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diff --git a/13604-0.txt b/13604-0.txt new file mode 100644 index 0000000..97edd69 --- /dev/null +++ b/13604-0.txt @@ -0,0 +1,3828 @@ +*** START OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13604 *** + +[Illustration: THE WHITE SHARK.] + + + + +THRILLING + +STORIES OF THE OCEAN. + +FROM AUTHENTIC ACCOUNTS OF MODERN + +VOYAGERS AND TRAVELLERS; + +DESIGNED FOR THE + +ENTERTAINMENT AND INSTRUCTION + +OF + +YOUNG PEOPLE. + + +BY MARMADUKE PARK. + +With Numerous Illustrations. + + +PHILADELPHIA: + +C.G. HENDERSON & CO., + +NO. 164 CHESTNUT STREET. + +1852. + +[Illustration: THE WHITE SHARK] + + + + +STORIES OF THE OCEAN. + + + + +VOLNEY BECKNER. + + +The white sharks are the dread of sailors in all hot climates, for they +constantly attend vessels in expectation of anything which may be thrown +overboard. A shark will thus sometimes traverse the ocean in company +with a ship for several hundred leagues. Woe to the poor mariner who +may chance to fall overboard while this sea-monster is present. + +Some species of sharks grow to an enormous size, often weighing from one +to four thousand pounds each. The skin of the shark is rough, and is +used for polishing wood, ivory, &c.; that of one species is manufactured +into an article called _agreen_: spectacle-cases are made of it. The +white shark is the sailor's worst enemy: he has five rows of +wedge-shaped teeth, which are notched like a saw: when the animal is at +rest they are flat in his mouth, but when about to seize his prey they +are erected by a set of muscles which join them to the jaw. His mouth is +so situated under the head that he is obliged to turn himself on one +side before he can grasp any thing with those enormous jaws. + +I will now give you an account of the death of a very brave little boy, +who was killed by a shark. He was an Irish boy; his name was Volney +Beckner, the son of a poor fisherman. His father, having always intended +Volney for a seafaring life, took great pains to teach him such things +as it is useful for a sailor to know, and tried to make him brave and +hardy; he taught him to swim when a mere baby. + +[Illustration: VOLNEY BECKNER'S FIRST VOYAGE.] + +Volney was only nine years old when he first went to sea in a merchant +ship; the same vessel in which his father sometimes sailed. Here he +worked hard and fared hard, but this gave him no uneasiness; his frame +was robust, he never took cold, he knew not what fear was. + +[Illustration: VOLNEY BECKNER AT SEA.] + +In the most boisterous weather, when the rain fell in torrents, and the +wind howled around the ship, the little Irish boy would fearlessly and +cheerfully climb the stays and sailyards, mount the topmast, or perform +any other duty required of him. At twelve years old the captain promoted +the clever, good tempered, and trustworthy boy; spoke well of him before +the whole crew, and doubled his pay. + +Volney was very sensible to his praises. His messmates loved him for his +generous nature, and because he had often shown himself ready to brave +danger in order to assist them; but an occasion soon arrived in which he +had an opportunity of performing one of the most truly heroic deeds on +record. + +The vessel in which Volney and his father sailed was bound to Port au +Prince, in St. Domingo. A little girl, the daughter of one of the +passengers, having slipped away from her nurse, ran on deck to amuse +herself. While gazing on the expanse of water, the heaving of the vessel +made her dizzy, and she fell overboard. + +Volney's father saw the accident, darted after her, and quickly caught +her by the dress; but while with one hand he swam to reach the ship, and +with the other held the child, he saw a shark advancing towards them. He +called aloud for help; there was no time to lose, yet none dared to +afford him any. No one, did I say? Yes, little Volney, prompted by +filial love, ventured on a deed which strong men dared not attempt. + +Armed with a broad, sharp sabre, he threw himself into the sea, then +diving like a fish under the shark, he stabbed the weapon into his body +up to the hilt. Thus wounded the shark quitted his prey, and turned on +the boy, who again and again attacked him with the sabre, but the +struggle was too unequal; ropes were quickly thrown from the deck to the +father and son; each succeeded in grasping one, and loud rose the cry of +joy, "They are saved!" Not so! The shark, enraged at seeing that he was +about to be altogether disappointed of his prey, made one desperate +spring, and tore asunder the body of the noble-hearted little boy, while +his father and the fainting child in his arms were saved. + + +[Illustration: THE POULTRY BASKET--A LIFE-PRESERVER.] + + + + +THE POULTRY BASKET--A LIFE-PRESERVER. + + +I will tell you an old story of an incident which occurred many years +ago, but perhaps it may be new to you, and please you as much as it did +me when I was a little girl, and used to sit on my grandpapa's knee, and +listen to this tale among many others. + +The hero of my story was a countryman; you may, if you please, fancy his +neat white cottage on the hill-side, with its rustic porch, all +overgrown with jasmine, roses, and clematis; the pretty garden and +orchard belonging to it, with the snug poultry yard, the shed for the +cow, and the stack of food for winter's use on one side. + +[Illustration: THE POULTRY YARD.] + +You may fancy the pleasure of the little children who lived at this +cottage in going with their mother morning and evening to feed the +poultry; the noise and bustle among the feathered tribe at this time; +how some rudely push before and peck the others in their anxiety to +obtain the first grains that fall from the basket, and how the little +children take care that the most greedy shall not get it all; their joy +at seeing the young broods of tiny chicks covered with downy feathers, +and the anxiety of the hens each to protect her own from danger, and +teach them to scratch and pick up food for themselves; while they never +forget to admire and praise the beauty of the fine old cock, as he +struts about with an air of magnificence, like the very king of the +guard. + + "High was his comb, and coral red withal, + In dents embattled like a castle wall; + His bill was raven-black and shone like jet, + Blue were his legs, and orient were his feet; + White were his nails, like silver to behold! + His body glittering like burnished gold." + +If you had been there, you would have wished to visit the little +orchard; to see the gentle cow, and the geese feeding on the common +beyond; to watch the young ducklings, dipping and ducking and enjoying +their watering sport in the pond. + +If it be spring, the children would delight in gathering the +sweet-scented meadow flowers--the water ranunculus, with its golden +cups, the modest daisy, the pink cuckoo-flower, and the yellow cowslips; +while overhead the bees kept up a constant humming; they have found +their way from the straw hives in the garden and are diving into the +delicious blossoms of the apple and cherry trees, robbing many a one of +its sweets. + +[Illustration: THE BEE HIVE.] + +But now to my history of what did really happen to a countryman, who +very likely lived in such a pretty cottage as I have described. + +He had more poultry in his yard than he needed for his own use; some of +them had been fatted for sale; and wishing to turn them into money, he +left his home, which was near Bristol, with a basket full of them on his +arm. Having reached the river, he went on board the ferry boat, +intending to go across to a place called Bristol Hot-Wells. Many gentle +folks visit this spot for the sake of drinking the waters of the wells, +which are thought to be very beneficial in some complaints; and no doubt +our countryman hoped that among them his poultry would fetch a good +price. + +The ferry boat was nearly half way over the river, when, by some +accident, the poor man lost his footing and fell into the stream; he +could not swim, and the current carried him more than a hundred yards +from the boat; but he kept fast hold of his poultry basket, which being +buoyant, supported him until he was perceived, and rescued by some men +in a fishing-smack. + +I hope he reached the Hot-Wells in safety after all, and sold his +poultry for as much as he expected; and, what is still better, that his +heart was filled with gratitude to God for his preservation from danger +so imminent. + +[Illustration: THE LIFE BOAT.] + + + + +THE LIFE BOAT. + + +Oh what a stirring scene is this! see how the brave fellows are pulling +with their oars, and endeavoring with all their might to reach the ship +in distress before it is too late! Well, I suppose you are curious to +know how an open boat like this can float in such an angry, boiling sea. +I will tell you how it is accomplished; the sides of the boat are lined +with hollow boxes of copper, which being perfectly air-tight, render her +buoyant, even when full of water, or loaded to the very water's edge. + +The originator of this simple and beautiful contrivance was a London +coach maker, named Lionel Lukin, a man whose benevolent feelings flowed +towards all his fellow men, but more especially towards that portion of +them who brave the dangers of the sea. After devoting sixty years of his +life to the pursuits of his business, he retired to Hythe in Kent, where +he finished a well-spent life in peace and tranquility, dying in +February, 1834. His body was interred in the churchyard of Hythe, which +is situated on rising ground, commanding a fine view of the ocean; a fit +resting place for the remains of one whose talents had been successfully +directed to the means of rescuing from shipwreck and a watery grave many +hundreds, or perhaps we may say many thousands, of poor seamen. He +obtained a patent for his first boat in 1785. + +The two sailors in the picture below are Greenwich pensioners, +supported, you know, at Greenwich Hospital, which was founded by Charles +II. for superannuated or wounded sailors. They are smoking their pipes, +and discussing the merits of the Life Boat. + +[Illustration: THE WHALE.] + + + + +WHALE FISHING. + + +The whale is the largest of all known animals. There are three kinds of +whale; the Greenland, called by the sailors the right whale, as being +most highly prized by them; the great northern rorqual, called by +fishers the razor-back or finner, and the cachalot or spermaciti whale. +The common whale measures from sixty to seventy feet in length: the +mouth, when open, is large enough to admit a ship's jolly boat, with all +her men in it. It contains no teeth; and enormous as the creature is, +the opening to the throat is very narrow, not more than an inch and a +half across in the largest whale. + +[Illustration: WHALE FISHING] + +Instead of teeth the mouth of the whale is furnished with a curious +framework of a substance called _baleen_; you will know it by the name +of whalebone; it is arranged in rows, and projects beyond the lips in a +hanging fringe; the food of the whale consists of shrimps, small fishes, +sea-snails, and innumerable minute creatures, called medusae, which are +found in those seas where the whales feed in such vast quantities that +they make the water of a deep green or olive color. + +When feeding the whale swims with open mouth under the water, and all +the objects which lie in the way of that great moving cavern are caught +by the baleen, and never seen again. Along with their food they swallow +a vast quantity of water, which passes back again through the nostrils, +and is collected into a bag placed at the external orifice of the cavity +of the nose, whence it is expelled by the pressure of powerful muscles +through a very narrow opening pierced in the top of the head. + +[Illustration: THE CACHALOT] + +In this way it spouts the water in beautiful jets from twenty to thirty +feet in height. The voice of the whale is like a low murmuring: it has a +smooth skin all over its body, under which lies that thick lard which +yields the oil for which they are so much sought. The Greenland whale +has but two side-fins; its tail is in the shape of a crescent; it is an +instrument of immense power; it has been sometimes known with one stroke +to hurl large boats high into the air, breaking them into a thousand +fragments. The whale shows great affection for her young, which is +called the calf; the fishermen well know this, and turn it to their own +account; they try to strike the young with the harpoon, which is a +strong, barbed instrument, and if they do this they are almost sure of +securing the mother also, as nothing will induce her to leave it. + +Mr. Scorseby, who was for a long time engaged in the whale fishery, has +written a book containing a very interesting account of them. He +mentions a case in which a young whale was struck beside its dam. She +instantly seized and darted off with it, but not until the line had been +fixed to its body. In spite of all that could be done to her, she +remained near her dying little one, till she was struck again and again, +and thus both perished. Sometimes, however, on an occasion like this, +the old whale becomes furious, and then the danger to the men is very +great, as they attack the whale in boats, several of which belong to +each ship. + +A number of these boats once made towards a whale, which, with her calf +was playing round a group of rocks. The old whale perceiving the +approaching danger, did all she could to warn her little one of it, till +the sight became quite affecting. She led it away from the boats, swam +round it, embraced it with her fins, and sometimes rolled over with it +in the waves. + +The men in the boats now rowed a-head of the whales, and drove them back +among the rocks, at which the mother evinced great uneasiness and +anxiety; she swam round and round the young one in lessening circles; +but all her care was unheeded, and the inexperienced calf soon met its +fate. It was struck and killed, and a harpoon fixed in the mother, when, +roused to reckless fury, she flew on one of the boats, and made her tail +descend with such tremendous force on the very centre of it, as to cut +it in two, and kill two of the men, the rest swimming in all directions +for their lives. + +[Illustration: A SHIP TOWED TO LAND BY BULLOCKS.] + + + + +SHIP TOWED TO LAND BY BULLOCKS + + +Swimming is a manly exercise, and one in which, under proper care, every +little boy ought to be instructed. In the first place it is a very +healthy and invigorating practice frequently to immerse the body in +water: and when we recollect how often the knowledge of this art has +been blessed by the Supreme Disposer of events as a means of saving his +rational creatures from sudden death, it seems that to neglect this +object is almost to refuse to avail ourselves of one of the means of +safety, which a kind Providence has placed within our reach. + +Only imagine yourself to be, as many before you have been, in a +situation of pressing danger on the sea, and yet at no great distance +from the land, so that you might hope to reach it by swimming, but to +remain on board the vessel appeared certain death, how thankful you +would then feel to your friends if they had put this means of escape +into your power! Or if you were to see some unfortunate fellow-creature +struggling in the water, and about to disappear from your sight, how +willingly, if conscious of your own power to support yourself, would you +plunge into the water to his rescue! and how would your heart glow with +delight if your efforts to save him should prove successful! + +Here is a picture representing the very remarkable preservation of the +crew of a vessel on the coast of Newfoundland. In this instance man +availed himself of the instinct which ever prompts the brute creation to +self-preservation. The ship was freighted with live cattle; in a +dreadful storm she was dismasted, and became a mere wreck. The crew +being unable to manage her, it occurred to the captain, whose name was +Drummond, as a last resort, to attach some ropes to the horns of some of +the bullocks, and turn them into the sea. This was done, the bullocks +swam towards land and towed the ship to the shore. Thus the lives of the +crew were saved. + + + + +THE SINKING OF THE ROYAL GEORGE. + + +The Royal George was an old ship; she had seen much service. Her build +was rather short and high, but she sailed well, and carried the tallest +masts and squarest canvas of any of England's gun-ships. She had just +returned from Spithead, where there were twenty or thirty ships of war, +called a fleet, lying under command of Lord Howe. It was on the 29th of +August, 1782. She was lying off Portsmouth; her decks had been washed +the day before, and the carpenter discovered that the pipes which +admitted water to cleanse the ship was worn out, and must be replaced. +This pipe being three feet under the water, it was needful to heel, or +lay the ship a little on one side. To do this, the heavy guns on the +larboard side were run out of the port-holes (those window-like openings +which you see in the side of the vessel) as far as they would go, and +the guns on the starboard side were drawn up and secured in the middle +of the deck; this brought the sills of the port-holes on the lowest side +nearly even with the water. + +[Illustration: SINKING OF THE ROYAL GEORGE.] + +Just as the crew had finished breakfast, a vessel called the Lark came +on the low side of the ship to unship a cargo of rum; the casks were put +on board on that side, and this additional weight, together with that of +the men employed in unloading, caused the ship to heel still more on one +side; every wave of the sea now washed in at her port-holes, and thus +she had soon so great a weight of water in her hold, that slowly and +almost imperceptibly she sank still further down on her side. Twice, the +carpenter, seeing the danger, went on board to ask the officer on duty +to order the ship to be righted; and if he had not been a proud and +angry man, who would not acknowledge himself to be in the wrong, all +might yet have been well. + +The plumbers had almost finished their work, when a sudden breeze blew +on the raised side of the ship, forced her still further down, and the +water began to pour into her lower port-holes. Instantly the danger +became apparent; the men were ordered to right the ship: they ran to +move the guns for this purpose, but it was _too late_. + +In a minute or two more, she fell quite over on her side, with her masts +nearly flat on the water, and the Royal George sank to the bottom, +before one signal of distress could be given! By this dreadful accident, +about nine hundred persons lost their lives; about two hundred and +thirty were saved, some by running up the rigging, and being with others +picked up by the boats which put off immediately from other vessels to +their assistance. There were many visitors, women and little children on +board at the time of the accident. + + + + +BLOWING UP OF THE ROYAL GEORGE. + + +At the time when the dreadful event which I have just related to you +occurred, the Lark sloop, which brought the cargo of rum, was lying +alongside of the Royal George; in going down, the main-yard of the Royal +George caught the boom of the Lark, and they sank together, but this +made the position of the Royal George much more upright in the water +than it would otherwise have been. There she lay at the bottom of the +sea, just as you have seen small vessels when left by the tide on a +bank. Cowper, when he heard the sad tale, thus wrote + + "Her timbers yet are sound, + And she may float again, + Full charged with England's thunder, + And plough the distant main. + + "But Kempenfelt is gone, + His victories are o'er, + And he, and his eight hundred + Shall plough the wave no more." + +Admiral Kempenfelt was writing in his cabin when the ship sank; his +first captain tried to inform him of their situation, but the heeling of +the ship so jammed the cabin doors that he could not open them: thus the +admiral perished with the rest. It seems Cowper thought the Royal George +might be recovered; other people were of the same opinion. + +[Illustration: BLOWING UP OF THE ROYAL GEORGE.] + +In September of the year in which the vessel sank, a gentleman, named +Tracey, living in the neighborhood, by means of diving-machines, +ascertained the position and state of the ship, and made proposals to +government to adopt means of raising her and getting her again afloat. +After a great many vexatious delays and interruptions on the part of +those who were to have supplied him with assistance, he succeeded in +getting up the Lark sloop. His efforts to raise the Royal George were so +far successful, that at every time of high tide she was lifted from her +bed; and on the 9th of October she was hove at least thirty or forty +feet to westward; but the days were getting short, the boisterous winds +of winter were setting in, the lighters to which Tracey's apparatus was +attached were too old and rotten to bear the strain, and he was forced +to abandon the attempt. + +The sunken ship remained, a constant impediment to other vessels wishing +to cast anchor near the spot, for nearly fifty years, when Colonel +Pasley, by means of gunpowder, completely demolished the wreck: the +loose pieces of timber floated to the surface; heavier pieces--the +ship's guns, cables, anchors, the fire-hearth, cooking utensils, and +many smaller articles were recovered by the divers. These men went down +in Indian-rubber dresses, which were air and water-tight; they were +furnished with helmets, in each side of which were glass windows, to +admit light, and supplied with air by means of pipes, communicating with +an air-pump above. By these means they could remain under water more +than an hour at a time. I do not think you are old enough to understand +the nature of Colonel Pasley's operations. Large hollow vessels, called +cylinders, were filled with gunpowder, and attached by the divers to the +wreck, these were connected by conducting wires with a battery on board +a lighter above, at a sufficient distance to be out of reach of danger +when the explosion took place. Colonel Pasley then gave the word to fire +the end of the rod; instantly a report was heard, and those who +witnessed the explosions, say that the effect was very beautiful. On +one occasion, the water rose in a splendid column above fifty feet high, +the spray sparkling like diamonds in the sun; then the large fragments +of the wreck came floating to the surface; soon after the mud from the +bottom, blackening the circle of water, and spreading to a great +distance around; and with it rose to the surface great numbers of fish, +who, poor things, had found a hiding-place in the wreck, but were +dislodged and killed by the terrible gunpowder. + +[Illustration: LOSS OF THE MELVILLE CASTLE.] + + + + +LOSS OF THE MELVILLE CASTLE. + + +Many and great are the dangers to which those who lead a seafaring life +are exposed. The lightning's flash may strike a ship when far away from +port, upon the trackless deep, or the sudden bursting of a particular +kind of cloud, called a waterspout, may overwhelm her, and none be left +to tell her fate. But of all the perils to which a ship is liable, I +think that of her striking on a sand-bank, or on sunken rocks is the +greatest. There must be men and women now living on the Kentish coast, +in whose memory the disastrous wreck of the Melville Castle, with all +its attendant horrors, is yet fresh. It is a sorrowful tale, doubly so, +inasmuch as acts of imprudence, and still worse, of obstinacy, may be +said to have occasioned the loss of four hundred and fifty lives. + +In the first place, the Melville Castle, or as I suppose we should call +her the Vryheid, was in a very decayed state; she had been long in the +East India Company's service, and was by them sold to some Dutch +merchants, who had her upper works tolerably repaired, new sheathed and +coppered her, and resold her to the Dutch government, who were then in +want of a vessel to carry out troops and stores to Batavia. + +The Melville Castle was accordingly equipped for the voyage, painted +throughout, and her name changed to the Vryheid. On the the morning of +November, 1802, she set sail from the Texel, a port on the coast of +Holland, with a fair wind, which lasted till early on the following day, +when a heavy gale came on in an adverse direction. + +The captain immediately had the top-gallant masts and yards struck to +make her ride more easily; but as the day advanced, the violence of the +wind increased, and vain seemed every effort of the crew to manage the +ship. There were many mothers and little children on board, whose state +was truly pitiable. The ship was scourged onward by the resistless +blast, which continued to increase until it blew a perfect hurricane. + +About three in the afternoon, the mainmast fell overboard, sweeping +several of the crew into the sea, and severely injuring four or five +more. By this time they were near enough to the Kentish coast to discern +objects on land, but the waves which rolled mountains high prevented the +possibility of any help approaching. By great exertion the ship was +brought to anchor in Hythe Bay, and for a few moments hope cheered the +bosoms of those on board; it was _but_ a few, for almost immediately +she was found to have sprung a leak; and while all hands were busy at +the pumps, the storm came on with increased fury. + +In this dismal plight they continued till about six o'clock the +following morning, when the ship parted from one of her largest anchors, +and drifted on towards Dymchurch-wall, about three miles to the west of +Hythe. This wall is formed by immense piles, and cross pieces of timber, +supported by wooden jetties, which stretch far into the sea. It was +built to prevent the water from overflowing a rich, level district, +called Romney Marsh. + +The crew continued to fire guns and hoist signals of distress. At +daybreak a pilot boat put off from Dover, and nearing the Melville +Castle, advised the captain to put back to Deal or Hythe, and wait for +calmer weather, or, said the boatman, "all hands will assuredly be +lost." But the captain would not act on his recommendation; he thought +the pilot boat exaggerated the danger, hoped the wind would