Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1859-05-13
MI S c T. LII AN Y
A MISSING VESSEL.

story.
The following narrative, for the truth
Of which we vouch, may be Of interes, to
the reader, m teachiug ne never to despair
while there !. yet hope; and showing, in
very remarkable degree. the providence Of
God.
The town OF Liverpool, Ia Nova Scotia,
situated about sixty miles from Halifax. Is
a place Of some magnitude for q colonial
outpOrt. II and always has been, re-
markablc for the nsa,ncss and comfort OF
its houses. for tho activity and en,erpr.e Of
its people, and for the wealth and well.be.
ing of all who choose 10 he industrious and
inclined to lay mp worldly goods. Tho in.
,ercour-e with Halifax the capital Of the
province. wns a, the period Of which we
speak chiefly bep, up by a smar, and DASH
ing little craft, called tho Liverpool packet,
Commanded by Captain Bass, which piled
weekly between the two places throughout,
the spring and summer months, lying up
during the severity Of the winter, when the
communication with Halifax was, for the
most par, limited tot weekly post by land.
About the year 1915 or 1916. as the sea-
son for navigation was drawing TO a close,
great number Of passengers went 10 Hall.
fax. as was the custom. 10 repleni.h their
stores for the winter. while many head. Of
families proceeded thi,her to purcha'e cloth.
ing. groceries, &C., for their private win.
ter stock and as this was 10 DO the last
trip of the season. the little bark was crow
ded with some forty or fiiy passengers.
chiefly fathers and mothers Of large iami.
lie. who were left a, home.
I The voyage to Halifax was prosperous /;
the voyager. made their purchases and in
due time the Liverpool Packet was ready
To return. Al the passengers embarked in
good spirits and the bark sailed Ohecrily
down the harbor and proceeded for her dcs.
tination.
4 few hours after her departure there
sprung up one Of thosa terrific North W'a.
er.. 80 we'll known on the coast OF Nova
Scotia. blown: with the utmost fury for
several days. and attended with intense
. frost. ltwas clear that no vessel could keep
the coast she must either put her.elf no.
fore the wind and run out TO sea, or all
perish miserably by wreck aud the rigor OF
an atmosphere twen,yor thirty degrees DO.
low zero. A change Of weather - sudden
50 severe, and - unexpected, gave rise to
great fears for the safety Of the little pack.
ct. and the mex, post by land was anxious
~ waited for by friends and relatives a,
both towns.
J The pos, a, length arrived, bot brought
no ,ldlnss OF the Lyerp1oPackst another
nos, and another came IN, and yet no news
I OF the missing vessel. Search was then
made along shores 10 sec II the wreck could
be found, but. as in the case of the Pacific
no, vcs,ise could be discovered. The bold
began to doubt and the timid TO despair,
aud the conclusion Was at last arrived at
tha, the vessel had been blown OF the coast
or sunk in gale. II the latter, she and
her passengers were Of course irrc,rieyably
gone. rs no p,rson could live in boats in
such weather; if the former, was still hope
that the mex, arrival from Bermuda would
bring some intelligence.
We will not attempt to describe the de-
plorshlo state Of mind Of the people in the
once happy little town, for nearly all had n
relative on board; either father, mother
brother or sister. Prayers were put up in
churches, and a gloom man,led over the
coun,enances Of every one.
Adyices were in due time received from
Bermuda, bu, nothing was heard from the
little Packet and her passengers. Accounts
were also received from several Of the West
India Islands. but still without. intelligence
of the missing vessel.
Three months at length passed away, and
the Packe, was given up for lost.
Those who had friends on board went in.
to mourning and prayers were even offered
up for the rcpose OF the souls Of the DEPART
ed aud 30 connected were the different
families with each thrughout the town that
the Sunday on which all who had friends
pu, on black, put nearly tho entire popula.
ton IN the habliments Of woe.
Four months had now passed away the
mourners notwithstanding their irreparra'
bic loss. were becoming reeone'led to their
bereavement for there is philosophy in
the human heart that teaches US to bear
with furti,ude great losses, when those OF
less severity are met with impatien"e. All
hope had now led the vessel had, without
doubt foundsred and gone to the bottom,
with all on board. bat when or in what
part Of tho vast ocean, was TO remain yeiled
in the secrets Of the deep until tho sea
should give up her dead.
Sixteen weeks had now elapsed when one
fine morning in the spring, some sea.faring
people down at the Fort deserted s,rang"
brig approaching the hlrbor. She atirac'
ted attention from the circumatance that
although s,rnger, she was well na''gated