Cooper's Clarksburg register. [volume] (Clarksburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1851-1861, 1856-03-21

on decks In week the canvass of the
ResoIute, was bent. and was in a posi-:
tim to make sail.s The ice would open,
aud ltheivessel would make little ad,
vance. sometimes half ships length. and
sometimes several lengths, in south.
east direction. When the resolute was
freed from the floating ice, Cape Eliza
beth was in sight.
AS we have already stated. Capt. Bud
dington, upon second thought. resolved
to take command of the prize himself,
and on the 21st, with crew of ten men,
he squared away for New London
Among the difficulties the captain had to
contend with, was Sthe want of proper
navigation instruments to work the yessels
His compass was not trustworthy, he
was without chronometer, and had no
other map than n rough outline of the
great American coast, drawn on a sheet Of
JocLScap! With these poor appliances the
brave Buddington took his place on the
deck Of the Resolute, which, nearly two
years previously, the gallant Kellet so
reluctantly deserted, by order Of Sir E,
Belcher, Bidding adieu to his comrades
of the George Henry, and trusting to
Providence, but relying great deal upon
| Ills III AtClIS
ton, he started on his eventful journey
home. Soon after Capt. Buddington got
fairly under weigh. the British bark Alibi
hove 10 sight, and on being signalled.
came alongside the Resolute. The news
Of the recover was communicated to
Capt. Stuart, of the British bark, and q
pair of Capt. Kellett's epauletts, found on
board the abandoned vessel. were entrus-
ted to him by Capt Buddington, with in
structions to have them forward to the
owner as speedily as possible. A letter
for the owners of the George Henry. in
forming them Of what occurred, was also
placed in The hands of Capt. Stuart, who
promised TO mail it Immediately on his ar
rival in Great Britain.
On the homeward voyage Capt Bud
dington experienced every possible prva.
ton and hardship. The ballast-tanks had
burst in the hold long before he came in
possession of her, which made the ship light
and disposed to roll in the trough Of the
sea.
Gale after gale poured its fury upon
the ship, at times driving it help
amid the waste of water and ice. No
danger on account of her great strength
was anticipated of her being sunk by the
foes of ice on which she was constantly
driven, but there was period in the his
tory OF the brief voyage when the lives Of
all on board hung. as il were, by thread.
" hen little TO the north Of the Banks of
Newfoundland, the Resolute came in con
tact with a towering iceberg, on the sum
nit of which was detached piece of ice
of manystons weight, and which the cap
4
down upon the vessel SO gallantly obtain
ed. So great was the danger that the
boats were all in readiness to push off,
should the oYerhangng glacier be preci>
plated upon them. Night and day Cap
tain Buddington and his gallant little
crew remained at their posts. The crew
not having shipped in the Resolute. every
man was more or less his own master. all
discipline had to be effected by persuasion.
there was no command given on board,
Z" For sixty hours at time" says Captain
7, Buddington, '' frequently had no sleep,
and would sink utterly exhausted and
wake 10 my own astonishment in some
other part Of the cabin" His hands be-
} came almost helpless with the labor Of
working the ropes. and still show the Sc,
we're discipline through which they had
passed. Ia fact so great was the Physi-
cal suffering and mental anxiety of the
gallant old tar that he freely confesses he
, would not go through the same scene for
the salvation of feet of abandoned ships.
His noble perseverance, however. was
successful, aud few days after tho safe
arrival at New London of the George
Henry, on Sunday morning. December
Gath, one hundred and six days after hc
took possession OF his prize be dropped an
chor in the harbor of his destined port
His desire to save the Resolute was Ac-
} complished.
The moment the anchor was down.
Capt. Buddington ran up the Royal En-
! sign. The establishment ashore at the ap-
pearance of strange vessel, with top gal
liant masts down, was exceedingly great,
but when the British aag was planted in
the face of the admiring crowd, Sunday
as it was. the determination was at once
: taken to carry the ship by storm. Il is
} supposed that in the course Of a few hours
three hundred sailing crafts of yarious
: sizes had encircled the stranger. A few
months before, the Resolute was hngged
in by the towering ice-all was solitude
and desolation-how changed the scene
The eternal granite of tbs Arctic seas had
| disappeared, and in its place were gallant
vessels crowded with living, admiring.
|; and enthusiastic beings. who. as they
comprehended the great triumph Of their
fellow townsmen, rent the air with joyous
acclamation. The crew hailed their friends
and according to time-honored custom Of
. celebrating arrivals at home," made
sad havoc among the choice wines and
Iliquors of the Resolute. Oh, tell it not in
Gath. nor publish it anywhere generally.
the Main Law was terribly scandalized,
L.I ...ai 1...:.4 n E.al..a..