abate as +the day opened, and that he should avoid the demands of the Dover pilot +or the Down fees by not casting anchor there. Another help the captain +rejected, and bitterly did he lament it when it was too late. + +No sooner had the pilot boat departed, than the commodore at Deal +despatched two boats to endeavor to board the ship. The captain +obstinately refused to take any notice of them, and ordered the crew to +let the vessel drive before the wind. This they did, till the ship ran +so close in shore, that the captain himself saw the imminent danger, and +twice attempted to put her about, but in vain. On the first of the +projecting jetties of Dymchurch-wall the vessel struck. I would not if I +could grieve your young heart with a detail of all the horrors that +ensued; the devoted ship continued to beat on the piles, the sea +breaking over her with such violence, that the pumps could no longer be +worked. + +The foremast soon went over the ship's side, carrying twelve seamen +with it, who were swallowed up by the billows. The rudder was unshipped, +the tiller tore up the gundeck, and the water rushed in at the +port-holes. At this fearful moment most of the passengers and crew +joined in solemn prayer to the Almighty. Morning came, but it was only +to witness the demolition of the wreck. + +Many were the efforts made by the sufferers, some in the jolly boat, +some on a raft, others by lashing themselves to pieces of timber, +hogsheads, and even hencoops, to reach the shore; but out of four +hundred and seventy-two persons who a few days before had left the coast +of Holland, not more than eighteen escaped the raging billows. The +miserable remnant received generous attention from the inhabitants of +the place, who did all in their power to aid their recovery. + +[Illustration: BURNING OF THE KENT EAST INDIAMAN.] + + + + +BURNING OF THE KENT EAST INDIAMAN. + + +This picture represents the burning of the Kent East Indiaman, in the +Bay of Biscay. She had on board in all six hundred and forty-one persons +at the time of the accident. The fire broke out in the hold during a +storm. An officer on duty, finding that a spirit cask had broken loose, +was taking measures to secure it, when a lurch of the ship caused him to +drop his lantern, and in his eagerness to save it, he let go the cask, +which suddenly stove in, and the spirits communicated with the flame, +the whole place was instantly in a blaze. Hopes of subduing the fire at +first were strong, but soon heavy volumes of smoke and a pitchy smell +told that it had reached the cable-room. + +In these awful circumstances, the captain ordered the lower decks to be +scuttled, to admit water. This was done; several poor seamen being +suffocated by the smoke in executing the order; but now a new danger +threatened, the sea rushed in so furiously, that the ship was becoming +water-logged, and all feared her going down. Between six and seven +hundred human beings, were by by this time crowded on the deck. Many on +their knees earnestly implored the mercy of an all-powerful God! while +some old stout-hearted sailors quietly seated themselves directly over +the powder magazine, expecting an explosion every moment, and thinking +thus to put a speedier end to their torture. + +In this time of despair, it occurred to the fourth mate to send a man to +the foremast, hoping, but scarce daring to think it probable, that some +friendly sail might be in sight. The man at the fore-top looked around +him; it was a moment of intense anxiety; then waving his hat, he cried +out, "A sail, on the lee-bow!" + +Those on deck received the news with heart-felt gratitude, and answered +with three cheers. Signals of distress were instantly hoisted, and +endeavors used to make towards the stranger, while the minute guns were +fired continuously. She proved to be the brig Cambria, Captain Cook, +master, bound to Vera Cruz, having twenty Cornish miners, and some +agents of the Mining Company on board. For about one quarter of an hour, +the crew of the Kent doubted whether the brig perceived their signals: +but after a period of dreadful suspense, they saw the British colors +hoisted, and the brig making towards them. + +On this, the crew of the Kent got their boats in readiness; the first +was filled with women, passengers, and officers' wives, and was lowered +into a sea so tempestuous as to leave small hope of their reaching the +brig; they did, however, after being nearly swamped through some +entanglement of the ropes, get clear of the Kent, and were safely taken +on board the Cambria, which prudently lay at some distance off. + +After the first trip, it was found impossible for the boats to come +close alongside of the Kent, and the poor women and children suffered +dreadfully, in being lowered over the stern into them by means of ropes. +Amid this gloomy scene, many beautiful examples occurred of filial and +parental affection, and of disinterested friendship; and many sorrowful +instances of individual loss and suffering. At length, when all had been +removed from the burning vessel, but a few, who were so overcome by +fear as to refuse to make the attempt to reach the brig, the captain +quitted his ill-fated ship. + +The flames which had spread along her upper deck, now mounted rapidly to +the mast and rigging, forming one general conflagration and lighting up +the heavens to an immense distance round. One by one her stately masts +fell over her sides. By half-past one in the morning the fire reached +the powder magazine; the looked-for explosion took place, and the +burning fragments of the vessel were blown high into the air, like so +many rockets. + +The Cambria, with her crowd of sufferers, made all speed to the nearest +port, and reached Portsmouth in safety, shortly after midnight, on the +3d of March, 1825, the accident having taken place on the 28th of +February. Wonderful to tell, fourteen of the poor creatures, left on the +Kent, were rescued by another ship, the Caroline, on her passage from +Alexandria to Liverpool. + + + + +THE PELICAN. + + +The life of a pelican seems to be a very lazy, if not a very pleasant +one. Man, ever on the watch to turn the habits of animals to his own +account, observing how good a fisherman the pelican is, often catches +and tames him, and makes him fish for _him_. I have heard of a bird of +this kind in America, which was so well trained, that it would at +command go off in the morning, and return at night with its pouch full, +and stretched to the utmost; part of its treasure it disgorged for its +master, the rest was given to the bird for its trouble. It is hardly +credible what these extraordinary pouches will hold; it is said, that +among other things, a man's leg with the boots on was once found in one +of them. + +Pelicans live in flocks; they and the cormorants sometimes help one +another to get a living. The cormorant is a species of pelican, of a +dusky color: it is sometimes called the sea crow. The cormorants are the +best divers, so the pelicans arrange themselves in a large circle at +some great distance from the land, and flap their great wings on the +surface of the water, while the cormorants dive beneath. Away swim the +poor frightened fish towards the shore; the pelicans draw into a +narrower circle, and the fish at last are brought into so small a +compass, that their pursuers find no difficulty in obtaining a plentiful +meal. + +[Illustration: THE SEA TURTLE.] + + + + +CATCHING TURTLE. + + +There are two kinds of turtle; the one is called the green turtle, and +is much valued as a delicious article of food; the other the hawk's bill +turtle supplies the tortoise shell of commerce, which is prepared and +moulded into various forms by heat. The flesh of the hawk's bill turtle +is considered very unwholesome. + +[Illustration: CATCHING TURTLE.] + +The turtles in the picture are of the edible kind; they are found on the +shores of nearly all the countries within the tropics. + +There is a little rocky island in the south Atlantic Ocean, called the +Island of Ascension, where they are found in vast numbers, and this +barren spot is often visited by Indiamen for the purpose of obtaining +some of them. The turtles feed on the sea weed and other marine plants +which grow on the shoals and sand banks, and with their powerful jaws, +they crush the small sea shells which are found among the weeds. This +kind of food is always to be had in great abundance, so that the turtles +have no occasion to quarrel among themselves, for that which is afforded +in such plenty for all; indeed they seem to be a very quiet and +inoffensive race, herding peaceably together on their extensive +feeding-grounds, and when satisfied retiring to the fresh water at the +mouth of the rivers, where they remain holding their heads above water, +as if to breathe the fresh air, till the shadow of any of their numerous +enemies alarms them, when they instantly dive to the bottom for +security. + +In the month of April, the females leave the water after sunset, in +order to deposit their eggs in the sand. By means of their fore-fins +they dig a hole above high water mark, about one foot wide and two deep, +into which they drop above a hundred eggs; they then cover them lightly +over with a layer of sand, sufficient to hide them, and yet thin enough +to admit the warmth of the sun's rays for hatching them. The instinct +which leads the female turtle to the shore to lay her eggs, renders her +a prey to man. The fishers wait for them on shore, especially on a +moonlight night, and following them in one of their journeys, either +coming or returning, they turn them quickly over on their backs, before +they have time to defend themselves, or to blind their assailants by +throwing up the sand with their fins. + +When very large, for I should tell you that the usual weight of the +turtle is from four to six hundred pounds, it requires the efforts of +several men to turn them over, and for this purpose they often employ +levers: the back shell of the turtle is so flat that when once over it +is impossible for them to right themselves, so there the poor creatures +lie in this helpless condition, till they are either taken away in the +manner you see in the picture, or deposited by their captors in a crawl, +which is a kind of enclosure surrounded by stakes, and so situated as to +admit the influx of the sea. + +The inhabitants of the Bahama Isles, catch many turtles at a +considerable distance from the shore; they strike them with a spear, the +head of which slips off when it has entered the body of the turtle, but +it is fastened by a string to the pole, and by means of this apparatus +they are able to secure them, and either take them into the boat or haul +them on shore. The length of the green turtle frequently exceeds six +feet. A boy ten years old, a son of Captain Roche, once made use of a +very large shell as a boat, and ventured in it from the shore to his +father's ship which lay about a quarter of a mile off. It was in the +bay of Campeachy, off Port Royal, where the rightful occupant of this +shell was caught. + +[Illustration: WRECK OF THE STEAMBOAT.] + + + + +THE WRECK OF THE STEAMBOAT. + + +The following narrative teaches a lesson of courage and devotion such as +are seldom read. In one of the light-houses of the desolate Farne Isles, +amid the ocean, with no prospect before it but the wide expanse of sea, +and now and then a distant sail appearing, her cradle hymn the ceaseless +sound of the everlasting deep, there lived a little child whose name +was Grace Darling. Her father was the keeper of the light-house; and +here Grace lived and grew up to the age of twenty-two, her mother's +constant helpmate in all domestic duties. She had a fair and healthy +countenance, which wore a kind and cheerful smile, proceeding from a +heart at peace with others, and happy in the consciousness of +endeavoring to do its duty. + +It was at early dawn, one September morning, in the year 1838, that the +family at the Longstone light-house looked out through a dense fog which +hung over the waters. All night the sea had run extremely high, with a +heavy gale from the north, and at this moment the storm continued +unabated. Mr. and Mrs. Darling and Grace were at this time the only +persons in the light-house; through the dim mist they perceived the +wreck of a large steam vessel on the rocks, and by the aid of their +telescope the could even make out the forms of some persons clinging to +her. + +It was the Forfarshire steamboat on her passage from Hull to Dundee. +She left the former place with sixty-three persons on board. She had +entered Berwick Bay about eight o'clock the previous evening, in a heavy +gale and in a leaky condition; the motion of the vessel soon increased +the leak to such a degree that the fires could not be kept burning. +About ten o'clock she bore up off St. Abb's Head, the storm still +raging. Soon after the engineer reported that the engines would not +work; the vessel became unmanageable; it was raining heavily, and the +fog was so dense that it was impossible to make out their situation. At +length the appearance of breakers close to leeward, and the Farne lights +just becoming visible, showed to all on board their imminent danger. + +The captain vainly tried to run the vessel between the islands and the +main land, she would no longer answer the helm, and was driven to and +fro by a furious sea. Between three and four o'clock in the morning she +struck with her bows foremost on a jagged rock, which pierced her +timbers. Soon after the first shock a mighty wave lifted the vessel +from the rock, and let her fall again with such violence as fairly to +break her in two pieces; the after part, containing the cabin with many +passengers, all of whom perished, was instantly carried away through a +tremendous current, while the fore part was fixed on the rock. The +survivors, only nine in number, five of the crew and four passengers, +remained in this dreadful situation till daybreak, when they were +descried by the family at the light-house. But who could dare to cross +the raging abyss which lay between them? + +Grace, full of pity and anxiety for the wretched people on the wreck, +forgot all toil and danger, and urged her father to launch the boat; she +took one oar and her father the other; but Grace had never assisted in +the boat before, and it was only by extreme exertion and the most +determined courage that they succeeded in bringing the boat up to the +rock, and rescuing nine of their fellow creatures from a watery grave, +and with the help of the crew in returning, landed all safe at the +light-house. + +Happy Grace Darling! she needed no other reward than the joy of her own +heart and the warm thanks of those she had helped to deliver; but the +news of the heroic deed soon spread, and wondering and admiring +strangers came from far and near to see Grace and that lonely +light-house. Nay more, they showered gifts upon her, and a public +subscription was raised with a view of rewarding her bravery, to the +amount of seven hundred pounds. She continued to live with her parents +on their barren isles, finding happiness in her simple duties and in +administering to their comfort, until her death, which took place little +more than three years after the wreck of the Forfarshire steamer. + + + + +WATERSPOUTS. + +These wonderful appearances are caused by the action of currents of wind +meeting in the atmosphere from different quarters. They are sometimes +seen on land, but much more frequently at sea, where they are very +dangerous visitors. I will try to give you some idea of what they are, +and perhaps the picture may help you a little. I dare say you have often +noticed little eddies of wind whirling up dust and leaves, or any light +substances which happened to be in the way; when these occur on a larger +scale they are called whirlwinds. + +[Illustration: WATERSPOUTS.] + +Now if a cloud happens to be exactly in the point where two such furious +currents of wind meet, it is turned round and round by them with great +speed and is condensed into the form of a cone; this whirling motion +drives from the centre of the cloud all the particles contained in it, +producing what is called a vacuum, or empty space, into which the water +or any thing else lying beneath it has an irresistible tendency to rush. +Underneath the dense impending cloud, the sea becomes violently +agitated, and the waves dart rapidly towards the centre of the troubled +mass of water: on reaching it they disperse in vapor, and rise, whirling +in a spiral direction towards the cloud. The descending and ascending +columns unite, the whole presenting the appearance of a hollow cylinder, +or tube of glass, empty within. This, Maltebrun tells us, and he further +adds, "it glides over the sea without any wind being felt; indeed +several have been seen at once, pursuing different directions. When the +cloud and the marine base of the waterspout move with equal velocity, +the lower cone is often seen to incline sideways, or even to bend, and +finally to burst in pieces. A noise is then heard like the noise of a +cataract falling in a deep valley. Lightning frequently issues from the +very bosom of the waterspout, particularly when it breaks; but no +thunder is ever heard." + +Sailors, to prevent the danger which would arise from coming in contact +with one of these tremendous columns, discharge a cannon into it: the +ball passing through it breaks the watery cylinder, and causes it to +burst, just as a touch causes your beautiful soap-bubbles to vanish, and +turn to water again. These waterspouts, at sea, generally occur between +the tropics, and I believe frequently after a calm, such as the poet +has described in the following lines: + + "Down dropt the breeze, the sails dropt down, + 'Twas sad as sad could be, + And we did speak only to break + The silence of the sea! + + "All in a hot and copper sky, + The bloody sun at noon, + Right up above the mast did stand. + No bigger than the moon. + + "Day after day, day after day, + We stuck, nor breath, nor motion; + As idle as a painted ship + Upon a painted ocean. + + "Water, water, every where, + And all the boards did shrink; + Water, water, every where + And not a drop to drink!" + +Happily "dead calms" do not generally last so long as to lead to any +serious result. Sailors have a superstitious and foolish belief that +whistling in a calm will bring up a breeze, and they do this in a +drawling, beseeching tone, on some prominent part of the vessel. Poor +fellows! what a pity that their thoughts should not more frequently be +directed to Him "who hath measured the waters in the hollow of his hand, +and meted out heaven with a span," and whose works and wonders in the +deep "they that go down to the sea in ships" have such abundant +opportunity for observing. + + + + +HEAVING THE LEAD. + + +Here we have a sailor in the act of heaving the lead, or taking +soundings, which is a thing extremely necessary to be done when a ship +is approaching the shore, as there is great danger of her running on a +sand-bank or striking on a sunken rock. I will now tell you how it is +managed. A sailor gets over the ship's side, as you see in the +engraving, and takes his station in what are called "the chains;" he +holds in his hand a coil of rope, with the length in fathoms marked upon +it; this rope has a mass of lead attached to the end of it. At the +bottom of the lead, is a hollow place, into which a piece of tallow +candle is stuck, which brings up distinguishing marks from the bottom of +the sea, such as small shells, sand, or mud, adhering to it. If the +tallow be only indented it is supposed to have fallen on bare rocks. A +correct account of the soundings is entered in the logbook; this book +contains a description of the ship's course, the direction of the wind, +and other circumstances, during every hour of each day and night. Having +arranged the rope so as to allow it to fall freely when cast, the sailor +throws the lead forward into the water, giving rope sufficient to allow +it to touch the bottom; then with a sudden jerk, such as long practice +alone can enable him to give, he raises the weight, and after examining +the mark on the rope made by the water, calls out lustily, so that all +forward can hear, "By the mark seven," or "By the deep nine," according +to the case, or whatever the number of fathoms may be. The lead-line is +marked into lengths of six feet, called fathoms, by knots, or pieces of +leather, or old sail-cloth. In narrow or intricate channels, it is +sometimes needful to place a man in the chains on each side of the ship, +as the depth will vary a fathom or more even in the breadth of the +vessel, and it is of great consequence that the leadsmen give the depth +correctly, as a wrong report might cause the ship to run aground. The +time that the leadsman is employed in taking soundings is often a period +of deep anxiety to the crew and passengers, especially if the vessel be +near an unknown coast. When the decrease in the number of fathoms is +sudden, the captain knows that danger is near, and quickly gives orders +to alter the ship's course: the sailors instantly obey his directions; +but sometimes not all their activity and energy can save the vessel; she +strikes and becomes a wreck. + +Turn to the 27th chapter of the Acts of the Apostles in your Bible, and +you will there read the deeply interesting account of Paul's shipwreck +on the island Melita. Life has often been compared to a voyage--and +aptly so. + +You will find that you, like the mariner, are exposed to many dangers, +and that you are never for one moment safe in trusting to your own skill +to guide your little bark. In watchfulness and prayer, look to your +Heavenly Pilot for directions under every circumstance, often examining +your own heart, as the seaman heaves the lead in danger. Then will you +be safely guided through storms and calms, amid rocks and shoals, and +reach at last the blessed haven of eternal rest and peace. + + + + +THE BALLOON AT SEA. + + +A balloon is a hollow globe, made of silk, rendered air-tight by a +coating of gum and resin, and enclosed within a strong network. When +filled with gas it is so much lighter than the air which surrounds us, +that it will rise with heavier bodies suspended to it. In a sort of car +or boat attached, men, who are called "aeronauts," have performed +journeys through the air. + +The balloon was invented by a Frenchman named Montgolfier. Great +expectations were at first entertained of this art of sailing through +the air, but as yet it has not proved of much practical use. Many +disasters have at different times befallen balloon voyagers. + +Many years ago, Major Mooney ascended in his balloon from Norwich, +expecting from the direction of the wind that he might descend near +Ipswich; but when he had risen about one mile from the earth, a violent +current carried him and his balloon towards Yarmouth. The balloon fell +on the sea, about nine miles from land. The Major supported himself for +some time in the water, by holding firmly to the balloon, and was at +last rescued from his dangerous situation by the crew of a cutter which +was cruising on the coast. + +This was a disastrous voyage, but I think it will interest you to hear +of a more successful one, performed by three gentlemen, one of whom, +Mr. Green, has introduced some great improvements in the art of filling +and guiding balloons. These gentlemen left the earth in the car of a +very large balloon, at half-past one o'clock, on Monday, the 7th of +November, 1836, intending to proceed to some point on the continent of +Europe not very distant from Paris. They were provided with provisions +for a fortnight; these, with sand-bags for ballast, cordage, and all +needful apparatus for such a journey were placed in the bottom of the +car, while all around hung cloaks, carpet bags, barrels of wood and +copper, barometers, telescopes, lamps, spirit-flasks, coffee-warmers, +&c, for you know it would be impossible for them afterwards to supply +any thing which might have been forgotten. + +Thus duly furnished, the balloon was rapidly borne away by a moderate +breeze over the fertile fields of Kent to Dover. It was forty-eight +minutes past four when the first sound of the waves on the sea-beach +broke on the voyagers' ears: the sun was sinking below the horizon, and +as the balloon was rapidly borne into the region of mist which hung over +the ocean, we must suppose something of dread and uncertainty attended +the adventurer's minds. Scarcely, however, had they completed some +arrangements, intended to render the balloon more buoyant in the heavy +atmosphere, than again the sound of waves surprised them, and below were +seen glittering the well-known lights of Calais and the neighboring +shores. Passing over Calais the aeronauts lowered a blue-light to give +notice of their presence, but could not tell whether the inhabitants +perceived it. By this time night had completely closed in, and still the +silken ball pursued its course. So long as lights were burning in the +towns and villages which it passed in rapid succession, the solitary +voyagers looked down on the scene with delight; sometimes they could +even catch the hum of the yet busy multitude, or the bark of a +watch-dog; but midnight came, and the world was hushed in sleep. + +As soon as the people were again stirring below, the guide-rope was +hauled into the balloon, and the grappling-iron lowered; and after +sundry difficulties from the danger of getting entangled in a wood, and +grievously affrighting two ladies, who stood awhile petrified with +amazement at the unusual apparition, the voyagers succeeded in alighting +in a grassy valley, about six miles from the town of Weilburg, in the +Duchy of Nassau. Here every attention and accommodation was afforded +them, and thus ended this remarkable journey, an extent of about five +hundred British miles having been passed over in the space of eighteen +hours. + + + + +AN ADVENTURE OF PAUL JONES. + + +John Paul Jones was a famous naval commander in the service of the +United States, during the revolutionary war. He was a native of +Scotland, but having come to Virginia and settled before the war broke +out, he joined the patriots as soon as hostilities commenced, and +rendered the most important services through the whole of the long