santly employed at the pumps. They also hove almost | than four or five cables' lengths from the shore; so that all the ballast overboard; but in spite of every exertion, the crew could discern that there were several people on the danger seemed every moment to increase. So mad- the Wall, but who were unable to afford them any relief. dening was the reflection of what might have been their It was now half-past eight, when a tremendous sea situation had the pilot not been refused, that the officers dashed with such force against the ill-fated vessel, that, could not refrain from reproaching the captain with after rocking like a cradle for two or three seconds, her having slighted the advice of the English in the boats: timbers split, and immediately she broke her back. he appeared to be deeply sensible of his error, but it was About one hundred and seventy persons were instantly now too late to repent. overwhelmed by the furious element, and not one of them ever reached the land. The wreck, thus torn asunder, still presented nearly three hundred miserable objects clinging to the various parts that remained above water; while the tremendous noise of the foaming billows was drowned by the piercing shrieks and cries of the hapless women and children. The admiral recommended the sheet-anchor to be cut away, which was accordingly done, and nearly two cables were veered out in the hope of bringing off the ship. All this time she continued to beat upon the piles, and the sea to break over her with such violence that the men were no longer able to remain in the hold. The pumps had now become so completely choked with sand and mud that they were rendered totally useless, and a speedy destruction of the vessel and all on board appeared to be inevitable. The foremast soon afterwards went over the ship's side, hurrying along with it about twelve of the crew, who were soon out of sight. The ladies now began to strip themselves quite naked, which is a usual custom among the Dutch females under similar circumstances, and several of them were handed to the bowsprit attended by their husbands. The others chose to wait their fate on the quarter-deck, where stood the miserable Captain Scherman, in silent despair at the unavailing cries for assistance of those around him, while his unfortunate wife, in all the bitterness of maternal anguish from the loss of her infant, was clinging to his feet. About eight o'clock the rudder was discovered to be unshipped, while the tiller was tearing up the gun-deck, and the water rushing in with fearful rapidity at the ports. At this moment most of the passengers and crew joined in solemn prayer to the Almighty, and while engaged in this act of devotion, the sea, foaming dreadfully, made a fair breach over them, so that they were obliged to exert every effort to remain in the ship. From the uncommon fury and roaring of the waves, the guns could scarcely be heard even on board; and no hope remained of their obtaining any assistance from the shore. As a last expedient, the captain gave orders to cut away the anchors from the bows, when a violent swell immediately parted them, and the ship drifted with irresistible force farther on the piles. The unhappy sufferers had now no other prospect than that of instant destruction-every human exertion had been made to save the vessel-nothing more could be done; and all stood in silent suspense waiting the awful moment that should hurry them into eternity. The morning was unusually dark, and to aggravate the horrors of the terrific scene, the ship was not more At the earnest request of the admiral, the jolly-boat, which was hanging over the stern, was now launched; and he, together with the colonel and eight females, were helped into her. Mrs. Scherman wept incessantly, but refused to quit her husband to accompany them. They had not, however, proceeded far when a dreadful sea broke over them, and the boat instantly disappeared. In a few moments the colonel was observed endeavouring to support his lady above water, when a returning wave overwhelmed them, and they sunk to rise no more. The ship was now settling rapidly, and each determined to risk some experiment to reach the shore. The captain proposed to his lady, that they should make themselves fast to a large hen-coop, and commit their lives to the mercy of the waves. A few of the crew having cut away the coop, they, with great difficulty, made fast the captain and Mrs. Scherman, and after an affectionate parting, lowered them down over the stern. They had nearly reached the Wall, followed by the anxious looks of those who had remained on board the wreck, when a large piece that had been detached from it, drove them completely under, and they were never seen to rise again. Painful as this spectacle must necessarily have been to the remaining survivors, their attention was completely absorbed in contriving means for their own preservation. A lieutenant, his wife, and two female domestics of the unfortunate admiral, still remained on the wreck, and the men agreed to make one more effort to save them. Seizing one of the hatches which had been torn asunder, they fastened it to a piece of the quarter-gallery, and lashed the females to the planks, while the lieutenant, who was a good swimmer, stripped himself, and having taken a rope round his waist, the raft was lowered into the water. They had scarcely been a few seconds upon the water, when a violent gust of wind overset the raft, and every soul on it was hurried into eternity. Thus About this time, the bowsprit was torn asunder from the other parts of the wreck. It has been already observed, that many of the females and officers had taken refuge upon it, and the number of persons about the rigging and various parts of the bows was now above a hundred, who were driven towards the Wall by the violence of the surf. Those who were upon the stern, watched the progress of their companions with the ut-upon the raft, and wounded all the rest in a greater or most solicitude, and just as they supposed them to be beyond the reach of further danger, a tremendous sea broke over them, and whelmed them all in one general destruction. perished all the officers and females who had remained off the wreck, when a heavy sea struck the ship with on the stern of the wreck. such violence, that she was dashed into a thousand pieces. The situation of those on the raft was now peculiarly awful, from the numerous fragments of the wreck, which were floating about in every direction, and by the violence of their motions threatening instant destruction. They continued, however, to drift nearer the Wall, when they were ran foul of by a piece of the wreck, which swept off eighteen out of the thirty-three who were less degree; at the same time, they were driven forward with such velocity, that it was impossible to afford any relief to those who were struck off. One of these poor fellows was snatched