Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1866-01-31
WHOLE NUMBER 526.
Great Suffering at Sea.

The Boston papers give full re-
ports of the terrible experience of an
emigrant ship at sea, the rescue of its
crew and passengers, the destitution
and suffering of the emigrant passen-
gers, and Of the promptness and lib
erality of the citizens of Boston in
relieving their wants, on their arrival
at that city on Sunday last. The Bos-
ton Herald says 4 d aosro
The bark Fredonia, Capt. Burke,
from Fayal, Dec. 18th, reached this
port Sunday with the crew and pas
sengers of the emigrant ship Graft
tude, over 800 in number. Capt.
Burke reports that On the first of JAN
uary, while in lat 41.30, lon. 53, he
fell in with the packet ship Gratitude,
Capt. McStoker, from Liverpool, Nov.
18th, for Norfolk, in distress, and
leaking badly; that he laid by her
three days before he could rescue the
crew, 33 in number, and 273 pas
sengers. And further, that in order
to accommodate them he was obliged
to throw overheard all the cargo be-
twSen the decks of the Fredonia, and
from that time until his arrival in port,
his stock of provisions would only ad-
NIT of an allowance of half pint of
water and a single biscuit, each day
to passenger.
just after their arrival in port, res
olutions were passed by the passen-
gers and crew of the ship Gratitude,
rendering to Capt. Burke and his
crew, their most heartfelt thanks for
the humanity displayed in first saving
them from watery grave, and after
wards showing them every kindness
and attention which would conduce
to their comfort, and for bringing
them safely into port.
On their landing in Boston the
Mayor promptly ordered the imme-
diate supply of everything necessary
for their comfort and convenience.
The sympathetic chord of thousands
of hearts, touched by the hand of ap-
pealing mercy, vibrated in unison
with the grateful prayers o. 800 souls
who were thus miraculously preserved
from an untimely death and a watery
grave. Every one who became cog
infant of the suffering condition of the
emigrants and crew, was at once in
fused with a desire to extend an allie
waiting hand, and aid in rendering
the hospitality as cheerful as the lin
tied time would allow.
The condition of these emigrants is
thu. described by the Herald:- = ~.
What a spectacle was this Half
frozen, nearly famished with want of
food, ragged and half-clad, some with
out shoes or boots, and all so desti-
tute that one would shiver in spite
I OF his warm-ciad SELF at the depiora-
ble and heart-rending scene which
their destitution and haggard counte-
nances only rendered the more pitt
able. So seriously frost bitten were
some, and so nearly famiShed were
others, that they were taken to the
City Hospital by the city physician
who was in attendance, looking oui
and caring for the helpless and need
ones. The children, many of whom
were quite young, suffered greatly
and quite a number of helpless in vair
sought nouri5hment from their moth
er's breast. A heart of adamanf
must have melted at the picture pre-
sented there: and at the rehearsal o
the sufferings of these 800 human be
ingS hdddled within the narrow con
fines of that small bark the terribl,
pangs of starvation and Of freezinG
blasts, could not fail to bring tears t.
the eyes OF any heartless stole, and i
is a source of congratulation to one''
self that he should have been enabled
to have contributed, though it wer,
ever so little, to the alleviation of s.
much suffering.