and +arduous contest, by which our independence was acquired. + +The following account of one of his adventures is given by his +biographer. + +Eager to retaliate upon Britain for some predatory exploits of her +sailors on the American coast, and exasperated by the resolution which +the English government had taken, to treat all the supporters of +independence as traitors and rebels, Captain Paul Jones entered the +Irish Channel, and approaching his native shores, not as a friend, but +as a determined enemy. On the night of the 22d of April, 1778, he came +to anchor in the Solway Firth, almost within sight of the trees which +sheltered the house in which he first drew the breath of life. + +Early next morning, he rowed for the English coast, at the head of +thirty-one volunteers, in two boats, with the intention of destroying +the shipping, about two hundred sail, which lay in the harbor of +Whitehaven. + +In this daring attempt he would probably have succeeded without +difficulty, had not the strength of the opposing tide retarded his +progress so much, that day began to dawn before he could gain the shore. +He despatched the smaller of the two boats to the north of the port to +set fire to the vessels, whilst he led the remainder of the party to the +more hazardous duty of securing the fort, which was situated on a hill +to the south. It was a cold morning, and the sentinels little aware that +an enemy was so near, had retired into the guard-room for warmth, +affording Jones an opportunity to take them by surprise, of which he did +not fail to avail himself. Climbing over the shoulders of the tallest of +his men, he crept silently through one of the embrasures and was +instantly followed by the rest. Their first care was to make fast the +door of the guard-room, and their next to spike the cannon, thirty-six +in number. Having effected this without bloodshed, they proceeded to +join the detachment which had been sent to the north; and finding that a +false alarm had deterred them from executing their orders, Jones +instantly proceeded to set fire to the vessels within his reach. By this +time, however, the inhabitants were roused, and the invaders were +obliged to retreat, leaving three ships in flames, of which one alone +was destroyed. + +On the same day with this adventure, another memorable occurrence took +place, which contributed, for a time, to add greatly to the odium which +the first had brought on his name in Britain, but which, in the end, +enabled him to prove that he was possessed of the most heroic qualities. +In cruising off the coast of Galloway, it occurred to him, that, if he +could get into his power a man of high rank and influence in the state, +he should able, by retaining him as a hostage, to ensure to the American +prisoners of war more lenient treatment than was threatened by the +British government. Knowing that the Earl of Selkirk possessed a seat at +St. Mary's Isle, a beautiful peninsula at the mouth of the Dee, and +being ill-informed with regard to the political connections of that +nobleman, he destined him for the subject of his experiment. With that +view, he landed on the Isle, about noon, with two officers and a few +men; but, before they had proceeded far, he learned that his lordship +was from home. Finding his object frustrated, he now wished to return; +but his crew were not so easily satisfied. Their object was plunder; and +as they consisted of men in a very imperfect state of discipline, and +with whom it would have been dangerous to contend, he allowed them to +proceed. He exacted from them, however, a promise that they should be +guilty of no violence; that the men should not enter the house, and that +the officers, after having made their demands, should accept what might +be put into their hands without scrutiny. These conditions were +punctually obeyed. The greater part of the Selkirk plate was carried off +in triumph by the crew, and Paul Jones was, for a time, stigmatized as a +freebooter; but he nobly vindicated his character, by taking the +earliest opportunity of purchasing the whole of it, out of his own +private funds, and remitting it safe to its original owner, without +accepting the smallest remuneration. National prejudice has +misrepresented this transaction; and in order to excite the popular +indignation against Jones, it has been common to state, that this +attempt on the person, and as it was supposed the property, of Lord +Selkirk, was aggravated by ingratitude, his father having eaten of that +nobleman's bread. Nothing can be more false. Neither Mr. Paul, nor any +of his kindred, ever was in the earl's employ, or had ever the most +distant connection with his lordship or his family; and in a +correspondence which took place between our hero and Lady Selkirk, +relative to the restitution of the plate, a most honorable testimony was +gratefully paid by the latter to the captain's character. + +[Illustration; NELSON SAVED BY HIS COXSWAIN.] + + + + +ADMIRAL NELSON. + + +Nelson lost the sight of one eye at the siege of Calvi, by a shot +driving the sand and gravel into it, and he lost his arm by a shot in an +expedition against Teneriffe; but the most dangerous of his exploits +were, boarding the battery at San Bartolomeo, boarding the San Joseph, +the boat action in the Bay of Cadiz, and the famous battles of the Nile +and Trafalgar. Of these, perhaps, the boat action during the blockade of +Cadiz was the most severe. While making an attempt against the Spanish +gunboats, he was attacked by D. Miguel Tregayen, in an armed launch, +carrying twenty-six men; fearful odds against his ten bargemen, captain, +and coxswain. Eighteen Spaniards were killed, the rest wounded, and the +launch captured. + +[Illustration: ADMIRAL NELSON.] + +The Spaniards were more than two to one, and yet he beat them; but it +was a hard and desperate struggle, hand to hand and blade to blade. +Twice did John Sykes, the coxswain, save Nelson's life, by parrying off +blows that would have destroyed him, and once did he interpose his head +to receive the blow of a Spanish sabre; but he would willingly have died +for his admiral. + +Poor Sykes was wounded badly, but not killed. + +When Nelson's health was established after the loss of his arm, he sent +to the minister of St. George's, Hanover Square, the following desire to +offer up his thanksgiving:--"An officer desires to return thanks to +Almighty God for his perfect recovery from a severe wound, and also for +the many mercies bestowed on him." Thus showing that he was humble +enough to be thankful to God, and continued so in the midst of all his +successes. + +The following is an instance of his coolness in the hour of danger. The +late Lieutenant-General the Hon. Sir William Stewart, as +lieutenant-colonel of the rifle-brigade, embarked to do duty in the +fleet which was led by Sir Hyde Parker and Nelson, to the attack of +Copenhagen in 1801. "I was," says he, "with Lord Nelson when he wrote +the note to the Crown Prince of Denmark, proposing terms of arrangement. +A cannon ball struck off the head of the boy who was crossing the cabin +with the light to seal it. "Bring another candle," said his lordship. I +observed, that I thought it might very well be sent as it was, for it +would not be expected that the usual forms could be observed at such a +moment. "That is the very thing I should wish to avoid, Colonel," +replied he, "for if the least appearance of precipitation were +perceptible in the manner of sending this note, it might spoil all." +Another candle being now brought, his lordship sealed the letter, +carefully enclosed in an envelope, with a seal bearing his coat of arms +and coronet, and delivered it to the officer in waiting to receive it. +It is said that the moment was a critical one, and that Lord Nelson's +note decided the event." + +A seaman of the name of Hewson, who had served under Nelson, was working +as a caster in a manufactory at Birmingham when Nelson visited that +place. Among other manufactories, the admiral paid a visit to that where +Hewson was at work as a brass-founder; and though no employment +disfigures a workman more with smoke and dust than the process of +casting, the quick eye of Nelson recognized in the caster an old +associate. "What, Hewson, my lad," said he, "are you here?" Hewson laid +hold of the hair that hung over his forehead, and making an awkward bow, +replied, "Yes, your honor." "Why, how comes this about! You and I are +old acquaintances; you were with me in the Captain when I boarded the +San Joseph, were you not?" Hewson again laid hold of of his hair, and +bowing, replied, "Yes, your honor." "I remember you well," said Nelson; +"you were one of the cleverest fellows about the vessel! If any thing +was to be done, Hewson was the lad to do. Why, what do you here, working +like a negro? Take this," throwing him money, "and wash the dust down +your throat." + +Hewson withdrew to a neighboring alehouse, boasting of the character the +admiral had given him. Month after month passed away, but Hewson +returned not--his shop-tools were abandoned, and no one could account +for his absence. At length a stripling, in a sailor's jacket, entered +the manufactory and said, "he was come to settle his father's affairs." +This was no other than Hewson's son, from whose account it appeared, +that when Hewson, somewhat elevated with liquor, but more with the +praise the admiral had bestowed on him, quitted Birmingham, he walked +his way down to Portsmouth, entered once more on board Lord Nelson's +ship, and fell with him in the battle of Trafalgar. + +At the battle of Trafalgar, Collingwood, in the Royal Sovereign, led the +lee-line of fourteen ships, Nelson, in the Victory, was at the head of +the weather-line, consisting of fourteen ships. Besides these there were +four frigates. + +The ships of France and Spain, opposed to the British, were in number +thirty-three, with seven large frigates. The odds were great against the +English, but the superior tactics, and well-known bravery of Nelson, +clothed him with power, that more than made up the difference. When +every thing was prepared for the engagement, Nelson retired into his +cabin alone, and wrote down the following prayer. + +"May the great God, whom I worship grant to my country, and for the +benefit of Europe in general, a great and glorious victory, and may no +misconduct in any one tarnish it, and may humanity after victory, be the +predominant feature in the British fleet! For myself, individually, I +commit my life to Him that made me; and may his blessing alight on my +endeavors for serving my country faithfully! To him I resign myself, and +the just cause which is entrusted to me to defend. Amen! Amen! Amen!" + +He wore on the day of the battle his admiral's frock coat, and on his +left breast, over his heart, four stars of the orders of honor, which +had been conferred upon him. Those around thought it was dangerous to +wear his stars, lest he should be too plainly seen by the enemy, but +they were afraid to tell him so, because he had said, "In honor I gained +them, and in honor I will die with them." + +The effect produced by the signal given by Lord Nelson, "England expects +every man to do his duty!" was wonderful; it ran from ship to ship, +from man to man, from heart to heart, like a train of gunpowder. +Officers and men seemed animated with one spirit, and that was a +determination to win the day, or at least never to surrender to the +enemy. + +The captains commanded on their quarterdecks; the boatswains in the +forecastle; the gunners attended to the magazines, and the carpenters +with their plug-shots, put themselves in readiness with high-wrought +energy, nor were the seamen and marines a whit behind hand in entering +on their several duties. The guns, the tackle, the round, grape, and +canister-shot, the powder-boys, the captains of guns, with their +priming-boxes, and the officers with their drawn swords, cut an imposing +appearance; and the cock-pit would have made a rudy face turn pale. + +The wounded are all taken down into the cock-pit. It will hardly bear +thinking about. But in the cockpit were laid out ready for use, wine, +water, and surgeon's instruments, with napkins, basins, sponges, and +bandages. + +The combined fleets of France and Spain, at Trafalgar, under +Villenueve, the French admiral, a brave and skilful man, were in the +form of a crescent, and the two British lines ran down upon them +parallel to each other. As soon as the British van was within gunshot +the enemy opened their fire. The Royal Sovereign soon rounded to under +the stern of the Santa Anna, and Admiral Nelson's ship, the Victory, +laid herself on board the Redoubtable. From that moment the roaring of +guns, the crash against the sides of the ships, clouds of smoke, +splintered yards, and falling masts, were the order of the day. + +The death warrant of the navy of France was signed and sealed by the +fight of Trafalgar. In the heat of the action, a ball, fired from the +mizzen-top of the Redoubtable, struck Admiral Nelson on the left +shoulder, when he instantly fell. "They have done for me, at last, +Hardy," said he, to his captain. + +Though mortally wounded, he gave some necessary direction concerning the +ship, and when carried below inquired earnestly how the battle went on. +When he knew that the victory had been gained--for twenty ships in all +struck to the British admiral--he expressed himself satisfied. "Now I am +satisfied," said he; "thank God, I have done my duty!" Many times he +repeated this expression, and "Thank God I have done my duty;" and "Kiss +me, Hardy," were among the last words that were uttered by his lips. +Thus, with a heart full of patriotism, died the bravest commander, the +most vigilant seaman, and the most ardent friend of his country, that +every led on a British fleet to victory. + +[Illustration: DEATH OF NELSON.] + +Even amid the exultation of victory, a grateful country mourned his +loss. A bountiful provision was made for his family; a public funeral +was awarded to his remains, and monuments in the principal cities of his +native land were erected to his memory. A sorrowing nation lamented over +his bier, and Britania, indeed, felt that old England's defender was +numbered with the dead. + +[Illustration: BALBOA DISCOVERING THE PACIFIC OCEAN.] + + + + +DISCOVERY OF THE PACIFIC OCEAN. + + +Vasco Nunes de Balboa, a Spaniard, as you see by his name, was born in +1475. He was one of the adventurers who pursued the path which Columbus +had pointed out. He led a party of Spaniards, who going out from Darien +founded a colony in the neighboring regions. Some gold being found the +Spaniards got into a violent quarrel. + +[Illustration: THE INDIAN CHIEF DISGUSTED AT THE SPANIARDS.] + +One of the Indian chiefs being present, was so disgusted at this, that +he struck the scales with which they were weighing it so hard with his +fist, that the gold was scattered all about. + +"Why," said he, "do you quarrel for such a trifle? If you really value +gold so highly, as to leave your own homes, and come and seize the lands +and dwellings of others for the sake of it, I can tell you of a land +where you may find it in plenty. Beyond those lofty mountains," said he, +pointing to the south-west, "lies a mighty sea, which people sail on +with vessels almost as big as yours. All the streams that flow from the +other side of these mountains abound in gold, and all the utensils of +the people are made of gold." + +This was enough for Balboa. He inquired of the Indian the best way of +getting across the mountains, to find this land of gold. The Indian +kindly told him every thing he knew, but at the same time warned him not +to go over there, for the Indians were many and were fierce, and would +eat human flesh. But Balboa was not to be discouraged. He collected a +band of one hundred and ninety bold and hardy men, armed with swords, +targets, and cross-bows, and some blood-hounds, (for, strange to tell, +the Spaniards had trained fierce dogs to hunt the Indians, and even the +mild Bilboa was not ashamed to use them,) and so he set out on his +expedition to the west. + +Embarking with his men, September 1st, 1513, at the village of Darien, +in a brigantine and nine large canoes, he sailed along the coast to the +north-west, to Coyba, where the young Indian chief lived, and where the +Isthmus of Darien is narrowest. He had taken a few friendly Indians with +him, as guides; and the young chief furnished him with a few more on his +arrival. Then leaving half his own men at Coyba, to guard the brigantine +and canoes, he began his march for the mountains, and through the +terrible wilderness. + +It was the 6th of September. The heat was excessive, and the journey +toilsome and difficult. They had to climb rocky precipices, struggle +through close and tangled forests, and cross marshes, which the great +rains had rendered almost impassable. September 8th, they passed an +Indian village at the foot of the mountains, but the inhabitants did not +molest them; on the contrary they fled into the forests. + +Here some of the men became exhausted, from the great heat and +travelling in the marshes. These were sent back, by slow marches, in the +care of guides, to Coyba. On the 20th of September they again set +forward. + +The wilderness was so craggy, and the forest trees and underwood so +matted together, that in four days they only advanced about thirty +miles, and they now began to suffer from hunger. They also met with many +rapid foaming streams, to cross some of which they had to stop and build +rafts. + +Now it was that they met with a numerous tribe of Indians, who, armed +with bows and arrows, and clubs of palm wood, almost as hard as iron, +gave them battle. But the Spaniards, although comparatively few in +numbers, with their fire-arms and bloodhounds and the aid of the +friendly Indians who were with them, soon put them to flight, and took +possession of their village. Balboa's men robbed the village of all its +gold and silver, and of every thing valuable in it; and even he himself, +whose heart the love of gold had begun already to harden, shared with +his men the plunder. + +It was a dear bought victory, however; for though the Indians had lost +six hundred of their number in the contest, they could easily recruit +their forces. But Balboa, whose band was now reduced, by sickness and +the contest, from ninety-five men to sixty-seven, had no means of adding +to their strength, but was forced to proceed with what forces he had. + +Early the next morning after the battle, they set out on their journey +up the mountain. About ten o'clock they came out of the tangled forest, +and reached an open space, where they enjoyed the cool breezes of the +mountains. They now began to take a little courage. Their joy was +heightened still more, when they heard one of the Indian guides exclaim, +"The sea! the sea!" + +Balboa commanded his men to stop; and resolving to be the first European +who should behold this new sea, he forbade his men to stir from their +places till he called them. Then ascending to the summit of the height, +which the Indian had mounted, he beheld the sea glittering in the +morning sun. + +Calling now upon his little troop to ascend the height, and view the +noble prospect along with him, "behold," said he, "the rich reward of +our toil. This is a sight upon which no Spaniard's eye ever before +rested." And in their great joy the leader and his men embraced each +other. + +Balboa then took possession of the sea and coast, and the surrounding +country, in the name of the King of Spain; and having cut down a tree, +and made it into the form of a cross--for they were Catholics--he set it +up on the very spot where he first beheld the grand Pacific Ocean. He +also made a high mound, by heaping up large stones, upon which he carved +the king's name. This was on September 26th, 1513. + +Not content with seeing the ocean, Balboa determined to visit it. +Arriving, after much toil, at one of the bays on the coast, he called it +St. Michael's Bay. Coming to a beach a mile or two long, "If this is a +sea," said he, "it will soon be covered with water; let us wait and see +if there be a tide." So he seated himself under a tree, and the water +soon began to flow. He tasted it and found it salt; and then waded up to +his knees in it, and took possession of it in the name of his king. + +[Illustration: DEATH OF BALBOA.] + +Balboa's heart was now so lifted up by success, and his whole nature so +changed, that he was ready to fight and destroy every Indian tribe that +opposed his progress. But he had not always the best of it. On one +occasion he was lost, with one or two followers, and having been seized +by some natives, carried immediately before their cazique, or chief. He +was seated on a raised seat, covered with a panther's skin, and bore a +single feather of the vulture upon his head. Beside him stood his +slaves, to fan him, and screen his head from the sun, and around him +warriors, with the sculls of their enemies fixed upon their spears: +which made the whole scene very horrible. + +Balboa humbled himself before the chief; and taking off his coat, +profusely decorated, offered it as a peace offering. The cazique would +not accept it, but said, "You are poor and desolate--I am rich and +powerful. I will not hurt you, though you are my enemy." He then ordered +him safe conduct through the forests; and Balboa regained his own +people, the Spaniards, in safety. This escape softened Balboa's heart, +and he never afterwards treated the Indians with the same severity. + +After many victories, and many other singular escapes, he returned back +to Coyba. But the sufferings of his men, in returning, were extreme, for +want both of water and provisions. The streams were most of them dried +up, and provisions could not be found. Gold they indeed had, almost as +much as they could carry, and the Indians kept bringing them more; but +this they could not eat or drink, and it would not buy what was not to +be bought. + +He arrived at Darien after about two months' absence, having lost nearly +all his men, by war and sickness. His discovery made a great noise, and +procured him much honor, but he did not live to enjoy it. + +A new governor was appointed in his place, who, having a mortal hatred +to Balboa, threw him into prison, and, after a mock trial, had him +beheaded, in 1517, in his 48th year. + +[Illustration: ADMIRAL KEPPEL.] + + + + +ADMIRAL KEPPEL AND THE DEY OF ALGIERS. + + +When Admiral Keppel was sent to the Dey of Algiers, to demand +restitution of two ships which the pirates had taken, he sailed with his +squadron into the Bay of Algiers, and cast anchor in front of the Dey's +palace. He then landed, and, attended only by his captain and barge's +crew, demanded an immediate audience of the Dey. This being granted, he +claimed full satisfaction for the injuries done to the subjects of his +Britannic Majesty. Surprised and enraged at the boldness of the +admiral's remonstrance, the Dey exclaimed, "that he wondered at the +English King's insolence in sending him a foolish, beardless boy." A +well-timed reply from the admiral made the Dey forget the laws of all +nations in respect to ambassadors, and he ordered his mutes to attend +with the bow-string, at the same time telling the admiral he should pay +for his audacity with his life. Unmoved by this menace, the admiral took +the Dey to the window facing the bay, and showed him the English fleet +riding at anchor, and told him that if he dared put him to death there +were men enough in that fleet to make him a glorious funeral-pile. The +Dey was wise enough to take the hint. The admiral obtained ample +restitution, and came off in safety. + +[Illustration: LOSS OF THE CATARAQUE.] + + + + +LOSS OF THE CATARAQUE. + + +The Cataraque, Captain C.W. Findlay, sailed from Liverpool, on the 20th +of April, 1849, with three hundred and sixty emigrants, and a crew +including two doctors, (brothers,) of forty-six souls. The emigrants +were principally from Bedfordshire, Staffordshire, Yorkshire, and +Northamptonshire. About one hundred and twenty of the passengers were +married, with families, and in all seventy-three children. + +On the 3d of August, at seven o'clock in the evening, the ship was hove +to, and continued lying to until three A.M. of the 4th. At half past +four, being quite dark, and raining hard, blowing a fearful gale, the +ship struck on a reef, situated on the west coast of King's Island, at +the entrance of Bass's Straights. + +Immediately after the ship struck, she was sounded, and it was +ascertained that there was four feet of water in the hold. An awful +scene of confusion and misery ensued. All the passengers attempted to +rush upon deck, and many succeeded in doing so, until the heaving of the +vessel knocked down the ladders, when the shrieks from below, calling on +those on deck to assist them were terrific. The crew were on deck the +moment the ship struck, and were instantly employed in handing up the +passengers. Up to the time the vessel began breaking up, the crew +succeeded in getting upwards of three hundred passengers on deck. But a +terrible fate awaited the greater part of them. + +The day dawned. The stern of the vessel was found to be washed in, and +numerous dead bodies were found floating round the ship; some clinging +to the rocks which they had grasped in despair. About two hundred of the +passengers and crew held on to the vessel, although the raging sea was +breaking over her, and every wave washed some of them to a watery grave. +In this manner, kindred were separated, while those who remained could +only expect the same fate to reach them. Things continued in this +condition until four in the afternoon, when the vessel parted amidships, +at the fore part of the main rigging, and immediately between seventy +and a hundred persons were thrown into the waves. Thus the insatiable +ocean swallowed its prey piece-meal. About five, the wreck parted by the +fore-rigging, and so many persons were thrown into the sea, that only +seventy were left on the forecastle, they being lashed to the wreck. +Even these were gradually diminished in number, some giving out from +exhaustion, and others anticipating fate, by drowning themselves. + +When day dawned, on the following morning, only about thirty persons +were left alive, and