbor for she came
in without pilot or shortening SAIL The quick
eye and watchful habits of seaman could not
lightly pass over such circumstance, and the
report Of strange vessel coming in soon spread
through the little town, and many persons as
sembled. The best telescopes were put in re-
QUESTION, but none could make out who or what
the stranger was. AS SHE drew nearer to the
anxious group, her deck was discovesed to be
crowded with male and female passengers.-
All ~ exclaimed one who had certain in.
| defnable hope as that hope sank within him.
"an emigrant ship, after all, and deep sigh
came from his bosom, for he had near and
dear friend on board the little packet. "An
emigrant ship" said another, how can any
! captain of an emgrant ship know SO well bis
way into this harbor" Besides, emigrant
ships do not come to Liverpool
A pause ensued. during which one with
quick eye was gazing through the best glass the
town afforded He was on one knee, resting
his telescope, when he suddenly sprang on bis
feet and declared that Capt. Bass was among
the passengers. Nonsense p was the incred.
ulous cry ; capt. Bass and the LIVERPOOL.
I Packet are at the bottom of the sea, and Va
remain there till the day of resurrection not
daunted by their incredulity, he said "Give
me the trumpet will speak the brig; in
few moments she will be near enough Whist
brig is that p The response was given. "Are
you Capt Bass ?" Yes was thereby. A
few words suficed to reveal that the vessel
went before the wind with great rapidity.. As
the gale abated, Capt. Bass found he could
better reach the West Indies than be could get
back with SO small and so crowded q vessei--
Using their provisions economically, and shaking
their thirst with the cider and the barrels OF
apples that were on board, they reached Bar.
BADGES There the captain sold his sloop.
bought brig and came back safe with all bic
passengers. ..-zE a
The joyful news few through the town. and
ere the vessel could be brought to the wharf
the entire population of the place had assembled
to meet their friends. 1t would be in vain Ia
describe such scene-all were In moruinr---
J yet all with smile Of joy beaming in their
countenances. As the long-lost friends and al.
7 atives leaped on shore, fathers. mothers ana
) brothers were locked in each Others arms srd
thn haoa ---'~f ~As>A