The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1872-09-12
One of the Periis of the Sea--An Ancient
Horror Recalled by Recent Dispatch.

~ "" Nf3 1-' lll'ff appeared IN our
lorel?h telt@r;tnis me announcement "i
t'lr oP't!a i'll ans ol an oId man whose
"h'} tl'fill 70 h"tic' IIle l2hthlilg summed
y" 'i'rSe ei3h' M"IIlS- ne was the last
9'', 'E'I "l ''o M''i"Sa
N"i F"IN many 81 o"f re'defS' perhaps
i'I' ,H l'I'llI':'F WIN 'hH' '"'''' irHg'dy.
li'' - N'P'le"li'c "At7-'h in'i3
~ i'',Oii t"i'''S y '2'I' on the west
G"''St "l Alrlca' was captured by TIE
Eh9HSm' men peace was declared IN
'i"' t'''SS't' PtSS'n lnl" me hahdS on It's
"'l9''tl owners aia 'he l. rehch lnnedl-
'''''S ''t'o" Guy .ih r\lr"ill'li ior lhe pur-
D'Hc 81 COW 'Nln@ tp the eoIolE the new
''Ne, ""i' W 'cll'liai'H. 3n" nus "lilelals,
toSe1her Will Sugii iil'tterIai tS was deem-
60 necessary inns expedition consisted
ol the htnura' y iTl@ltr ol lortV -loHr
guns lhe i4'iIe' II StofPShiP; the ARGUS.
oflg anu me reno, Il corvette. The
I 'lua"ioh ti'rrl'" ll oilctrS' passengers
ana men, some hUNl people, OF whom 23O
were SoI'lerS. ''h board the MeduSa
Whlcn acleu aN lllg-ShlP, Were about HOO
lnciuulnG number OF women and chill
NIeh' ne eN pcuIiloh salieu irom itoche-
Iort' June ~ INIh- ana lof some time all
the VeSselS KEPT WITHIN sight OF each other.
soon however contrary winds drove
mem apart, ana each pursued It's way
alone. our narrative ls hencelofth con-
ilned extensively to the Medu'a, the com
lnanuer OF WhIch, LachanmareYs by name,
speedily proved himself entirely untitled
TOR the task assigned HIM
On the iirSt day oi July The MeduSa
crossed the equator ana The crew took
part IN those gr"tes'lue ceremonies dcdicat-
ed To Neptunr, which have been SO often
described Meanwhile the captain had
ronlided the navigation ol the vessel -
one Fithtolf. According io written m
slrnctipnS LtchanmaleyS was ordered to
steer dne west ton si>ty-slN miles after
making Cape Hlanro, 5" that the danger
ous shoals known ~ the Arguin banks
might ne avoided. Instead of doing this
he permitted iilchiort to change his ships
course s"uthWard when only halt the re-
4lllreh distance. Early IN the morning OF
the ~ the sea assumed 4 sandy color,
whlril alarmed lhoSe VINO understood the
meaning ct tins nlallible SIGN, bat neither
l4achaumareyS nor fichfom could he con
vInced OF the hazard. 'silIceTS and pas
SenSers III Van heSouSht them To alter the
salllnS directions, ana when protests aud
prayers were alikc tInANaIling, All await
ed the result wilh that c;tlmhesS which
comes from despair. Between ; AMI .
O'Clock m 'he afternoon thr iradsman an
n"unced Snnnd!ngS N eighteen tAthomS,
winch startled ti'e captain from his Stolld
e4uahihi'tY' ana ne attempted t" shut the
sh'p's course by bringing her nearer the
winh' bnt 1t was to" late. Another east
"' ,ht 'eaa showed only SIX tath"lnS, AMI
at 3-lo lhe Meh'lN't struck heavily upon
Argun banks. located IN ~ degrees 30
minutes north latitude, and IL degrees -
minutes west longitude. She had hardly
four 1athoms OF water under her and
when the tide ebbed there was less. The
sails were iurIrd, some OF the upper sparS
sent down, and efforts made To drive the
vessel over the bank but all to no good,
and 1t was then resolved i"try the last re-
sort-aban'ionnent OF the vessel. There