these were almost exhausted. The sea was making a +clean breach into the forecastle, the deck of which was rapidly breaking +up. Parents and children, husbands and wives, were seen floating around +the vessel, many in an embrace, which even the ocean's power could not +sunder. The few who remained alive could only look up to heaven for a +hope of safety. Soon after daylight, the vessel totally disappeared, and +out of four hundred and twenty-three persons who had been on board the +vessel, only nine were saved by being washed on shore, and these were +nearly exhausted. + +[Illustration: LOSS OF THE FRANCIS SPAIGHT.] + + + + +LOSS OF THE FRANCIS SPAIGHT. + + +On the morning of the 7th of January, 1848, the barque Francis Spaight, +lying in Table Bay, at the Cape of Good Hope, parted her anchor, and in +attempting to beat out, grounded, broadside on the beach. The gale at +the time she struck was furious, and the surf tremendous, making a clean +breach over the vessel, carrying away the bulwark, long boat, main +hatch, and part of the deck, with one of the crew. + +The shore was thronged with the inhabitants of Cape Town, anxious for +the fate of the vessel. An attempt was made to send a rope from the land +to the wreck, but the rope broke. Rockets were fired with lines +attached, and one was thrown across the foremast stay, where none of the +men could reach it, on account of the fearful rolling of the sea. After +some extraordinary delay, a whale boat was brought from the town, and +manned by six daring fellows, who dashed through the surf, and were soon +alongside the vessel. + +All except the carpenter, fifteen in number, got into the boat, and +pushed off. At this moment a terrific sea upset the boat, and twenty-one +persons were struggling in the surf for life. The people on the beach +were horror-stricken; and men on horseback were seen plunging into the +sea, risking their lives to save their fellow-creatures; but eighteen +sunk to rise no more. The masts of the vessel fell with a tremendous +crash, but the carpenter still clung to the wreck. At length a +surf-boat, towed by a smaller one, proceeded towards the wreck. One of +these boats was capsized, and two lives lost. But the carpenter was +rescued. This man, (James Robertson,) and John McLeod, seaman, were all +of the crew that reached the shore. The inhabitants of Cape Town were +all anxiety in regard to the fate of the vessel; and those daring heroes +who sacrificed themselves for the sake of their fellow men were worthy +of a monument as lofty as those erected to the bravest warriors. + +The place where the Francis Spaight went ashore had been, a short time +previous, the scene of a far more terrible disaster. This was the wreck +of the ship Waterloo, by which two hundred persons were lost, in spite +of the most extraordinary and heroic exertions on the part of the +inhabitants of Cape Town. + +The bay is very much exposed to storms, and its shores are particulary +dangerous, on account of their shelving character. The Francis Spaight +had just put into the bay for the purpose of obtaining a supply of +provisions, and it was intended that she should sail the next day. But +the Ruler of the elements intended it otherwise. Her cargo was nearly a +total loss. + + + + +LOSS OF THE GOLDEN RULE. + + +The ship Golden Rule, Captain Austin, sailed from Wiscasset, with a +cargo of timber, September, 8, 1807. + +On the 29th, she experienced a severe gale from the south-east; and at +eight o'clock, A.M., they discovered that she had sprung a leak, and +had four feet of water in her hold; at nine it had increased to eight +feet, notwithstanding they had two pumps going, and were throwing her +deck load overboard, which they were enabled to do very slowly, from the +sea driving the planks about the deck, and wounding the crew. + +About ten o'clock, the water had risen to twelve feet, and the gale had +also evidently increased; the crew and all on board were quite +exhausted; and on going into the cabin they found she was welling fast. +The main and mizzen masts were now cut away, to prevent her upsetting, +and she was quite clear of her deck load. At eleven o'clock she was full +up to her main deck, and all her bulk heads were knocked away. + +It now occurred to some of the crew, to endeavor to save some bread; and +Mr. Boyd, the first mate, with great resolution, went into the cabin and +gave out some bread, and two bottles of rum; but so rapidly did she +fill, from the timber of her cargo shifting, that he was forced to break +through the sky-light to save himself. Their small stock of provisions +was now put into the binnacle, as a secure place. It had been there but +a few minutes, when a tremendous sea struck them, and carried away the +binnacle. + +They had now little hope left--the wheel was broken, and they proceeded +to secure themselves as well as they could, some in the fore-top, and +the rest were lashing themselves to the taffrail; before they could +accomplish the latter plan, another sea, if possible, more heavy than +the former, hurried them all from their places, and washed two of the +men overboard; they were seen swimming for the ship, a short time, when +a wave hurried them from the sight of their lamenting comrades. + +They now endeavored to keep the ship before the wind, which they were +partially enabled to do through the night. The next day another man died +from cold and hunger. + +The deck was now blown up, and her side stove in, all hands had given +themselves up, when, on the 30th at noon, they were roused by the cry +of "a sail!" and they had the satisfaction to see her bear down for +them. She was the brig George, of Portland; and Captain Wildridge sent +his long-boat to take them from the wreck. + + + + +DANGERS OF WHALING SHIPS AMONG ICE BERGS. + + +The masses of ice by which the ocean is traversed assume a vast variety +of shapes, but may be comprehended in two general classes. The first +consists of sheets of ice, analogous to those which annually cover the +the lakes and rivers of northern lands. They present a surface which is +generally level, but here and there diversified by projections, called +_hummocks_, which arise from the ice having been thrown up by some +pressure or force to which it has been subject. Sheets of ice, which are +so large that their whole extent of surface cannot be seen from the +masthead of a vessel, are called _fields_. They have sometimes an area +of more than a hundred square miles, and rise above the level of the sea +from two to eight feet. When a piece of ice, though of a considerable +size, can be distinguished in its extent, it is termed a _floe_. A +number of sheets, large or small, joining each other, and stretching out +in any particular direction, constitute a _stream_. Captain Cook found a +stream extending across Behring's Straits, connecting eastern Asia with +the western extremity of North America. Owing to the vast extent of some +fields of ice, they would undoubtedly be conducted to a lower latitude +in the Atlantic before their dissolution, under the influence of a +warmer climate, but for the intervention of other causes. It frequently +happens that two masses are propelled against each other, and are both +shivered into fragments by the violence of the concussion. The ordinary +swell of the ocean also acts with tremendous power upon a large tract, +especially when it has been so thawed as to have become thin, and breaks +it up into a thousand smaller pieces in a very short period. The danger +of being entrapped between two ice-fields coming into contact with each +other is one of the perils which the navigator has frequently to +encounter in the northern seas; and fatal to his vessel and his life has +the occurrence often been, while in a vast number of instances escape +has seemed almost miraculous. + +"At half-past six," says Captain Ross, relating to his first voyage of +discovery, in the Isabella, to the arctic regions, with Captain Parry, +in the Alexander, "the ice began to move, and, the wind increasing to a +gale, the only chance left for us was to endeavor to force the ship +through it to the north, where it partially opened; but the channel was +so much obstructed by heavy fragments, that our utmost efforts were +ineffectual; the ice closed in upon us, and at noon we felt its pressure +most severely. A large floe, which lay on one side of the Isabella, +appeared to be fixed; while, on the other side, another of considerable +bulk was passing along with a rapid motion, assuming a somewhat circular +direction, in consequence of one side having struck on the fixed field. +The pressure continuing to increase, it became doubtful whether the ship +would be able to sustain it; every support threatened to give way, the +beams in the hold began to bend, and the iron tanks settled together. + +"At this critical moment, when it seemed impossible for us to bear the +accumulating pressure much longer, the hull rose several feet; while the +ice, which was more than six feet thick, broke against the sides, +curling back on itself. The great stress now fell upon our bow; and, +after being again lifted up, we were carried with great violence towards +the Alexander which had hitherto been, in a great measure, defended by +the Isabella. Every effort to avoid their getting foul of each other +failed; the ice-anchors and cables broke one after another; and the +sterns of the two ships came so violently into contact, as to crush to +pieces a boat that could not be removed in time. The collision was +tremendous, the anchors and chain-plates being broken, and nothing less +than the loss of the masts expected; but at this eventful instant, by +the interposition of Providence, the force of the ice seemed exhausted; +the two fields suddenly receded, and we passed the Alexander with +comparatively little damage. A clear channel soon after opened, and we +ran into a pool, thus escaping the immediate danger; but the fall of +snow being very heavy, our situation still remained doubtful, nor could +we conjecture whether we were yet in a place of safety. Neither the +masters, the mates, nor those men who had been all their lives in the +Greenland service, had ever experienced such imminent peril; and they +declared, that a common whaler must have been crushed to atoms." + +Captain Scoresby relates a similar narrow escape from destruction owing +to the same cause. "In the year 1804," he observes, "I had an +opportunity of witnessing the effects produced by the lesser masses in +motion. Passing between two fields of ice newly formed, about a foot in +thickness, they were observed rapidly to approach each other, and, +before our ship could pass the strait, they met with a velocity of three +or four miles per hour. The one overlaid the other, and presently +covered many acres of surface. The ship proving an obstacle to the +course of the ice, it squeezed up on both sides, shaking her in a +dreadful manner, and producing a loud grinding or lengthened acute +trembling noise, according as the degree of pressure was diminished or +increased, until it had risen as high as the deck. After about two hours +the motion ceased, and soon afterwards the two sheets of ice receded +from each other nearly as rapidly as they had before advanced. The ship +in this case did not receive any injury; but, had the ice only been half +a foot thicker, she might have been wrecked." Other navigators have not +been so fortunate; and the annual loss of whaling vessels in the polar +seas is considerable, the Dutch having had as many as seventy-three sail +of ships wrecked in one season. Between the years 1669 and 1778, both +inclusive, or a period of one hundred and seven years, they sent to the +Greenland fishery fourteen thousand one hundred and sixty-seven ships, +of which five hundred and sixty-one, or about four in the hundred, were +lost. + +Every one will remember the intense and mournful interest occasioned by +the loss of the President steamer which left New York in the year 1841 +to cross the Atlantic, but perished in the passage, without leaving a +survivor to tell the story of her fate. It has been deemed highly +probable that this vessel got entangled in the ice, and was destroyed by +collision with its masses; for during that year, in the month of April, +the Great Western steamer encountered a field extending upwards of a +hundred miles in one direction, surrounded with an immense number of +floes and bergs, and had great difficulty in effecting its passage by +this floating continent in safety. + +Another form under which the ice appears in the ocean is that of bergs, +which differ from the ice-fields in shape and origin. They are masses +projecting to a great height above the surface of the water, and have +the appearance of chalk or marble cliffs and mountains upon the deep. +They have been seen with an elevation of two hundred feet--a +circumference of two miles: and it has been shown by experiments on the +buoyancy of ice floating in sea water, that the proportion above the +surface is only about one-seventh of the thickness of the whole mass. +During the first expedition of Ross, he found an ice berg in Baffin's +Bay, at a distance of seven leagues from the land, which was measured by +a party under Lieutenant Parry. Considerable difficulty was experienced +in the attempt to land, as, in rowing round the berg, they found it +perpendicular in every place but one. When they had ascended to the +top, which was perfectly flat, they discovered a white bear in quiet +possession of the mass, who plunged into the sea without hesitation, and +effected his escape. The party found the ice berg to be four thousand +one hundred and sixty-nine yards long, three thousand eight hundred and +sixty-nine yards broad, and fifty-one feet high, being aground in +sixty-one fathoms. Its appearance was like that of the back of the Isle +of Wight, and the cliffs resembled those of the chalk range to the west +of Dover. The weight of this mass was calculated to amount to one +billion two hundred and ninety two millions three hundred and ninety +seven thousand six hundred and seventy-three tons. + +[Illustration: A WHITE BEAR.] + +An ice berg examined by Captain Graah, on the east coast of Greenland, +rose one hundred and twenty feet out of the water, had a circumference +of four thousand feet at the base, and its solid contents were estimated +to be upwards of nine hundred millions of cubic feet. When viewed at a +distance, nothing can be more interesting than the appearance of a +considerable number of these formations, exhibiting an infinite variety +of shape, and requiring no stretch of imagination to convert them into a +series of floating towers, castles, churches, obelisks, and pyramids, or +a snowy range of Alpine heights. No pencil, an observer has remarked, +has ever given any thing like the true effect of an ice berg. In a +picture they are huge, uncouth masses, stuck in the sea; while their +chief beauty and grandeur--their slow stately motion, the whirling of +the snow about their summits, and the fearful crackling of their +parts--they cannot give. The ice of the bergs is compact and solid, or +of a fine green tint verging to blue; and large pieces may be frequently +obtained, equal to the most beautiful crystal in transparency. It is +stated by Scoresby, that with a portion of this ice, of by no means +regular convexity, used as a burning lens, he has frequently burnt wood, +fired gunpowder, melted lead, and lit the sailors' pipes, to their no +small astonishment, the ice itself remaining in the mean while perfectly +fixed and pellucid. + + + + +MASSACRE OF THE CREW OF THE ATAHUALPA. + + +The Atahualpa, of Boston, left that port in August, 1803, bound to the +north-west coast of America, for the purpose of trading with the +natives. She arrived on the coast in the month of January, 1804; and, +after visiting the several islands, and purchasing skins, on the 5th of +June, 1805, weighed anchor from Chockokee, on the north-west coast, and +made sail. On the 8th, arrived at Millbank sound, and came to an anchor +within musket-shot of the village. Soon after her arrival, the chief of +the Indians, by the name of Keite, came off to the ship, with some of +his tribe, and informed the captain that the Caroline, Captain Sturgess, +had sailed from thence ten days before. + +On the 11th, the chief came off again, with his tribe, and another tribe +that was there, and traded very briskly till towards night, when +becoming very insolent, they were all turned out of the ship. + +On the 13th, Keite and his tribe came on board in the morning, and +seemed much more desirous to trade than before, which Captain Porter was +very glad to see. The chief mate and two of the ship's company, were +then engaged in ripping the main-sail in pieces, on the quarter-deck; +the second mate with two hands was repairing the top-sail; two on the +starboard side of the main-deck, spinning spun yarn; two more on the +forecastle, making sinnet; two more on the larboard side of the +main-deck, running shot in the armorer's forge; the cooper was making +tubs; the cook, and captain's steward in the galley, at their duty; and +all hands, as usual, employed on the ship's duty; the armorer was in the +steerage, and the boatswain in the cabin; Captain Porter, Mr. Ratstraw, +his clerk, and Mr. Lyman Plummer, (nephew of Theodore Lyman, Esq. of +Boston, ship owner,) were standing on the larboard side of the +quarter-deck, abreast of the cabin hatchway. + +The chief, Keite, stood leaning on the rail, and called Captain Porter +to look at the skins that were in the canoe, alongside the ship; the +captain accordingly went to look over the side, when the chief, with +some more Indians, laid hold of him, and gave a shout. Immediately all +the Indians alongside of the canoe, and those on board, armed with +daggers, pistols, pikes, and other weapons, seized every man on deck, +who were totally unprepared for so sudden an attack. A most dreadful and +sanguinary contest immediately took place; when, after a short but +bloody engagement of about five minutes, the deck was immediately +cleared of them. + +There were about two hundred Indians, it is supposed, on board at this +time; they first daggered Captain Porter several times in the back, put +him in a canoe alongside, and carried him on shore; and, as we were +afterwards informed by Captain Smith, of the ship Mary, of Boston, who +was informed by the New Hecta tribe, was by them tied to a tree, in +which unhappy and miserable situation he languished fifteen days, +refusing every species of nourishment offered him by these savages, +occasioned by his grief at this unfortunate accident. + +Previous to this fatal business, there were twenty-three hands on board; +ten of whom were barbarously killed, and nine wounded. Among the killed +were, Captain Oliver Porter, Mr. John Hill, chief mate; Daniel Gooding, +second mate; John D. Katstraw, captain's clerk; Mr. Lyman Plummer, Peter +Shooner, Luther Lapham, Samuel Lapham, seamen; Isaac Lammes, cooper; and +John Williams, cook. Mr. Lyman Plummer survived about two hours after +he was wounded. The cook, who was most shockingly cut and mangled, +languished till about six o'clock the next morning. + +Among the wounded were, Ebenezer Baker, seaman, most dangerously, with +daggers, he having two stabs in his left thigh, one in his groin, one in +his back, one in his breast, and one in his neck; Henry Thompson, +seaman, very dangerously, with daggers, having one wound on the right +side, one on the left shoulder, another on the left arm, and two or +three smaller ones on the same arm, one on the right temple, and another +on the left cheek; Ebenezer Williams, seaman, had three wounds in his +thigh, with daggers,--two on his back, and one on the right shoulder +with a boarding-pike; Luke Bates, seamen, one wound on the right +shoulder with a boarding-pike; Joseph Robinson, carpenter, wounded on +the left breast; Thomas Edwards, steward, stabbed on the left shoulder; +W. Walker had two stabs, with daggers, in his back. + +After the deck was cleared of these sanguinary savages, several guns +were fired at the village, the sails were loosened, stream-cable cut, +and the ship put to sea. The same night they got under weigh, seven +large war-canoes hove in sight, with about thirty Indians in each. In +this deplorable condition, with only four or five hands on board capable +of duty, the Atahualpa shaped her course for New Heita; but the wind +chopping round, put about, and stood to the westward. + +On the 17th, it was thought time to bury the dead, when, after having +sewed them up, and got them ready for interment, prayers were read. They +were then buried in Queen Charlotte's Sound. + +It cannot be ascertained with any degree of accuracy, how many of the +Indians were killed in this dreadful contest. It is supposed, however, +that the number must have exceeded forty; for a large canoe being under +the ship's bow, with about twenty Indians in her, who were cutting a +cable, a swivel and several muskets were fired into her, and but one of +the Indians reached the shore in safety. + +During the conflict with the savages, there were two barrels of powder +unheaded, and a loaded pistol prepared and given to a person who stood +ready, should they get into the cabin, and secure to themselves the +ship, to fire into it, and blow the whole up, preferring to die in that +manner rather than fall into the hands of such merciless wretches. + +[Illustration: SHIPWRECK OF THE BLENDENHALL.] + + + + +SHIPWRECK OF THE BLENDENHALL. + + +In the year 1821, the Blendenhall, free trader, bound from England for +Bombay, partly laden with broad-cloths, was proceeding on her voyage +with every prospect of a successful issue. While thus pursuing her way +through the Atlantic, she was unfortunately driven from her course, by +adverse winds and currents, more to the southward and westward than was +required, and it became desirable to reach the island of Tristan +d'Acunha, in order to ascertain and rectify the reckoning. This island, +which is called after the Portuguese admiral who first discovered it, is +one of a group of three, the others being the Inaccessible and +Nightingale Islands, situated many hundreds of miles from any land, and +in a south-westerly direction from the Cape of Good Hope. The shores are +rugged and precipitous in the extreme, and form, perhaps, the most +dangerous coast upon which any vessel could be driven. + +It was while steering to reach this group of islands, that, one morning, +a passenger on board the Blendenhall, who chanced to be upon deck +earlier than usual, observed great quantities of sea-weed occasionally +floating alongside. This excited some alarm, and a man was immediately +sent aloft to keep a good look-out. The weather was then extremely hazy, +though moderate; the weeds continued; all were on the alert; they +shortened sail, and the boatswain piped for breakfast. In less than ten +minutes, "breakers ahead!" startled every soul, and in a moment all were +on deck. "Breakers starboard! breakers larboard! breakers all around," +was the ominous cry a moment afterwards, and all was confusion. The +words were scarcely uttered, when, and before the helm was up, the +ill-fated ship struck, and after a few tremendous shocks against the +sunken reef, she parted about mid-ship. Ropes and stays were cut +away--all rushed forward, as if instinctively, and had barely reached +the forecastle, when the stern and quarter-deck broke asunder with a +violent crash, and sunk to rise no more. Two of the seamen miserably +perished--the rest, including officers, passengers and crew, held on +about the head and bows--the struggle was for life! + +At this moment, the Inaccessible Island, which till then had been veiled +in thick clouds and mist, appeared frowning above the haze. The wreck +was more than two miles from the frightful shore. The base of the +island was still buried in impenetrable gloom. In this perilous +extremity, one was for cutting away the anchor, which had been got up to +the cat-head in time of need; another was for cutting down the foremast +(the foretop-mast being already by the board.) The fog totally +disappeared, and the black rocky island stood in all its rugged +deformity before their eyes. Suddenly the sun broke out in full +splendor, as if to expose more clearly to the view of the sufferers +their dreadful predicament. Despair was in every bosom--death, arrayed +in all its terrors, seemed to hover over the wreck. But exertion was +required, and every thing that human energy could devise was effected. +The wreck, on which all eagerly clung, was fortunately drifted by the +tide and wind between ledges of sunken rocks and thundering breakers, +until, after the lapse of several hours, it entered the only spot on the +island where a landing was possibly practicable, for all the other parts +of the coast consisted of perpendicular cliffs of granite, rising from +amidst the deafening surf to the height of twenty, forty, and sixty +feet. As the shore was neared, a raft was prepared, and on this a few +paddled for the cove. At last the wreck drove right in: ropes were +instantly thrown out, and the crew and passengers, (except two who had +been crushed in the wreck,) including three ladies and a female +attendant, were snatched from the watery grave, which a few short hours +before had appeared inevitable, and safely landed on the beach. Evening +had now set in, and every effort was made to secure whatever could be +saved from the wreck. Bales of cloth, cases of wine, a few boxes of +cheese, some hams, the carcass of a milch cow that had been washed on +shore, buckets, tubs, butts, a seaman's chest, (containing a tinder-box +and needles and thread,) with a number of elegant mahogany turned +bed-posts, and part of an investment for the India market, were got on +shore. The rain poured down in torrents--all hands were busily at work +to procure shelter from the weather; and with the bed-posts and +broad-cloths, and part of the foresail, as many tents were soon pitched +as there were individuals on the island. + +Drenched with the sea and with the rain, hungry, cold, and comfortless, +thousands of miles from their native land, almost beyond expectation of +human succor, hope nearly annihilated,--the shipwrecked voyagers retired +to their tents. In the morning the wreck had gone to pieces; and planks, +and spars, and whatever had floated in, were eagerly dragged on shore. +No sooner was the unfortunate ship broken up, than deeming themselves +freed from the bonds of authority, many began to secure whatever came to +land: and the captain, officers, passengers, and crew, were now reduced +to the same level, and obliged to take their turn to fetch water, and +explore the island for food. The work of exploring was soon over--there +was not a bird, nor a quadruped, nor a single tree to be seen. All was +barren and desolate. The low parts were scattered over with stones and +sand, and a few stunted weeds, rocks, ferns, and other plants. The top +of the mountain was found to consist of a fragment of original +table-land, very marshy, and full of deep sloughs, intersected with +small rills of water, pure and pellucid as crystal, and a profusion of +wild parsley and celery. The prospect was one dreary scene of +destitution, without a single ray of hope to relieve the misery of the +desponding crew. After some days, the dead cow, hams, and cheese, were +consumed; and from one end of the island to the other, not a morsel of +food could be seen. Even the celery began to fail. A few bottles of +wine, which, for security had been secreted under ground, only remained. +Famine now began to threaten. Every stone near the sea was examined for +shell-fish, but in vain. + +In this dreadful extremity, and while the half-famished seamen were at +night squatting in sullen dejection round their fires, a large lot of +sea-birds, allured by the flames, rushed into the midst of them, and +were greedily laid hold of as fast as they could be seized. For several +nights in succession, similar flocks came in; and by multiplying their +fires a considerable supply was secured. These visits, however, ceased +at length, and the wretched party were exposed again to the most severe +privation. When their stock of wild fowl had been exhausted for more +than two days, each began to fear they were now approaching that sad +point of necessity, when, between death and casting lots who should be +sacrificed to serve for food for the rest, no alternative remained. +While horror at the bare contemplation of an extremity so repulsive +occupied the thoughts of all, the horizon was observed to be suddenly +obscured, and presently clouds of penguin alighted on the island. The +low grounds were actually covered; and before the evening was dark, the +sand could not be seen for the number of eggs, which, like a sheet of +snow, lay on the surface of the earth. The penguins continued on the +island four or five days, when, as if by signal, the whole took their +flight, and were never seen again. A few were killed, but the flesh was +so extremely rank and nauseous that it could not be eaten. The eggs +were collected and dressed in all manner of ways, and supplied abundance +of food for upwards of three weeks. At the expiration of that period, +famine once more seemed inevitable; the third morning began to dawn upon +the unfortunate company after their stock of eggs were exhausted; they +had now been without food for more than forty hours, and were fainting +and dejected; when, as though this desolate rock were really a land of +miracles, a man came running up to the encampment with the unexpected +and joyful tidings that "millions of sea-cows had come on shore." The +crew climbed over the ledge of rocks that flanked their tents, and the +sight of a shoal of manatees immediately beneath them gladdened their +hearts. These came in with the flood, and were left in the puddles +between the broken rocks of the cove. This supply continued for two or +three weeks. The flesh was mere blubber, and quite unfit for food, for +not a man could retain it on his stomach; but the liver was excellent, +and on this they subsisted. In the meantime, the carpenter with his +gang had constructed a boat, and four of the men had adventured in her +for Tristan d'Acunha, in hopes of ultimately extricating their +fellow-sufferers from their perilous situation. Unfortunately the boat +was lost--whether carried away by the violence of the currents that set +in between the islands, or dashed to pieces against the breakers, was +never known, for no vestige of the boat or crew was ever seen. Before +the manatees, however, began to quit the shore, a second boat was +launched; and in this an officer and some seamen made a second attempt, +and happily succeeded in effecting a landing, after much labor, on the +island, where they were received with much cordiality and humanity by +Governor Glass--a personage whom it will be necessary to describe. + +Tristan d'Acunha is believed to have been uninhabited until 1811, when +three Americans took up their residence upon it, for the purpose of +cultivating vegetables, and selling the produce, particularly potatoes, +to vessels which might touch there on their way to India, the Cape, or +other parts in the southern ocean. These Americans remained its only +inhabitants till 1816, when, on Bonaparte being sent to St. Helena, the +British government deemed it expedient to garrison the island, and sent +the Falmouth man-of-war with a colony of forty persons, which arrived in +the month of August. At this time the chief of the American settlers was +dead, and two only survived; but what finally became of these we are not +informed. The British garrison was soon given up, the colony abandoned, +and all returned to the Cape of Good Hope, except a person named Glass, +a Scotchman, who had been corporal of artillery, and his wife, a Cape +Creole. One or two other families afterwards joined them, and thus the +foundation of a nation on a small scale was formed; Mr. Glass, with the +title and character of governor, like a second Robinson Crusoe, being +the undisputed chief and lawgiver of the whole. On being visited in +1825, by Mr. Augustus Earle, the little colony was found to be on the +increase, a considerable number of children having been born since the +period of settlement. The different families inhabited a small village, +consisting of cottages covered with thatch made of the long grass of the +island, and exhibiting an air of comfort, cleanliness, and plenty, truly +English. + +It was to this island that the boat's crew of the Blendenhall had bent +their course, and its principal inhabitant, Governor Glass, showed them +every mark of attention, not only on the score of humanity, but because +they were fellow-subjects of the same power--for, be it known, Glass did +not lay claim to independent monarchy, but always prayed publicly for +King George as his lawful sovereign. On learning the situation of the +crew, on Inaccessible Island, he instantly launched his boat, and unawed +by considerations of personal danger, hastened, at the risk of his life, +to deliver his shipwrecked countrymen from the calamities they had so +long endured. He made repeated trips, surmounted all difficulties, and +fortunately succeeded in safely landing them on his own island, after +they had been exposed for nearly three months to the horrors of a +situation almost unparalleled in the recorded sufferings of seafaring +men. + +After being hospitably treated by Glass and his company for three +months, the survivors obtained a passage to the Cape, all except a young +sailor named White, who had formed an attachment to one of the servant +girls on board, and who, in all the miseries which had been endured, had +been her constant protector and companion; whilst gratitude on her part +prevented her wishing to leave him. Both chose to remain, and were +forthwith adopted as free citizens of the little community. + + + + +SHIPWRECK OF THE MEDUSA. + + +On the 17th of June, 1816, the Medusa, French frigate, commanded by +Captain Chaumareys, and accompanied by three smaller vessels, sailed +from the island of Aix, for the coast of Africa, in order to take +possession of some colonies. The first accident she encountered was off +Cape Finisterre, when one of the crew fell into the sea; and from the +apathy of his companions, their want of promptitude in manoeuvring, with +the want of every precaution, he was left to perish. On the tenth day of +sailing, there appeared an error of thirty leagues in the reckoning. On +the 1st of July, they entered the tropics; and there, with a childish +disregard to danger, and knowing that she was surrounded by all the +unseen perils of the ocean, her crew performed the ceremony usual to the +occasion, while the vessel was running headlong on destruction. The +captain, presided over the disgraceful scene of merriment, leaving the +ship to the command of a Mons. Richefort, who had passed the ten +preceding years of his life in an English prison--a few persons on board +remonstrated in vain; though it was ascertained that they were on the +banks of Arguise, she continued her course, and heaved the lead, without +slackening the sail. Every thing denoted shallow water, but M. Richefort +persisted in saying that they were in one hundred fathoms. At that very +moment only six fathoms were found; and the vessel struck three times, +being in about sixteen feet water, and the tide full flood. At ebb-tide, +there remained but twelve feet water; and after some bungling +manoeuvres, all hope of getting the ship off was abandoned. + +When the frigate struck, she had on board six boats, of various +capacities, all of which could not contain the crew and passengers; and +a raft was constructed. A dreadful scene ensued. All scrambled out of +the wreck without order or precaution. The first who reached the boats +refused to admit any of their fellow-sufferers into them, though there +was ample room for more. Some, apprehending that a plot had been formed +to abandon them in the vessel, flew to arms. No one assisted his +companions; and Captain Chaumareys stole out of a port-hole into his own +boat, leaving a great part of the crew to shift for themselves. At +length they put off to sea, intending to steer for the sandy coast of +the desert, there to land, and thence to proceed with a caravan to the +island of St. Louis. + +The raft had been constructed without foresight or intelligence. It was +about sixty-five feet long and twenty-five broad, but the only part +which could be depended upon was the middle; and that was so small, that +fifteen persons could not lie down upon it. Those who stood on the floor +were in constant danger of slipping through between the planks; the sea +flowed in on all its sides. When one hundred and fifty passengers who +were destined to be its burden, were on board, they stood like a solid +parallelogram, without a possibility of moving; and they were up to +their waists in water. The original plan was, that as much provision as +possible should be put upon this raft; that it should be taken in tow by +the six boats; and that, at stated intervals, the crews should come on +board to receive their rations. As they left the ship, M. Correard asked +whether the charts, instruments, and sea-stores were on board; and was +told by an officer, that nothing was wanting. "And who is to command +us?" "I am to command you," answered he, "and will be with you in a +moment." The officer with these words, the last in his mouth, went on +board one of the boats, and returned no more. + +The desperate squadron had only proceeded three leagues, when a faulty, +if not treacherous manoeuvre, broke the tow-line which fastened the +captain's boat to the raft; and this became the signal to all to let +loose their cables. The weather was calm. The coast was known to be but +twelve or fifteen leagues distant; and the land was in fact discovered +by the boats on the very evening on which they abandoned the raft. They +were not therefore driven to this measure by any new perils; and the cry +of "_Nous les abandonons!_" which resounded throughout the line, was the +yell of a spontaneous and instinctive impulse of cowardice, perfidy, and +cruelty; and the impulse was as unanimous as it was diabolical. The raft +was left to the mercy of the waves; one after another, the boats +disappeared, and despair became general. Not one of the promised +articles, no provisions, except a very few casks of wine, and some +spoiled biscuit, sufficient for one single meal was found. A small +pocket compass, which chance had discovered, their last guide in a +trackless ocean, fell between the beams into the sea. As the crew had +taken no nourishment since morning, some wine and biscuit were +distributed; and this day, the first of thirteen on the raft, was the +last on which they tasted any solid food--except such as human nature +shudders at. The only thing which kept them alive was the hope of +revenge on those who had treacherously betrayed them. + +The first night was stormy; and the waves, which had free access, +committed dreadful ravages, and threatened worse. When day appeared, +twelve miserable wretches were found crushed to death between the +openings of the raft, and several more were missing; but the number +could not be ascertained, as several soldiers had taken the billets of +the dead, in order to obtain two, or even three rations. The second +night was still more dreadful, and many were washed off; although the +crew had so crowded together, that some were smothered by the mere +pressure. To soothe their last moments, the soldiers drank immoderately; +and one, who affected to rest himself upon the side, but was +treacherously cutting the ropes, was thrown into the sea. Another whom +M. Correard had snatched from the waves, turned traitor a second time, +as soon as he had recovered his senses; but he too was killed. At length +the revolted, who were chiefly soldiers, threw themselves upon their +knees, and abjectly implored mercy. At midnight, however, they rebelled +again. Those who had no arms, fought with their teeth, and thus many +severe wounds were inflicted. One was most wantonly and dreadfully +bitten above the heel, while his companions were beating him upon the +head with their carbines, before throwing him into the sea. The raft was +strewed with dead bodies, after innumerable instances of treachery and +cruelty; and from sixty to sixty-five perished that night. The force and +courage of the strongest began to yield to their misfortunes; and even +the most resolute labored under mental derangement. In the conflict, the +revolted had thrown two casks of wine, and all the remaining water, into +the sea; and it became necessary to diminish each man's share. + +A day of comparative tranquility succeeded. The survivors erected their +mast again, which had been wantonly cut down in the battle of the night; +and endeavored to catch some fish, but in vain. They were reduced to +feed on the dead bodies of their companions. A third night followed, +broken by the plaintive cries of wretches, exposed to every kind of +suffering, ten or twelve of whom died of want, and awfully foretold the +fate of the remainder. The following day was fine. Some flying fish were +caught in the raft; which, mixed up with human flesh, afforded one +scanty meal. + +A new insurrection to destroy the raft, broke out on the fourth night; +this too, was marked by perfidy, and ended in blood. Most of the rebels +were thrown into the sea. The fifth morning mustered but thirty men +alive; and these sick and wounded, with the skin of their lower +extremities corroded by the salt water. Two soldiers were detected +drinking the wine of the only remaining cask; they were instantly thrown +into the sea. One boy died, and there remained only twenty-seven; of +whom fifteen only seemed likely to live. A council of war, preceded by +the most horrid despair, was held; as the weak consumed a part of the +common store, they determined to throw them into the sea. This sentence +was put into immediate execution! and all the arms on board, which now +filled their minds with horror, were, with the exception of a single +sabre, committed to the deep. + +Distress and misery increased with an accelerated ratio; and even after +the desperate measure of destroying their companions, and eating the +most nauseous aliments, the surviving fifteen could not hope for more +than a few days' existence. A butterfly lighted on their sail the ninth +day, and though it was held to be a messenger of good, yet many a +greedy eye was cast upon it. Some sea-fowl also appeared; but it was +impossible to catch them. The misery of the survivors increased with a +rapidity which cannot be described; they even stole from each other +little goblets of urine which had been set to cool in the sea water, and +were now considered a luxury. The most trifling article of food, a +lemon, a small bottle of spirituous dentrifice, a little garlic, became +causes of contention; and every daily distribution of wine awakened a +spirit of selfishness and ferocity, which common sufferings and common +interest could not subdue into more social feelings. + +Three days more passed over in expressible anguish, when they +constructed a smaller and more manageable raft, in the hope of directing +it to the shore; but on trial it was found insufficient. On the +seventeenth day, a brig was seen; which, after exciting the vicissitudes +of hope and fear, proved to be the Argus, sent out in quest of the +Medusa. The inhabitants of the raft were all received on board, and were +again very nearly perishing, by a fire which broke out in the night. +The six boats which had so cruelly cast them adrift, reached the coast +of Africa in safety; and after many dangers among the Moors, the +survivors arrived at St. Louis. + +After this, a vessel was despatched to the wreck of the Medusa, to carry +away the money and provisions; after beating about for eight days, she +was forced to return. She again put to sea, but after being away five +days, again came back. Ten days more were lost in repairing her; and she +did not reach the spot till fifty-two days after the vessel had been +lost; and dreadful to relate, three miserable sufferers were found on +board. Sixty men had been abandoned there by their magnanimous +countrymen. All these had been carried off except seventeen, some of +whom were drunk, and others refused to leave the vessel. They remained +at peace as long as their provisions lasted. Twelve embarked on board a +raft, for Sahara, and were never more heard of. Another put to sea on a +hen-coop, and sunk immediately. Four remained behind, one of whom, +exhausted with hunger and fatigue, perished. The other three lived in +separate corners of the wreck, and never met but to run at each other +with drawn _knives_. They were put on board the vessel, with all that +could be saved from the wreck of the Medusa. + +The vessel was no sooner seen returning to St. Louis, than every heart +beat high with joy, in the hope of recovering some property. The men and +officers of the Medusa jumped on board, and asked if any thing had been +saved. "Yes," was the reply, "but it is all ours now;" and the naked +Frenchmen, whose calamities had found pity from the Moors of the desert, +were now deliberately plundered by their own countrymen. + +A fair was held in the town, which lasted eight days. The clothes, +furniture, and necessary articles of life, belonging to the men and +officers of the Medusa, were publicly sold before their faces. Such of +the French as were able, proceeded to the camp at Daceard, and the sick +remained at St. Louis. The French governor had promised them clothes +and provisions, but sent none; and during five months, they owed their +existence to strangers--to the British. + + + + +SINGULAR LOSS OF THE SHIP ESSEX, SUNK BY A WHALE. + + +The ship Essex, Captain George Pollard, sailed from Nantucket, on the +12th of August, 1819, on a whaling voyage to the Pacific Ocean. Her crew +consisted of twenty-one men, fourteen of whom were whites, mostly +belonging to Nantucket, the remainder were blacks. On the 20th of +November, 1820, in latitude 0° 40' S. longitude 119° W. a school of +whales was discovered, and in pursuing them the mate's boat was stove, +which obliged him to return to the ship, when they commenced repairing +the damage. The captain and second mate were left with their boats +pursuing the whales. During this interval the mate discovered a large +spermaceti whale, near the ship, but, not suspecting the approach of any +danger, it gave them no alarm, until they saw the whale coming with full +speed towards them. In a moment they were astonished by a tremendous +crash. The whale had struck the ship a little forward of the fore +chains. It was some minutes before the crew recovered from their +astonishment, so far as to examine whether any damage had been +sustained. They then tried their pumps, and found that the ship was +sinking. A signal was immediately set for the boats. The whale now +appeared again making for the ship, and coming with great velocity, with +the water foaming around him, he struck the ship a second blow, which +nearly stove in her bows. There was now no hope of saving the ship, and +the only course to be pursued was, to prepare to leave her with all +possible haste. They collected a few things, hove them into the boat and +shoved off. The ship immediately fell upon one side and sunk to the +water's edge. When the captain's and second mate's boat arrived, such +was the consternation, that for some time not a word was spoken. The +danger of their situation at length aroused them, as from a terrific +dream, to a no less terrific reality. They remained by the wreck two or +three days, in which time they cut away the masts, which caused her to +right a little. Holes were then cut in the deck, by which means they +obtained about six hundred pounds of bread, and as much water as they +could take, besides other articles likely to be of use to them. On the +22d of November, they left the ship, with as gloomy a prospect before +them as can well be imagined. The nearest land was about one thousand +miles to the windward of them; they were in open boats, weak and leaky, +with a very small pittance of bread and water for support of so many +men, during the time they must necessarily be at sea. Sails had been +prepared for the boats, before leaving the ship, which proved of +material benefit. Steering southerly by the wind, they hoped to fall in +with some ship, but in this they were disappointed. After being in the +boat twenty-eight days, experiencing many sufferings by gales of wind, +want of water, and scanty provisions, they arrived at Duncie's Island, +latitude 24° 40' S., longitude 124° 40' W., where they were disappointed +in not finding a sufficiency of any kind of food for so large a company +to subsist on. Their boats being very weak and leaky, they were hauled +on shore and repaired. They found a gentle spring of fresh water, +flowing out of a rock, at about half ebb of the tide, from which they +filled their kegs. Three of the men chose to stay on the island, and +take their chance for some vessel to take them off. + +On the 27th of December, they left this island, and steered for Easter +Island; but passed it far to the leeward. They then directed their +course for Juan Fernandez, which was about twenty-five hundred miles +east by south-east from them. On the 10th of January, 1821, Matthew P. +Joy, the second mate, died, and his body was launched into the deep. His +constitution was slender, and it was supposed that his sufferings, +though great, were not the immediate cause of his death. On the 12th, +the mate's boat separated from the other two, and did not fall in with +them afterwards. The situation of the mate and his crew, became daily +more and more distressing. The weather was mostly calm, the sun hot and +scorching. They were growing weaker and weaker by want of food, and yet, +such was their distance from land, that they were obliged to lessen +their allowance nearly one half. On the 20th, a black man died. + +On the 28th, they found, on calculation, that their allowance, only one +and a half ounce of bread per day to a man, would be exhausted in +fourteen days; and that this allowance was not sufficient to sustain +life. They therefore determined to extend the indulgence, and take the +consequence, whether to live or die. On the 8th of February, another of +the crew died. From this time to the 17th, their sufferings were +extreme. At seven o'clock, A.M. of that day, they were aroused from a +lethargy by the cheering cry of the steersman, "there's a sail!" The +boat was soon descried by the vessel, the brig Indian, Captain Grozier, +of London, which took them on board, latitude 33° 45' S., longitude 81° +3' W. They were treated by Captain Grozier with all the care and +tenderness which their weak condition required. On the same day they +made Massafuero, and on the 25th, arrived at Valparaiso. + +Captain Pollard and Charles Ramsdell, the only survivors in the +captain's boat, were taken up on the 23d of February, 1821, by the ship +Dauphin, of Nantucket, Captain Zimri Coffin, in latitude 37° S. off St. +Mary's. The captain relates, that, after the mate's boat was separated +from the others, they made what progress their weak condition would +permit, towards the island of Juan Fernandez, but contrary winds and +calm weather, together with the extreme debility of the crew, prevented +their making much progress. + +On the 29th of January, the second mate's boat separated from the +captain's, in the night, at which time their provisions were totally +exhausted, since which they have not been heard from. + +We shall not attempt a sketch of the sufferings of the crews of these +boats. Imagination may picture the horrors of their situation, and the +extremes to which they were driven to sustain life, but no power of the +imagination can heighten the dreadful reality. + +The following is an account of the whole crew. + +In the captain's boat but two survived, Captain Pollard and Charles +Ramsdell. In the mate's boat three survived, Owen Chase, the mate, +Benjamin Lawrence, and Thomas Nickerson. Left on Duncie's Island, and +afterwards taken off, Seth Weeks, William Wright, and Thomas Chapple. +One left the ship before the accident. In the second mate's boat, when +separated from the captain's, three. Dead, nine, which added to the +second mate's crew, doubtless lost, makes total deaths twelve. + + + + +LOSS OF THE WELLINGTON. + + +We sailed from the Cove of Cork for St. Andrews, on the 6th of October, +1833. During a passage of sixty days, all of which time we struggled +against adverse winds, nothing material occurred, save the shifting of +our ballast, (limestone,) which caused some alarm; but the promptitude +and alacrity of the crew soon set it all right. On reaching the +ballast-ground, we discharged our ballast; and after we had repaired the +rigging, we took in a cargo of deals. Here four of the men left us, and +we had to wait for others to supply their place. + +On the 23d of December we sailed on our return to Cork; mustering in all +seventeen persons, including one male and one female passenger. With a +fine stiff breeze down the bay, we soon lost sight of land, and nothing +of note occurred till the 30th, when the wind got up from the +north-west, and soon blew so heavy a gale, that we were obliged to take +in every thing but a close-reefed main-topsail, under which we scudded +till the 5th of January. All this time it blew a hurricane, principally +from the north-west, but occasionally, after a short lull, flying round +to the south-west, with a fury that nothing could resist. The sea +threatened to overwhelm our little craft. It was several times proposed +to lay her to; but the fatal opinion prevailed that she did better in +scudding. On the night of the 6th, a tremendous sea struck her on the +stern, stove in all the dead-lights, and washed them into the cabin, +lifted the taffrail a foot or more out of its place, carried away the +afterpart of the larboard bulwark, shattered the whole of the +stern-frame, and washed one of the steersmen away from the wheel. The +carpenter and crew with much labor secured the stern as well as they +could for the night, and next morning the wind moderated a little, new +dead-lights were put in, and the damages further repaired. + +Every stitch of canvas, but the main-topsail, jib, and trysail, were +split into ribbons, so that we became anxious to know how we should +reach port when the gale subsided. But we were soon spared further care +on that head. As the day closed in, the tempest resumed its fury, and by +the following morning, (the 8th,) raged with such appalling violence, +that we laid her too. From her straining, the brig had now began to make +so much water, as to require all hands in succession at the pumps till +the following morning at two, when the larboard watch went below, the +watch on deck, by constant exertion, sufficing to keep her free. + +At seven on the morning of the 9th, a tremendous sea broke over the +starboard bow, overwhelming all, and sweeping caboose, boats, planks, +casks, every thing before it, to the afterpart of the deck; even the +starboard anchor was lifted on to the forecastle; and and the cook, who +was in the galley, washed with all his culinary apparatus into the +lee-scuppers, where he remained some time in a very perilous situation, +jammed in amongst the loose spars and other portions of the wreck, until +extricated by the watch on deck, who, being aft at the moment of the +occurrence, escaped unhurt. Before we could recover from this shock, the +watch below rushed on deck, with the appalling intelligence, that the +water had found its way below, and was pouring in like a torrent We +found that the coppers, forced along the deck with irresistible +violence, had, by striking a stanchen fixed firmly in the deck, split +the covering fore and aft, and let in the water. The captain thought it +time to prepare for the worst. As the ship, from her buoyant cargo, +could not sink, he ordered the crew to store the top with provisions. +And as all exerted themselves with the energy of despair, two barrels of +beef, some hams, pork, butter, cheese, and a large jar of brandy, were +handed in a trice up from below, but not before the water had nearly +filled the cabin, and forced those employed there to cease their +operations, and with the two unfortunate passengers to fly to the deck. +Fortunately for the latter, they knew not the full horror of our +situation. The poor lady, whose name I have forgotten, young and +delicate, already suffering from confinement below and sea sickness, +pale and shivering, but patient and resigned, had but a short time taken +her seat beside her fellow passenger on some planks near the taffrail, +on which lay extended the unfortunate cook, unable to move from his +bruises, when the vessel, a heavy lurch having shifted her cargo, was +laid on her beam-ends, and the water rushing in, carried every thing +off the deck--provisions, stores, planks, all went adrift--and with the +latter, the poor lady, who, with the cook, floated away on them, without +the possibility of our saving either of them. But such was the +indescribable horror of those who were left, that had we been able to +reason or reflect we might have envied our departed shipmates. + +A few minutes before we went over, two of the crew, invalids, having +gone to the maintop, one of them was forced into the belly of the main +top-sail, and there found a watery grave. The rest of the crew, and the +male passenger, got upon her side. In this hopeless situation, secured, +and clinging to the channels and rigging, the sea every instant dashing +over us, and threatening destruction, we remained some hours. Then the +vessel once more righted, and we crawled on board. The deck having blown +up, and the stern gone the same way, we had now the prospect of +perishing with cold and hunger. For our ultimate preservation I conceive +we were mainly indebted to the carpenter's having providentially +retained his axe. With it, the foremast was cut away. While doing this, +we found a piece of pork about four pounds weight; and even the +possession of this morsel raised our drooping spirits. It would at least +prolong existence a few hours, and in that interval, the gale might +abate, some friendly sail heave in sight, and the elements relent. Such +were our reflections. Oh, how our eye-balls strained, as, emerging from +the trough of the sea on the crest of a liquid mountain, we gazed on the +misty horizon, until, from time to time, we fancied, nay, felt assured, +we saw the object of our search, but the evening closed in, and with it +hope almost expired. That day, not a morsel passed our lips. The pork, +our only supply, given in charge to the captain, it was thought prudent +to husband as long as possible. + +Meanwhile, with a top-gallant studding-sail remaining in the top, which +was stretched over the mast-head, we contrived to procure a partial +shelter from the inclemency of the weather. Under this, drenched as we +were and shivering with cold, some of us crouched for the night; but +others of the crew remained all that night in the rigging. In the +morning we all--fourteen in number--mustered on deck, and received from +the mate a small piece of pork, about two ounces, the remainder being +put away, and reserved for the next day. This, and some water, the only +article of which--a cask had been discovered forward, well stowed away +among the planks--we had abundance, constituted our only meal that day. +Somewhat refreshed, we all went to work, and as the studding-sail +afforded but a scanty shelter, we fitted the trysail for this purpose; +on opening which we found the cat drowned, and much as our stomachs +might have revolted against such food on ordinary occasions, yet poor +puss was instantly skinned and her carcass hung up in the maintop. + +This night we were somewhat better lodged, and the following day, having +received our scanty ration of pork, now nearly consumed, we got three +swiftsures round the hull of the vessel, to prevent her from going to +pieces. Foraging daily for food, we sought incessantly in every +crevice, hole, and corner, but in vain. We were now approaching that +state of suffering beyond which nature cannot carry us. With some, +indeed, they were already past endurance; and one individual, who had +left a wife and family dependent upon him for support in London, unable +any longer to bear up against them, and the almost certain prospect of +starvation, went down out of the top, and we saw him no more. Having +eked out the pork until the fourth day, we commenced on the +cat--fortunately large and in good condition--a mouthful of which, with +some water, furnished our daily allowance. + +Sickness and debility had now made such ravages among us all, that +although we had a tolerable stock of water, we found great difficulty in +procuring it. We had hitherto, in rotation, taken our turn to fill a +small beaker at the cask, wedged in among the cargo of deals; but now, +scarcely able to keep our feet along the planks, and still less so to +haul the vessel up to the top, we were in danger of even this resource +being cut off from us. In this manner, incredible as it may seem, we +managed to keep body and soul together till the eleventh day; our only +sustenance, the pork, the cat, water, and the bark of some young birch +trees, which latter, in searching for a keg of tamarinds, which we had +hoped to find, we had latterly come athwart. + +On the twelfth morning, at daybreak, the hailing of some one from the +deck electrified us all. Supposing, as we had missed none of our +shipmates from the top, that it must be some boat or vessel, we all +eagerly made a movement to answer our supposed deliverers, and such was +our excitement that it well nigh upset what little reason we had left. +We soon found out our mistake. We saw that one of the party was missing; +and from this individual, whom we had found without shoes, hat, or +jacket, had the voice proceeded. + +Despair had now taken such complete hold, that, suspended between life +and death, a torpor had seized us, and, resigned to our fate, we had +scarcely sufficient energy to lift our heads, and exercise the only +faculty on which depended our safety. The delirium of our unfortunate +shipmate had, however, reanimated us, and by this means, through +Providence, he was made instrumental to our deliverance. Not long after, +one of the men suddenly exclaimed, "This is Sunday morning!--The Lord +will deliver us from our distress!--at any rate I will take a look +round." With this he arose, and having looked about him a few minutes, +the cheering cry of "a sail!" announced the fulfilment of this singular +prophecy. "Yes," he repeated in answer to our doubts, "a sail, and +bearing right down upon us!" + +We all eagerly got up, and looking in the direction indicated to us, the +welcome certainty, that we were not cheated of our hopes almost turned +our brains. The vessel, which proved to be a Boston brig, bound to +London, ran down across our bows, hove too, sent the boats alongside, +and by ten o'clock we were all safe on board. Singularly enough, our +brig, which had been lying-to with her head to the northward and +westward, since the commencement of our disasters, went about the +evening previous to our quitting her as well as if she had been under +sail,--another providential occurrence, for had she remained with her +head to the northward, we should have seen nothing of our deliverers. +From the latter we experienced all the care and attention our deplorable +condition required; and, with the exception of two of the party, who +were frost-bitten, and who died two days after our quitting the wreck, +we were soon restored to health, and reached St. Catherine's Dock on the +30th of the following month. + +[Illustration: VOYAGE OF THE ABERGAVENNY.] + + + + +LOSS OF THE ABERGAVENNY. + + +The Earl of Abergavenny, East Indiaman, left Portsmouth, in the +beginning of February, 1805, with forty passengers, and property to the +value of eighty-nine thousand pounds sterling on board. On the 5th of +February, at ten A.M. when she was about ten leagues to the westward of +Portland, the commodore gave a signal for her to bear up. At this time +the wind was west south-west; she had the main top-mast struck, the fore +and mizzen top-gallant mast on deck, and the jib-boom in. At three a +pilot came on board, when they were about two leagues west from +Portland; the cables were ranged and bitted, and the jib-boom got out. +The wind suddenly died away as she crossed the Shangles, a shoal of rock +and shingle, about two miles from the land; and a strong tide setting +the ship to westward, drifted her into the breakers. A sea taking her on +the larboard quarter brought her to, with her head to the northward, +when she instantly struck the ground, at five in afternoon. All the +reefs were let out, and the top-sails hoisted up, in the hope that the +ship might shoot across the reef; the wind shifting meanwhile to +north-west, she remained there two hours and a half, with four feet of +water in the hold, the tide alternately setting her on, and the surf +driving her back, beating all the while with such violent shocks, that +the men for some time could scarcely stand upon the decks. At length, +however, she was got off the rocks. + +The pumps were kept constantly going, and for fifteen minutes after +clearing the rocks, kept the water at four feet; but the leak gaining +upon them, all sails were set, with the view of running for the nearest +port. But the water now rose so fast, than she refused to answer the +helm, and they resolved to run her on the first shore. The captain and +officers still thought that she might be got off without material +damage, and no signal guns of distress were fired for three quarters of +an hour, though sensible of some danger, they kept silent, lest they +should alarm the passengers. Soon however the peril appeared but too +manifest; the carpenter announced that a leak was at the bottom of the +chain-pumps, through which the water gushed so fast, that they could not +stop it. Eleven feet of water were already in the hold, and the crew +were set to bale at the fore scuttle and hatchway. Though they could not +keep the water under, they still hoped to preserve her afloat, till she +could be run upon Weymouth sand. The lashings of the boats were cut; +but they could not get out the long-boat, without bending the mainsail +aback, which would have retarded the vessel so much, as to deprive them +of the chance of running her aground. + +At six in the afternoon they gave up all hope of saving the vessel; +other leaks had been sprung, and it became manifest, from the damage she +had sustained that she must speedily go down. The captain and officers +were still cool, and preserved perfect subordination. As night came on, +and their situation became more terrible, several passengers insisted on +being set on shore; and some small sloops being near, one of which sent +off a skiff, two ladies, and three other passengers went away in her. +More would have embarked had they not feared to encounter a tempestuous +sea in so dark a night. + +Several boats were heard at a short distance, about nine o'clock, but +they rendered no assistance; being either engaged in plunder, or in +rescuing some of those unfortunate individuals who hazarded themselves +on pieces of wreck, to gain the land. Those on board baled and pumped +without intermission; the cadets and passengers struggling with the +rest. A midshipman was appointed to guard the spirit room. Some of the +more disorderly sailors pressed upon him. "Give us some grog," they +cried, "it will be all one an hour hence." "I know we must die," replied +he, coolly, "but let us die like men;" and armed with a brace of +pistols, he kept his post even while the ship was sinking. + +At length the carpenter came up from below, and told those who worked at +the pumps that he could do no more. Some gave themselves up to despair, +others prayed; and some resolved not to perish without a struggle, +committed themselves on pieces of the wreck to the waves. The chief mate +came to the captain, and said, "We have done all we can, sir, the ship +will sink in a moment;" to which the captain replied, "it cannot be +helped--God's will be done." The vessel gradually settled in the trough +of the sea. The cries of the drowning rose above the sound of the +waters, and were heard at a great distance. Some kept running about the +deck as long as it kept above the waves. At eleven, when she went down, +many hastened up the shrouds and masts. The captain was seen clinging to +the ropes; the fourth mate tried to persuade him to exert himself, but +he submitted without resistance to his fate. + +The hull struck the ground, while part of the masts and rigging remained +above water. On the last cast of the lead, eleven fathoms had been +found, and about one hundred and eighty men still clung to the rigging. +The night was dark and frosty, the sea incessantly breaking upon them. +Shocking scenes occurred, in the attempts made by some to obtain places +of greater safety. One seaman had ascended to a considerable height, and +endeavored to climb yet higher; another seized hold of his leg; he drew +his clasp-knife, and deliberately cut the miserable wretch's fingers +asunder; he dropped and was killed by the fall. Many perished in the +shrouds. A sergeant had secured his wife there; she lost her hold, and +in her last struggle for life, bit a large piece from her husband's arm, +which was dreadfully lacerated. + +About an hour after she went down, the survivors were cheered by hearing +the sound of vessels beating the waves at a distance; they hailed a +sloop-rigged vessel, with two boats astern of her. Their voices must +have been drowned by the waves. By twelve many more had perished. Some +from cold and fatigue could no longer retain their hold; every instant +those who still hung on, were shocked by the splash, which told that +another of their number had yielded to his fate. In a short time, boats +were again heard near them, but they did not, though repeatedly hailed, +come near enough to take any on board; an act of cold and calculating +timidity, which could not be justified by the excuse, that they feared +lest all, eager to be saved, should have jumped down, and borne them to +the bottom. + +At length two sloops, which had heard the guns of distress, anchored +close to the wreck, took off the survivors, twenty at a time, from the +shrouds, and in the morning conveyed them to Weymouth; so far from +crowding into the boats, they got off one by one, as called upon by +those who commanded the boats. One still remained; the sixth mate +ascended the mast and found him in a state of insensibility; he bore him +down on his back, and with his burden reached the boat in safety; but +the delivered person died the next day. + +When the awful words were heard, "The ship must go down," three of the +cadets went into the cabin, where they stood for a short time, looking +at each other, without saying a word. At length one said, "Let us return +to the deck;" two did so, but the other remained below. He opened his +desk, took out his commission, his introductory letters, and some money, +went on deck, but saw neither of his companions. Then looking forward, +he saw the ship going down head foremost, and the sea rolling in an +immense column along the deck. He tried to ascend the steps leading to +the poop, but was launched among the waves encumbered by boots and a +great coat, and unable to swim. Afterwards, finding himself on the +opposite side, he conceived that when the stern of the ship sunk, he +would be drawn into the vortex. While struggling to keep himself afloat, +he seized something which frequently struck the back of his hand, and +found it to be a rope hanging from the mizzen-shrouds. Trying to ascend +several feet by it, he fell into the sea; but by a sudden lurch from the +ship, he was thrown into the mizzen-shrouds, where he fixed himself as +well as circumstances would allow. + + + + +CRUISE OF THE SALDANHA AND TALBOT. + +BY ONE OF THE OFFICERS. + + +At midnight of Saturday, the 30th of November, 1811, with a fair wind +and a smooth sea, we weighed from our station, in company with the +Saldanha frigate, of thirty-eight guns, Captain Packenham, with a crew +of three hundred men, on a cruise, as was intended, of twenty days--the +Saldanha taking a westerly course, while we stood in the opposite +direction. + +We had scarcely got out of the lock and cleared the heads, however, when +we plunged at once into all the miseries of a gale of wind blowing from +the west. During the three following days it continued to increase in +violence, when the islands of Coll and Tiree became visible to us. As +the wind had now chopped round more to the north, and continued unabated +in violence, the danger of getting involved among the numerous small +islands and rugged headlands, on the north-west coast of +Inverness-shire, became evident. It was therefore deemed expedient to +wear the ship round, and make a port with all expedition. With this +view, and favored by the wind, a course was shaped for Lochswilly, and +away we scudded under close-reefed foresail and main-topsail, followed +by a tremendous sea, which threatened every moment to overwhelm us, and +accompanied by piercing showers of hail, and a gale which blew with +incredible fury. The same course was steered until next day about noon, +when land was seen on the lee-bow. The weather being thick, some time +elapsed before it could be distinctly made out, and it was then +ascertained to be the island of North Arran, on the coast of Donegal, +westward of Lochswilly. The ship was therefore hauled up some points, +and we yet entertained hopes of reaching an anchorage before nightfall, +when the weather gradually thickened, and the sea, now that we were upon +the wind, broke over us in all directions. Its violence was such, that +in a few minutes several of our ports were stove in, at which the water +poured in in great abundance, until it was actually breast high on the +lee-side of the main deck. Fortunately, but little got below, and the +ship was relieved by taking in the foresail. But a dreadful addition was +now made to the precariousness of our situation, by the cry of "land +a-head!" which was seen from the forecastle, and must have been very +near. Not a moment was now lost in wearing the ship round on the other +tack, and making what little sail could be carried, to weather the land +we had already passed. This soon proved, however, to be a forlorn +prospect, for it was found that we should run our distance by ten +o'clock. All the horrors of shipwreck now stared us in the face, +aggravated tenfold by the darkness of the night, and the tremendous +force of the wind, which now blew a hurricane. Mountains are +insignificant when speaking of the sea that kept pace with it; its +violence was awful beyond description, and it frequently broke over all +the poor little ship, that shivered and groaned, but behaved admirably. + +The force of the sea may be guessed from the fact of the sheet-anchor, +nearly a ton and a half in weight, being actually lifted on board, to +say nothing of the forechain-plates' board broken, both gangways torn +away, quarter-galleries stove in, &c. In short, on getting into port, +the vessel was found to be loosened through all her frame, and leaking +at every seam. As far as depended on her good qualities, however, I felt +assured at the time we were safe, for I had seen enough of the Talbot +to be convinced we were in one of the finest sea-boats that ever swam. +But what could all the skill of the ship builder avail in a situation +like ours? With a night full fifteen hours long before us, and knowing +that we were fast driving on the land, anxiety and dread were on every +face, and every mind felt the terrors of uncertainty and suspense. At +length, about twelve o'clock, the dreadful truth was disclosed to us! + +Judge of my sensation when I saw the frowning rocks of Arran, scarcely +half a mile distant, on our lee-bow. To our inexpressible relief, and +not less to our surprise, we fairly weathered all, and were +congratulating each other on our escape, when on looking forward I +imagined I saw breakers at no great distance on our lee; and this +suspicion was soon confirmed, when the moon, which shone at intervals, +suddenly broke out from behind a cloud, and presented to us a most +terrific spectacle. At not more than a quarter of a mile's distance on +our lee-beam, appeared a range of tremendous breakers, amongst which it +seemed as if every sea would throw us. Their height, it may be guessed, +was prodigious, when they could be clearly distinguished from the +foaming waters of the surrounded ocean. It was a scene seldom to be +witnessed, and never forgotten! "Lord have mercy on us!" was now on the +lip of everyone--destruction seemed inevitable. Captain Swaine, whose +coolness I have never seen surpassed issued his orders clearly and +collectedly when it was proposed as a last resource to drop the anchors, +cut away the masts, and trust to the chance of riding out the gale. This +scheme was actually determined on, and every thing was in readiness, but +happily was deferred until an experiment was tried aloft In addition to +the close-reefed main-topsail and foresail, the fore-topsail and trysail +were now set, and the result was almost magical. With a few plunges we +cleared not only the reef, but a huge rock upon which I could with ease +have tossed a biscuit, and in a few minutes we were inexpressibly +rejoiced to observe both far astern. + +We had now miraculously escaped all but certain destruction a second +time, but much was yet to be feared. We had still to pass Cape Jeller, +and the moments dragged on in gloomy apprehension and anxious suspense. +The ship carried sail most wonderfully, and we continued to go along at +the rate of seven knots, shipping very heavy seas, and laboring +much--all with much solicitude looking out for daylight. The dawn at +length appeared, and to our great joy we saw the land several miles +astern, having passed the Cape and many other hidden dangers during the +darkness. + +Matters on the morning of the 5th, assumed a very different aspect from +that which we had experienced for the last two days; the wind gradually +subsided, and with it the sea, and a favorable breeze now springing up, +we were enabled to make a good offing. Fortunately no accident of +consequence occurred, although several of our people were severely +bruised by falls. Poor fellows! they certainly suffered enough; not a +dry stitch, not a dry hammock have they had since we sailed. Happily, +however, their misfortunes are soon forgot in a dry shirt and a can of +grog. + +The most melancholy part of the narrative is still to be told. On coming +up to our anchorage, we observed an unusual degree of curiosity and +bustle in the fort; crowds of people were congregated on both sides, +running to and fro, examining us through spy-glasses; in short, an +extraordinary commotion was apparent. The meaning of all this was but +too soon made known to us by a boat coming alongside, from which we +learned that the unfortunate Saldanha had gone to pieces, and every man +perished! Our own destruction had likewise been reckoned inevitable from +the time of the discovery of the unhappy fate of our consort, five days +beforehand; and hence the astonishment at our unexpected return. From +all that could be learned concerning the dreadful catastrophe, I am +inclined to believe that the Saldanha had been driven on the rocks about +the time our doom appeared so certain in another quarter. Her lights +were seen by the signal-tower at nine o'clock of that fearful Wednesday +night, December 4th, after which it is supposed she went ashore on the +rocks at a small bay called Ballymastaker, almost at the entrance of +Lochswilly harbor. + +Next morning the beach was strewed with fragments of the wreck, and +upwards of two hundred of the bodies of the unfortunate sufferers were +washed ashore. One man--and one only--out of the three hundred, was +ascertained to have come ashore alive, but almost in a state of +insensibility. Unhappily there was no person present to administer to +his wants judiciously, and upon craving something to drink, about half a +pint of whisky was given him by the people, which almost instantly +killed him! Poor Pakenham's body was recognised amidst the others, and +like these, stripped quite naked by the inhuman wretches, who flocked to +the wreck as to a blessing! It is even suspected that he came on shore +alive, but was stripped and left to perish. Nothing could equal the +audacity of the plunderers, although a party of the Lanark militia was +doing duty around the wreck. But this is an ungracious and revolting +subject, which no one of proper feeling would wish to dwell upon. Still +less am I inclined so describe the heart-rending scene at Buncrana, +where the widows of many of the sufferers are residing. The surgeon's +wife, a native of Halifax, has never spoken since the dreadful tidings +arrived. Consolation is inadmissible, and no one has yet ventured to +offer it. + + + + +SHIPWRECK OF THE NAUTILUS. + + +The ship Nautilus, Captain Palmer, with important despatches for +England, sailed from the Dardanelles, on the 30th of January, 1807. +Passing through the islands which abound in the Greek Archipelago, she +approached the Negropont, where the navigation became both intricate +and dangerous. The wind blew fresh, and the night was dark and squally; +the pilot, a Greek, advised them to lay-to till morning; at daylight she +again went on her course, passing in the evening, Falconera and +Anti-Milo. The pilot, who had never gone farther on this tack, here +relinquished the management of the vessel to the captain, who, anxious +to get on, resolved to proceed during the night, confidently expecting +to clear the Archipelago by morning; he then went below, to take some +rest, after marking out on the chest the course which he meant to steer. + +[Illustration: SHIPWRECK OF THE NAUTILUS.] + +The night was extremely dark, vivid lightning at times flashed through +the horizon. The wind increased; and though the ship carried but little +sail, she went at the rate of nine miles an hour, borne on by a high +sea, which, with the brightness of the lightning, made the night appear +awful. At half past two in the morning, they saw high land, which they +took for the island of Cerigotto, and went confidently on, supposing +that all danger was over. At half-past four, the man on the look-out, +cried, "breakers a-head!" and instantly the vessel struck with a +tremendous crash; the violence of the shock being such, that those below +were thrown from their beds, and on coming on deck, were compelled to +cling to the cordage. All was confusion and alarm; scarcely had part of +the crew time to hurry on deck, before the ladder gave way, leaving +numbers struggling with the water, which rushed in at the bottom. The +captain and lieutenant endeavored to mitigate the fears of the people; +and afterwards, going down to the cabin, burnt the papers and private +signals. Meantime, every sea dashed the vessel against the rocks; and +they were soon compelled to climb the rigging, where they remained an +hour, the surge continually breaking upon them. + +The lightning had ceased, but so dark was the night, that they could not +see a ship's length before them; their only hope rested in the falling +of the main mast, which they trusted would reach a small rock, which lay +very near them. About half an hour before morning, the mast gave way, +providentially falling towards the rock, and by means of it they were +enabled to gain the land. In this hasty struggle to get to the rock, +many accidents occurred; some were drowned, one man had his arm broke, +and many were much hurt. The captain was the last man who left the +vessel, refusing to quit it till all had gained the rock. All the boats +but one had been staved in pieces; the jolly-boat indeed remained, but +they could not haul it in. For a time the hull of the wreck sheltered +them from the violence of the surf; but it soon broke up, and it became +necessary to abandon the small rock on which they stood, and to wade to +another somewhat larger. In their way they encountered many loose spars, +dashing about in the channel; several in crossing were severely hurt by +them. They felt grievously the loss of their shoes, for the sharp rocks +tore their feet dreadfully, and their legs were covered with blood. In +the morning they saw the sea covered with the fragments of the wreck, +and many of their comrades floating about on spars and timbers, to whom +they could not give any assistance. + +They saw that they were cast away on a coral rock almost on a level with +the sea, about four hundred yards long, and three hundred broad. They +were at least twelve miles from the nearest islands, which were +afterwards found to be those of Cerigotto and Pera. In case any vessel +should pass by, they hoisted a signal of distress on a long pole. The +weather was very cold, and the day before they were wrecked, the deck +had been covered with ice; with much difficulty they managed to kindle a +fire, by means of a flint and some powder. They erected a small tent, +composed of pieces of canvas and boards, and were thus enabled to dry +their few clothes. The night was dreary and comfortless; but they +consoled themselves with the hope that their fire might be descried in +the dark, and taken for a signal of distress. Next day they were +delighted at the approach of a small whale-boat, manned by ten of their +comrades. When the vessel was wrecked, these men had lowered themselves +into the water, and had reached the island of Pera, but finding no fresh +water, were compelled to depart; and noticing the fire were enabled to +join their shipmates. But the waves ran so high that the boat could not +come to the shore, and some of those on the land endeavored to reach it. +One of the seamen called to Captain Palmer, inviting him to come to +them, but he steadily refused, saying, "No, Smith, save your unfortunate +shipmates; never mind me." After some consultation, they resolved to +take the Greek pilot on board, intending to go to Cerigotto, where, he +assured them, were a few families of fishermen, who might perhaps be +able to afford them some relief. + +After the boat departed, the wind increased; in about two hours a +fearful storm came on. The waves mounted up, and extinguished their +fire; they swept over nearly the whole of the rock, compelling them to +flee for refuge to the highest part. Thus did nearly ninety pass a night +of the utmost horror; being compelled, lest they should be washed off, +to fasten a rope round the summit of a rock, and to clasp each other. +Their fatigue had been so great that several of them became delirious, +and lost their hold. They were also in constant terror of the wind +veering more to the north, in which case the waves would have dashed +over their position. + +They now began to sink under their hardships, and many had suffered +deplorably. One had been so dashed against the rocks as to be nearly +scalped, exhibiting a dreadful spectacle; he lingered out the night, but +expired next morning. They were ill prepared to sustain famine, and they +were almost hopeless of escape. They dreaded lest the storm should come +on before the boat could have reached the island, for on her safety +their own depended. In the midst of these horrors the daylight broke, +and they saw the bodies of their departed shipmates, some still writhing +in the agonies of death. The sea had broken over them all night, and +some, among whom was the carpenter, had perished from cold. + +Soon after, a vessel approached, and their hearts beat high with the +hope of deliverance. All her sails were set, and she came down before +the wind, steering right for the rock. They made repeated signals of +distress, and the vessel hove to, and hoisted out her boat. They hastily +prepared rafts to carry them through the surf, confident that the boat +was provided with supplies to relieve them. The boat came within +pistol-shot, full of men dressed in the European fashion. But what were +their indignation and grief, when the person who steered, after gazing +at them a few minutes, waved his hat, and then rowed off to the ship! +Their misery was increased by seeing the crew of the stranger-vessel +employed in collecting the floating fragments of the wreck. After this +grievous disappointment, their only hopes lay in the return of the boat. +They looked in vain; not a glimpse of her was to be seen. A raging +thirst tormented them; and some, in spite of warning, drank salt water; +raging madness soon followed, and their agonies were terminated by +death. Another awful night was passed by them. To preserve themselves +from the cold, they huddled close together, and covered themselves with +their few remaining rags. They were haunted by the ravings of those who +had drunk the sea-water, whom they tried in vain to pacify. + +About twelve o'clock, the crew of the whale-boat hailed them; they cried +out in their agony for water. They could not procure it, for those in +the boat had none but earthen vessels, which could not be conveyed +through the surf. They were assured that they would be taken off by a +fishing vessel next morning; but there seemed to be little chance of +their surviving till then. + +In the morning, the sun for the first time shone upon the rock. They +waited hour after hour, but there was no appearance either of the boat +or the vessel. Famine consumed them; but they looked with loathing on +the only means of appeasing it. When, however, the day wore on, after +praying for forgiveness of the sinful act, they were compelled to feed +on one of their number who had died the preceding night. Several +expired towards evening; among whom were the captain and first +lieutenant. During the night, some thought of constructing a raft which +might carry them to Cerigotto. The wind seemed favorable; and to perish +in the waters seemed preferable to remaining to die a lingering death +from hunger and thirst. At daylight, as fast as their feeble strength +permitted, they prepared to put their plan in execution, by lashing +together a number of larger spars. Scarcely had they launched it, when +it was destroyed. Five, rendered desperate, embarked on a few spars +hastily lashed together, which gave them scarcely room to stand; they +were soon carried away by unknown currents, and were no more heard of. + +In the afternoon the whale-boat came again in sight. The crew told them +that they had experienced great difficulty in persuading the Greek +fishermen of Cerigotto to venture to put to sea, because of the stormy +weather; but they gave them hopes, that if the weather moderated, the +boats would come next day. Before they had done speaking, twelve men +plunged from the rock into the sea, and nearly reached the boat; two +were taken in, one was drowned, and the rest were so fortunate as to +recover their former station. + +As the day wore on, their weakness increased. One of the survivors +described himself as feeling the approach of annihilation; his sight +failed, and his senses were confused; his strength was exhausted; he +looked towards the setting sun, expecting never to see it rise again. +Suddenly the approach of the boats was announced; and from the depth of +despair, they rose to the very summit of joy. Their parched frames were +refreshed with copious draughts of water. + +Immediate preparations were made for departure. Of one hundred and +twenty-two persons on board the Nautilus, when she struck, fifty-eight +had perished. Eighteen were drowned when she was wrecked, five were lost +in the small boat, and thirty-four died of famine. About fifty now +embarked in four fishing vessels, and landed the same evening at +Cerigotto; making sixty-four in all, including those saved in the +whale-boat. During their six days sojourn on the rock, they had nothing +to subsist on, save human flesh. + +They landed at a small creek. The Greeks received them with great +hospitality, but had not skill to cure their wounds, and had no bandages +but those procured by tearing up their own shirts. Wishing to procure +some medical assistance, they desired to reach Cerigo, an island twenty +miles distant, on which an English vice-consul resided. Fourteen days +elapsed before they could set sail. They bade adieu to these kind +preservers, and in six or eight hours reached Cerigo, where all possible +help was afforded them. Thence they were conveyed by a Russian ship to +Corfu; where they arrived on the 2d of March, 1807, about two months +after their melancholy disaster. + + + + +GALLANT EXPLOITS OF COMMODORE DECATUR. + + +Decatur is one of the most illustrious names in the naval annals of +America. Among the many officers who have borne this name, none was more +celebrated and admired in his life time and none more deeply lamented +at his untimely decease than Commodore Stephen Decatur. + +[Illustration: BURNING OF THE PHILADELPHIA.] + +His life was a series of heroic actions. But of these perhaps the most +remarkable of all is that which is recorded in the following language of +his biographer--the burning of the frigate Philadelphia. + +Decatur had been sent out from the United States, in the Argus, to join +Commodore Preble's squadron before Tripoli. He exchanged this vessel +with Lieutenant Hull for the Enterprise. + +After making that exchange, he proceeded to Syracuse, where the squadron +was to rendezvous. On his arrival at that port, he was informed of the +fate of the frigate Philadelphia, which had run aground on the Barbary +coast, and fallen into the hands of the Tripolitans. The idea +immediately presented itself to his mind of attempting her recapture or +destruction. On Commodore Preble's arrival, a few days afterwards, he +proposed to him a plan for the purpose, and volunteered his services to +execute it. The wary mind of that veteran officer at first disapproved +of an enterprise so full of peril; but the risks and difficulties that +surrounded it, only stimulated the ardour of Decatur, and imparted to it +an air of adventure, fascinating to his youthful imagination. + +[Illustration: COMMODORE PREBLE.] + +The consent of the commodore having been obtained, Lieutenant Decatur +selected for the expedition a ketch (the Intrepid) which he had captured +a few weeks before from the enemy, and manned her with seventy +volunteers, chiefly from his own crew. He sailed from Syracuse on the 3d +of February, 1804, accompanied by the United States brig Syren, +Lieutenant Stewart, who was to aid with his boats, and to receive the +crew of the ketch, in case it should be found expedient to use her as a +fire ship. + +After fifteen days of very tempestuous weather, they arrived at the +harbor of Tripoli, a little before sunset. It had been arranged between +Lieutenants Decatur and Stewart, that the ketch should enter the harbor +about ten o'clock that night, attended by the boats of the Syren. On +arriving off the harbor, the Syren, in consequence of a change of wind, +had been thrown six or eight miles without the Intrepid. The wind at +this time was fair, but fast declining, and Lieutenant Decatur +apprehended that, should he wait for the Syren's boats to come up, it +might be fatal to the enterprise, as they could not remain longer on the +coast, their provisions being nearly exhausted. For these reasons he +determined to venture into the harbor alone, which he did about eight +o'clock. + +An idea may be formed of the extreme hazard of the enterprise from the +situation of the frigate. She was moored within half gunshot of the +bashaw's castle, and of the principal battery. Two of the enemy's +cruisers lay within two cables' length, on the starboard quarter, and +their gunboats within half gunshot, on the starboard bow. All the guns +of the frigate were mounted and loaded. Such were the immediate perils +that our hero ventured to encounter with a single ketch, beside the +other dangers that abound in a strongly fortified harbor. + +Although from the entrance to the place where the frigate lay, was only +three miles, yet, in consequence of the lightness of the wind, they did +not get within hail of her until eleven o'clock. When they had +approached within two hundred yards, they were hailed and ordered to +anchor, or they would be fired into. Lieutenant Decatur ordered a +Maltese pilot, who was on board the ketch, to answer that they had lost +their anchors in a gale of wind on the coast, and, therefore, could not +comply with their request. By this time it had become perfectly calm, +and they were about fifty yards from the frigate. Lieutenant Decatur +ordered a small boat that was alongside of the ketch, to take a rope and +make it fast to the frigate's fore-chains. This being done, they began +to warp the ketch alongside. It was not until this moment that the enemy +suspected the character of their visitor, and great confusion +immediately ensued. This enabled our adventurers to get alongside of the +frigate, when Decatur immediately sprang aboard, followed by Mr. Charles +Morris, midshipman. These two were nearly a minute on deck, before their +companions could succeed in mounting the side. Fortunately, the Turks +had not sufficiently recovered from their surprise to take advantage of +this delay. They were crowded together on the quarterdeck, perfectly +astonished and aghast, without making any attempt to oppose the +assailing party. As soon as a sufficient number of men had gained the +deck to form a front equal to that of the enemy, they rushed in upon +them. The Turks stood the assault for a short time, and were completely +overpowered. About twenty were killed on the spot, many jumped +overboard, and the rest flew to the maindeck, whither they were pursued +and driven to the hold. + +After entire possession had been gained of the ship, and every thing +prepared to set fire to her, a number of launches were seen rowing about +the harbor. This determined Lieutenant Decatur to remain on board the +frigate, from whence a better defence could be made than from on board +the ketch. The enemy had already commenced firing on them from their +batteries and castle, and from two corsairs that were lying near. +Perceiving that the launches did not attempt to approach, he ordered the +ship should be set on fire, which was done, at the same time, in +different parts. As soon as this was done, they left her; and such was +the rapidity of the flames, that it was with the utmost difficulty they +preserved the ketch. At this critical moment a most propitious breeze +sprang up, blowing directly out of the harbor, which, in a few moments, +carried them out of reach of the enemy's guns, and they made good their +retreat without the loss of a single man, and with but four wounded. + +For this gallant and romantic achievement, Lieutenant Decatur was +promoted to the rank of post captain, there being at that time no +intermediate grade. This promotion was peculiarly gratifying to him, +insomuch as it was done with the consent of the officers over whose +heads he was raised. + +In the ensuing spring, it being determined to make an attack upon +Tripoli, Commodore Preble obtained from the King of Naples, the loan of +six gunboats and two bombards, which he formed into two divisions, and +gave the command of one of them to Captain Decatur, the other to +Lieutenant Somers. The squadron sailed from Syracuse, consisting of the +frigate Constitution, the brig Syren, the schooners Nautilus and Vixen, +and the gunboats. + +Having arrived on the coast of Barbary, they were for some days +prevented from making the attack, by adverse wind and weather. At +length on the morning of the 3d of August, the weather being favorable, +the signal was made from the commodore's ship to prepare for action, the +light vessels towing the gunboats to windward. At nine o'clock, the +signal was given for bombarding the enemy's vessels and the town. + +The gunboats were cast off, and advanced in a line ahead, led on by +Captain Decatur, and covered by the frigate Constitution, and the brigs +and schooners. + +The enemy's gunboats were moored along the harbor under the batteries +and within musket shot. Their sails had been taken from them, and they +were ordered to sink, rather than abandon their position. They were +aided and covered, likewise, by a brig of sixteen, and a schooner of ten +guns. + +Before entering into close action, Captain Decatur went alongside each +of his boats, and ordered them to unship their bowsprits and follow him, +as it was his intention to board the enemy's boats. + +Lieutenant James Decatur commanded one of the boats belonging to +Commodore Preble's division, but, being farther to windward than the +rest of his division, he joined and took orders from his brother. + +When Captain Decatur, who was in the leading boat, came within range of +the fire from the batteries, a heavy fire was opened upon him from them +and the gunboats. He returned the fire, and continued advancing, until +he came in contact with the boats. At this time, Commodore Preble seeing +Decatur advancing nearer than he thought prudent, ordered the signal to +be made for a retreat, but it was found that in making out the signals +for the boats, the one for a retreat had been omitted. + +The enemy's boats had about forty men each; ours an equal number, +twenty-seven of whom were Americans, and thirteen Neapolitans. + +Decatur, on boarding the enemy, was instantly followed by his +countrymen, but the Neapolitans remained behind. The Turks did not +sustain the combat hand to hand, with that firmness they had obtained a +reputation for. In ten minutes the deck was cleared. Eight of them +sought refuge in the hold, and, of the rest, some fell on the deck, and +others jumped into the sea. Only three of the Americans were wounded. + +As Decatur was about to proceed out with his prize, the boat which had +been commanded by his brother, came under his stern, and the men +informed him that they had engaged and captured one of the enemy; but +that her commander, after surrendering, had treacherously shot +Lieutenant James Decatur, and pushed off with the boat, and was then +making for the harbor. + +The feelings of the gallant Decatur, on receiving this intelligence, may +be more easily imagined than described. Every consideration of prudence +and safety was lost in his eagerness to punish so dastardly an act, and +to revenge the death of a brother so basely murdered. He pushed within +the enemy's line with his single boat, and having succeeded in getting +alongside of the retreating foe, boarded her at the head of eleven men, +who were all the Americans he had left. The fate of this contest was +extremely doubtful for about twenty minutes. All the Americans, except +four, were now severely wounded. Decatur singled out the commander as +the peculiar object of his vengeance. The Turk was armed with an +espontoon, Decatur with a cutlass; in attempting to cut off the head of +the weapon, his sword struck on the iron, and broke off close to the +hilt. The Turk, at this moment, made a push, which slightly wounded him +in the right arm and breast. He immediately seized the spear, and closed +with him. A fierce struggle ensued, and both fell, Decatur uppermost. By +this time the Turk had drawn a dagger from his belt, and was about to +plunge it into the body of his foe, when Decatur caught his arm, and +shot him with a pistol, which he drew from his pocket. During the time +they were struggling on the deck, the crews rushed to aid their +commanders, and a most sanguinary scene took place, insomuch that when +Decatur had despatched his adversary, it was with the utmost difficulty +he could extricate himself from the killed and wounded that had fallen +around him. + +It is with no common feeling of admiration that we record an instance of +heroic courage, and loyal self-devotion, on the part of a common sailor. + +During the early part of Decatur's struggle with the Turk, he was +assailed in the rear by one of the enemy, who had just aimed a blow at +his head which must have proved fatal; at this fearful juncture, a +noble-hearted tar, who had been so badly wounded as to lose the use of +his hands, seeing no other means of saving his commander, rushed between +him and the uplifted sabre, and received the blow on his own head, which +fractured his skull. We love to pause and honor great actions in humble +life, because they speak well for human nature. Men of rank and station +in society, often do gallant deeds, in a manner from necessity. Their +conspicuous station obliges them to do so, or their eagerness for glory +urges them on; but an act like this we have mentioned, so desperate, yet +so disinterested, done by an obscure, unambitious individual, a poor +sailor, can spring from nothing but nobleness of soul. We are happy to +add that this generous fellow survived, and long after received a +pension from government. + +Decatur succeeded in getting, with both his prizes, to the squadron, and +the next day received the highest commendation, in a general order, from +Commodore Preble. When that able officer was superseded in the command +of the squadron, he gave the Constitution to Captain Decatur, who had +some time before received his commission. From that ship he was removed +to the Congress, and returned home in her, when peace was concluded in +Tripoli. + + + + +EXPLOITS OF COMMODORE HULL. + + +Commodore Hull became a sailor when he was only eight years old. He +distinguished himself greatly in the naval war with France, and in the +war with Tripoli, especially at the capture of Derne, in Africa. + +[Illustration: COMMODORE HULL.] + +At the commencement of the war of 1812, Hull having been advanced in the +meantime to the rank of captain, was placed in command of the frigate +Constitution, in which he was destined to perform those brilliant +actions which have rendered him one of the most celebrated heroes of our +navy. His first exploit was the escape of the Constitution from a +British squadron, which is justly regarded as one of the most remarkable +recorded in naval history. The account of it contained in the official +letter of Captain Hull has all the interest of a romance. It is as +follows: + + + "SIR:--In pursuance of your orders of the 3d instant, I left + Annapolis on the 5th instant, and the capes on the 12th, of which I + advised you by the pilot who brought the ship to sea. + + For several days after we got out, the wind was light and ahead, + which, with a strong southerly current, prevented our making much + way to the northward. On the 17th, at two P.M., being in twenty-two + fathoms water off Egg Harbor, four sail of ships were discovered + from the masthead, to the northward and in shore of us, apparently + ships of war. The wind being very light all sail was made in chase + of them, to ascertain whether they were the enemy's ships, or our + squadron having got out of New York, waiting the arrival of the + Constitution, the latter of which I had reason to believe was the + case. + + At four in the afternoon, a ship was seen from the masthead, + bearing about north-east, standing in for us under all sail, which + she continued so to do until sundown, at which time she was too far + off to distinguish signals, and the ships in shore only to be seen + from the tops; they were standing off to the southward and + eastward. As we could not ascertain before dark what the ship in + the offing was, I determined to stand for her, and get near enough + to make the night signal. + + At ten in the evening, being within six or eight miles of the + strange sail, the private signal was made, and kept up nearly one + hour, but finding she could not answer it, I concluded she and the + ships in shore were enemy. + + I immediately hauled off to the southward and eastward, and made + all sail, having determined to lie off till daylight to see what + they were. The ship that we had been chasing hauled off after us, + showing a light, and occasionally making signals, supposed to be + for the ships in shore. + + On the 18th, at daylight, or a little before it was quite light, + saw two sail under our lee, which proved to be frigates of the + enemy's. One frigate astern within about five or six miles, and a + line of battle ship, a frigate, a brig, and a schooner, about ten + or twelve miles directly astern, all in chase of us, with a fine + breeze, and coming up fast, it being nearly calm where we were. + Soon after sunrise, the wind entirely left us, and the ship would + not steer, but fell round off with her head towards the two ships + under our lee. The boats were instantly hoisted out, and sent ahead + to tow the ship's head around, and to endeavor to get her farther + from the enemy, being then within five miles of three heavy + frigates. The boats of the enemy were got out and sent ahead to + tow, by which, with the light air that remained with them, they + came up very fast. Finding the enemy gaining on us, and but little + chance of escaping from them, I ordered two of the guns on the gun + deck to be ran out at the cabin windows for stern guns on the gun + deck, and hoisted one of the twenty-four pounders off the gun deck, + and ran that, with the forecastle gun, an eighteen pounder, out at + the ports on the quarter deck, and cleared the ship for action, + being determined they should not get her without resistance on our + part, notwithstanding their force and the situation we were placed + in. + + At about seven, in the morning, the ship nearest us approaching + within gunshot, and directly astern, I ordered one of the stern + guns fired, to see if we could reach her, to endeavor to disable + her masts; found the shot fell a little short, would not fire any + more. + + [Illustration: ESCAPE OF THE CONSTITUTION.] + + At eight, four of the enemy's ships nearly within gunshot, some of + them having six or eight boats ahead towing, with all their oars + and sweeps out, to row them up with us, which they were fast + doing. It now appeared that we must be taken, and that our escape + was impossible--four heavy ships nearly within gunshot, and coming + up fast, and not the least hope of a breeze to give us a chance of + getting off by out sailing them. + + In this situation, finding ourselves in only twenty-four fathoms + water, by the suggestion of that valuable officer, Lieutenant + Morris, I determined to try and warp the ship ahead, by carrying + out anchors and warping her up to them; three or four hundred + fathoms of rope was instantly got up, and two anchors got ready and + sent ahead, by which means we began to gain ahead of the enemy; + they, however, soon saw our boats carrying out the anchors, and + adopted the same plan, under very advantageous circumstances, as + all the boats from the ships furthermost off were sent to tow and + warp up those nearest to us, by which means they again came up, so + that at nine, the ship nearest us began to fire her bow guns, which + we instantly returned by our stern guns in the cabin and on the + quarter deck. All the shot from the enemy fell short; but we have + reason to believe that some of ours went on board her, as we could + not see them strike the water. Soon after nine, a second frigate + passed under our lee, and opened her broadside, but finding her + shot fall short, discontinued her fire; but continued, as did all + the rest of them, to make all possible exertion to get up with us. + From nine to twelve, all hands were employed in warping the ship + ahead, and in starting some of the water in the main hold to + lighten her, which, with the help of a light air, we rather gained + of the enemy, or, at least, held our own. About two, in the + afternoon, all the boats from the line of battle ship and some of + the frigates were sent to the frigate nearest us, to endeavor to + tow her up, but a light breeze sprung up, which enabled us to hold + way with her, notwithstanding they had eight or ten boats ahead, + and all her sails furled to tow her to windward. The wind continued + light until eleven at night, and the boats were kept ahead towing + and warping to keep out of reach of the enemy, three of the + frigates being very near us; at eleven, we got a light breeze from + the southward, the boats came along side and were hoisted up, the + ship having too much way to keep them ahead, the enemy still in + chase and very near. + + On the 19th, at daylight, passed within gunshot of one of the + frigates, but she did not fire on us, perhaps, for fear of + becalming her, as the wind was light; soon after passing us she + tacked, and stood after us--at this time six sail were in sight, + under all sail after us. At nine in the morning, saw a strange + sail, on our weather beam, supposed to be an American merchant + ship; the instant the frigate nearest us saw her, she hoisted + American colors, as did all the squadron, in hopes to decoy her + down; I immediately hoisted the English colors, that she might not + be deceived; she soon hauled her wind, and, as is to be hoped, made + her escape. All this day the wind increased gradually, and we + gained on the enemy, in the course of the day, six or eight miles; + they, however, continued chasing all night under a press of sail. + + On the 20th, at daylight in the morning, only three of them could + be seen from the masthead, the nearest of which was about twelve + miles off, directly astern. All hands were set at work wetting the + sails, from the royals down, with the engines and fire buckets, and + we soon found that we left the enemy very fast. At a quarter past + eight, the enemy finding that they were fast dropping astern, gave + over chase, and hauled their wind to the northward, probably for + the station off New York. At half past eight, saw a sail ahead, + gave chase after her under all sail. At nine, saw another strange + sail under our lee bow, we soon spoke the first sail discovered, + and found her to be an American brig from St. Domingo, bound to + Portland; I directed the captain how to steer to avoid the enemy, + and made sail for the vessel to leeward; on coming up with her, she + proved to be an American brig from St. Bartholomew's, bound to + Philadelphia; but, on being informed of war, he bore up for + Charleston, South Carolina. Finding the ship so far to the + southward and eastward, and the enemy's squadron stationed off New + York, which would make it impossible to get in there, I determined + to make for Boston, to receive your farther orders, and I hope my + having done so will meet your approbation. My wish to explain to + you as clearly as possible why your orders have not been executed, + and the length of time the enemy were in chase of us, with various + other circumstances, have caused me to make this communication much + longer than I could have wished, yet I cannot in justice to the + brave officers and crew under my command, close it without + expressing to you the confidence I have in them, and assuring you + that their conduct while under the guns of the enemy was such as + might have been expected from American officers and seamen. I have + the honor to be, with very great respect, sir, your obedient humble + servant, + + ISAAC HULL." + +[Illustration: Hull's Victory] + +Such is Captain Hull's modest account of this truly brilliant exploit. +Sailing on a cruise immediately after this, with the same frigate, +officers, and crew, on the 19th of August he fell in with His Britannic +Majesty's ship Guerriere, rated at thirty-eight guns, and carrying +fifty, commanded by Captain Dacres, who, sometime before, had politely +endorsed on the register of an American ship an invitation to Captain +Hull to give him a meeting of this kind. + +[Illustration: DACRES DELIVERING UP HIS SWORD.] + + +At half past three, P.M., Captain Hull made out his antagonist to be a +frigate, and continued the chase till he was within about three miles, +when he cleared for action; the chase backed her main-topsail and waited +for him to come down. As soon as the Constitution was ready, Hull bore +down to bring the enemy to close action immediately; but, on coming +within gunshot, the Guerriere gave a broadside and filled away and wore, +giving a broadside on the other tack; but without effect, her shot +falling short. She then continued wearing and manoeuvring for about +three quarters of an hour to get a raking position,--but, finding she +could not, she bore up and ran under her topsails and jib, with the wind +on the quarter. During this time, the Constitution, not having fired a +single broadside, the impatience of the officers and men to engage was +excessive. Nothing but the most rigid discipline could have restrained +them. Hull, however, was preparing to decide the contest in a summary +method of his own. He now made sail to bring the Constitution up with +her antagonist, and at five minutes before six P.M., _being alongside +within half pistol shot_, he commenced a heavy fire from all his guns, +_double shotted with round and grape_; and so well directed, and so well +kept up was the fire, that in sixteen minutes the mizzenmast of the +Guerriere went by the board, and her mainyard in the slings, and the +hull, rigging, and sails were completely torn to pieces. The fire was +kept up for fifteen minutes longer, when the main and foremast went, +taking with them every spar except the bowsprit, and leaving the +Guerriere a complete wreck. On seeing this Hull ordered the firing to +cease, having brought his enemy in thirty minutes after he was fairly +alongside to such a condition, that a few more broadsides must have +carried her down. + +The prize being so shattered that she was not worth bringing into port, +after removing the prisoners to the Constitution, she was set on fire +and blown up. In the action, the Constitution lost seven killed, and +seven wounded; the Guerriere, fifteen killed, sixty-two +wounded--including the captain and several officers, and twenty-four +missing. + +The news of this victory was received in the United States with the +greatest joy and exultation. All parties united in celebrating it, and +the citizens and public authorities vied with each other in bestowing +marks of approbation upon Captain Hull and his gallant officers and +crew. + +[Illustration: HYDER ALLY AND GENERAL MONK] + + + + +EXPLOITS OF COMMODORE BARNEY. + + +This gentleman was one of the old fashioned commodores, a capital +sailor, an intrepid warrior, and a thorough going patriot. He was born +in Baltimore, in 1759. He entered the marine early in life. At the age +of sixteen he served in the expedition of Commodore Hopkins to the +Bahama Islands, and continued in active service through the whole +revolutionary war. + +In 1780 he was captured by a British seventy-four, when taking a prize +into port and sent with other prisoners to England. On the passage, the +prisoners--amounting to about sixty--were confined in the most loathsome +of dungeons, without light or pure air, and with a scanty supply of +provisions. + +They thought when they arrived at Plymouth, that their privations were +at an end; but they were only removed to another prison-ship, which, +although dirty and crowded, was, in some measure, better than the one +they had left. From this, contrary to expectation, as soon as they were +so much recovered as to be able to walk, they were brought on shore and +confined in Mill prison, where they met the anxious faces of several +hundred American prisoners, who had undergone the same privations as +themselves. + +This prison was surrounded by two strong walls, twenty feet apart, and +was guarded by numerous sentries. There were small gates in the walls, +and these were placed opposite each other, the inner one generally +remaining open. The prisoners were allowed the privilege of the yard +nearly all day, and this set the inventive mind of Barney upon the +scheme, which, in the end, terminated in his liberty; not, however, +without infinite danger and trouble. He set about finding out some small +chance which might afford the least hope of release; and having +discovered one of the sentries that had served in the United States, and +remembered the kindness with which he had been there treated, Barney and +he formed the means of escape. It was arranged that Barney should affect +to have hurt his foot and obtain a pair of crutches, and thus lull +suspicion. + +On the 18th of May, 1781, he habited himself in the undress uniform of a +British officer, the whole covered with a old greatcoat, and, by the aid +of the sentinel, cleared the prison; when he threw off the coat, and +soon arrived at the house of a well known friend to the American cause, +in Plymouth. That he might not be soon missed, he got a lad, who, after +answering to his own name, was to get out, and answer to Barney's, in +the yard, which little stratagem succeeded admirably. When Barney +arrived at the friend's house, he made preparations to leave as soon as +possible, well knowing that if any of the British were detected +harboring him, they would be convicted of high treason. In the evening, +therefore, he departed to the house of his friend's father, at a +considerable distance, where he would be safer. On arriving there, he +was surprised to find two of his old friends--Americans--who had been, +for some time, anxiously waiting for an opportunity of returning home, +and now thought that the time had arrived. + +Lieutenant Barney determined to sail for the French coast, and, for this +purpose, he and the two gentlemen purchased a small fishing vessel, and +habiting themselves in some fishermen's old apparel, they set sail on +their intended voyage. Admiral Digby's fleet lay at the mouth of the +river, and our adventurers had to pass through the midst of them, and +then run the chance of capture by the numerous British cruisers, which +continually ply about the channel. This was a daring undertaking, as the +fleet, he thought, had doubtless received notice of his escape, and the +enemy would be rigid in their search. He, therefore, determined to act +with coolness, and, if intercepted, to give such answers to the +questions put to him, as might best lull suspicion. If he was detected, +he would pay for the attempt with his life. + +He knew that if his escape was detected, it would be immediately +communicated to the fleet, and thus lessen his chances; especially as +the least unusual appearance in his assumed character, would excite +immediate suspicion. Even should he be able to pass through the fleet, +the British channel abounded with the English cruisers, which were quite +adept in the art of picking up stragglers. With these dangers painted in +lively colors before his eyes, he preserved his usual self-possession, +and inspired with confidence his companions, who had never handled a +rope, and relied exclusively upon his daring. + +By sunrise, the next morning, they were "under way," the two gentlemen +remaining below, and Lieutenant Barney and the servant being the only +ones on deck, to avoid suspicion. With a good breeze, and a favorable +tide, it was not long before they were in the midst of the hostile +fleet, which seemed to take no notice of them. Their hearts beat quick +when they were thus hanging between life and death; but as soon as the +last of the enemy was passed, they declared themselves safe through +_that_ portion of the ordeal. + +But what attempt ever ended to the satisfaction of the undertaker? +Before the enemy were clear out of sight, the practised eye of Barney +caught a sail which he knew to be bearing down upon him. He saw that +resistance was out of the question; but that if he managed the affair +adroitly he _might_ escape. It was now that he was called upon to +exercise that firmness of mind, coolness and contempt of danger, and +quickness of resource in time of need, that ever distinguished his +character, and showed him to be a man of no ordinary talents. In less +than an hour the privateer--for such she was--came alongside, and sent +an officer to see "what he wanted steering for a hostile coast." The +first questions that were put, and answered unhesitatingly, were--what +he had on board? and where he was bound? Of course he had nothing on +board, and his destination was France--on business of importance from +the ministry; at the same time untying the rope that bound the old coat +around him, and displaying the British half uniform. The officer touched +his hat, begged pardon, and said he would go on board and report to the +commanding officer. + +The result of the interview was that Barney was made a prisoner once +more, and ordered with a prize-master to Plymouth. But being forced by +stress of weather into a small bay, near Plymouth, he contrived to +escape from his captors, and find his way to the mansion of the +venerable clergyman, at Plymouth. Deeming it unsafe to remain there, +lest he might be discovered, after a few days he set out at midnight in +a postchaise for Exeter, and from thence by stages to Bristol, where he +had a letter of credit to an American gentleman. + +Here he remained for three weeks, and from thence he went to London, +directed to a countryman, who received him kindly, and offered his +services towards effecting his final escape. After remaining here for +six weeks, he found an opportunity of sailing for France; and after an +extremely boisterous and squally passage, reached Ostend, from whence he +soon found his way to Amsterdam, where he seized the opportunity of +paying his respects to Mr. John Adams, then Minister Plenipotentiary +from the United States to Holland. Through the courtesy of this +gentleman, he obtained a passage to his own country, and, after some +adventures, reached Philadelphia, on the 21st of March, 1782. + +But he was not long allowed to enjoy the pleasure which he expected, +after such a trial of danger and fatigue. In less than a week after he +arrived at Philadelphia, he was offered the command of the Hyder Ally, +of sixteen guns, fitted out by the state authorities of Pennsylvania, to +repress the enemy's privateers, with which the Delaware river abounded. + +On the 8th of April, 1782, he entered upon his destined service, which +was to convoy a fleet of merchantmen to the capes, and to protect them +from the "refugee boats," with which the river abounded. While waiting +at the capes, he was assailed by two ships and a brig belong to the +enemy, who, finding him unsupported, commenced a furious attack, which +he sustained with great coolness, while his convoy were safely retiring +up the river. The brig came up first, and gave him a broadside as she +was passing; but kept her course up the bay after the convoy, while +Barney waited for the ship, which was coming up rapidly. Having +approached within pistol shot, the Hyder Ally poured a broadside into +her, which somewhat staggered the enemy, who thought Barney would +"strike his colors." The enemy seemed disposed to board, and was ranging +alongside of him, when he ordered the quarter-master, in a loud voice, +to "port the helm!"--having previously given him secret instructions to +put the helm hard a-starboard, which latter order was obeyed; by this +manoeuvre the enemy's jib-boom caught in the fore-rigging of the Hyder +Ally, thus giving her a raking position, which Captain Barney knew how +to improve. The firing on both sides was tremendous;--an idea of it may +be obtained from the fact, that more than twenty broadsides were fired +in twenty-six minutes! In the mizzen staystail of the General Monk there +were afterwards counted, three hundred and sixty-five shot-holes. During +the whole of this short but glorious battle, Captain Barney was +stationed upon the quarterdeck, exposed to the fire of the enemy's +musketry, which was excessively annoying, and began to be felt by the +men, insomuch that Captain Barney ordered a body of riflemen, whom he +had on board, to direct their fire into the enemy's top, which +immediately had the desired effect. + +The capture of the General Monk was one of the most brilliant +achievements in naval history. The General Monk mounted eighteen guns, +and had one hundred and thirty-six men, and lost twenty men killed, and +thirty-three wounded. The Hyder Ally had sixteen guns, and one hundred +and ten men, and lost four men killed, and eleven wounded. + +All the officers of the General Monk were wounded except one. The +captain himself was severely wounded. The brig which accompanied the +enemy ran ashore to avoid capture. Captain Barney now followed his +convoy up to Philadelphia. After a short visit to his family, he +returned to his command, where he soon captured the "Hook-'em-snivy"--a +refugee schooner, which had done a great deal of mischief on the +Delaware river. + +These captures struck such terror among the privateers, that they began +to disperse to more profitable grounds. In consequence of the glorious +actions, Captain Barney was presented with a gold-hilted sword, in the +name of the state. + + + + +A + +CATALOGUE + +OF + +ENTERTAINING AND INSTRUCTIVE + +JUVENILE BOOKS, + +PUBLISHED AND FOR SALE BY + +C.G. HENDERSON & CO. + +AT THEIR + +Central Book & Stationary Warehouse, + +No. 164 CHESTNUT STREET + +_Corner of Seventh_ + +UNDER BARNUM'S MUSEUM. + +PHILADELPHIA. + + + * * * * * + +Nut Cracker and Sugar Dolly + +A PARTY TALE. + +TRANSLATED FROM THE GERMAN. + +BY CHARLES A. DANA + +SQUARE 16mo. CLOTH AND CLOTH GILT + + * * * * * + +This New Fairy Tale is one of the liveliest, most readable, and most +unexceptionable for Children which has ever appeared. + +THRILLING STORIES + +of the + +OCEAN. + +for the Entertainment and Instruction of Young. + + * * * * * + +This is a neat Volume of 300 pages, with numerous Embellishments. It is +written in a familiar, popular style, and is well suited to the +Juvenile, Family or School library. + +CLOTH BINDING, PLAIN AND GILT EXTRA. + + + + +COSTUMES OF EUROPE. + +Beautifully Embellished with 24 Engravings of Original Costumes. One +vol. Square 16mo. Fine Cloth binding, 50 cts; with Col'd Engravings, 75 +cts. + +This is a Companion volume to the COSTUMES OF AMERICA, and is equally +instructive as well as pleasing for young readers. + +Every intelligent Boy should possess a Copy of the Book of Costumes of +Europe and America. + + + + + +KRISS KRINGLE'S + +RHYME BOOK. + + * * * * * + +A lively book of Rhymes for very little Children. + +RICHLY EMBELLISHED WITH PICTURES. + +Square 16mo. Paper Covers, 12-1/2 cents. + Cloth Binding, 25 " + + + + + +MAJA'S ALPHABET. + +A + +VERY BEAUTIFUL PICTORIAL ALPHABET, + +IN RHYME + +WITH NEW AND ORIGINAL DESIGNS, BY ABSOLON. + + + + +CARLO FRANCONI, + +AN ITALIAN STORY, + +And other stories for Young People. + +BEAUTIFULLY ILLUSTRATED WITH ENGRAVINGS FROM ORIGINAL DESIGNS. + +Square 16mo. Cloth Binding. + +This is a very touching and entertaining Story for Youth. The Scene is +laid in England, and in Italy, the incidents are of a peculiarly +interesting character. + + + + +COSTUMES OF AMERICA. + + * * * * * + +An excellent volume for Young People of both sexes, and well calculated +to awaken an interest in the History of this Continent. Illustrated with +Twenty-four Engravings of Original Costumes. One volume, square 16mo. +Cloth, 60 cents. With Colored Plates, 75 cents. + + + + + +End of Project Gutenberg's Thrilling Stories Of The Ocean, by Marmaduke Park + +*** END OF THE PROJECT GUTENBERG EBOOK 13604 *** |