from the deep by the enterprising humanity of Mr. Kemp, of Hythe, who, at the imminent hazard of his own life, was observed endeavouring to The surface of the ocean was instantly covered with their bodies, and many of the unhappy creatures had almost reached the shore; but wave upon wave succeed-save another, a soldier, when a piece of timber unfortued each other with fearful rapidity and finally triumphed over all their exertions. Among the most distressing instances of individual suffering, was that of a captain of the marines, who was swimming with one hand, and, with the other, endeavouring to support his lady by the hair of her head; till, overcome by cold and fatigue, he turned round, clasped her in his arms, and both disap-but a few days before, had left the city of Amsterdam, peared. and who were but a few hours on board the Vryheid, in nately struck the poor soldier on the head, and he was drowned.About ten minutes after this fatal accident the survivors succeeded in reaching the long-wished-for shore, half dead with fatigue and the severe bruises which they had received. Thus of four hundred and seventy-two persons, who, The wreck, meanwhile, was gradually disappearing, full health and confidence of security, not more than and many of the seamen and marines, successively seiz-eighteen escaped. This wretched remnant of the crew ing on various timbers, precipitated themselves into that of that ill-fated vessel received from the inhabitants of danger they were so anxious to avoid; but it was natu- the adjacent coast, such generous attention, as not only ral to suppose, that after so many dreadful examples, contributed to their recovery, but amply relieved all those who still remained on the wreck should not be their necessities. The bodies of the unfortunate sufwilling to attempt similar experiments. Of these there ferers, which were scattered along the coast for many were now not more than forty-five on both parts of the miles, were likewise collected, and interred in a decent wreck, which frequently became so entangled, that the manner at the expense of the inhabitants. The bodies men were near enough to hold a conversation with each of Captain Scherman and his wife, and many of the offi other. Their situation, however, was now rapidly ap-cers and their ladies, were committed to the grave with proaching to a crisis; from all parts, the planks were being torn away, and each succeeding sea was fatal to two or three of the wretched survivors. At length, two of the seamen determined to lash themselves to a large hog-trough, and endeavour to reach the land: they were handed over the larboard side, and after a miraculous It is a circumstance worthy of remark, that a small escape from coming in contact with a fragment of the merchant vessel which left the Texel on the same day as drifting wreck, they fortunately succeeded in reaching the Vryheid, took a pilot on board off Margate, and was the shore in safety, being the first out of all the adven-brought safe into port, without losing a single hand durturers who had quitted the ship that had succeeded in ing the storm. their attempts. Their success greatly contributed to animate the exertions of those whom they had left behind, and who instantly fell to work to construct a raft, which, in a few minutes, was sufficiently rigged for them to make the attempt. To this frail conveyance did the remaining survivors commit their lives, and had scarcely got clear every mark of respect. A very liberal contribution was afterwards made by the inhabitants of Folkstone and Hythe, to enable the survivors to return to their native land, which they reached in about ten days after the fatal accident. The following is an accurate statement of the number of the crew and passengers of the Vryheid :—forty-two officers, twenty-two women, twenty-eight passengers, seven children, fifty-one seamen, three hundred and twelve soldiers ;-total, four hundred and fifty-four persons lost. Ten seamen, eight soldiers;-total, eighteen saved. Adventure in the Endymion. By Captain B. Hall, R.N. cane. On the 13th of October, 1811, we were cruising in the Endymion, off the north of Ireland, in a fine clear day, succeeding one in which it had almost blown a hurriThe master had just taken his meridian observation, the officer of the watch had reported the latitude, the captain had ordered it to be made twelve o'clock, and the boatswain, catching a word from the lieutenant, was in the full swing of his " Pipe to dinner!" when the captain called out, "Stop! stop! I meant to go about first." "I don't know what it is, sir," cried the man; "it is black, however." Black! is it like a whale ?" asked the officer, playing a little with his duty. "Yes, sir," cried the look-out man, unconscious that Shakspeare had been before him, "very like a whale!” The captain and the officer exchanged glances, at the poor fellow aloft having fallen into the trap laid for him; and the temptation must have been great to have inquired whether it were not "like a weasel;" but this might have been stretching the jest too far; so the lieutenant merely called to the signal midshipman, and desired him to skull up to the mast-head with his glass, to see what he made of the look-out man's whale. "It looks like a small rock," cried young Skylark, as soon as he reached the topgallant-yard and had taken the glass from his shoulders, across which he had slung "Pipe belay! Mr. King," smartly ejaculated the officer of the watch, addressing the boatswain. Which E. words being heard over the decks, caused a sudden cessation of the sounds peculiar to that hungry season. The cook stood with a huge six-pound piece of pork uplifted on his tormentors, his mate ceased to bale out the pea-it with a three-yarn fox. soup, and the whole ship seemed paralysed. The boatswain having checked himself in the middle of his long-winded dinner-tune, drew a fresh inspiration, and dashed off into the opposite sharp, abrupt, cutting sound of the "Pipe belay!"-the essence of which peculiar note is, that its sounds should be understood and acted on with the utmost degree of promptitude. There was now a dead pause of perfect silence all over the ship, in expectation of what was to come next. All eyes were turned to the chief. "No! never mind, we'll wait," said the good-natured captain, unwilling to interfere with the comforts of the "let them go to dinner; we shall tack at one o'clock, it will do just as well.” men: "Stuff and nonsense," replied the officer, "there are no rocks hereabouts; we can but just see the top of Muckish, behind Tory Island. Take another spy at your object, youngster. The masthead-man and you will make it out to be something, by and bye, between you, I dare say." 'It's a boat, sir!" roared out the boy. "It's a boat adrift, two or three points on the lee-bow." "Oh, ho!" said the officer, "that may be, sir," turning, with an interrogative air to the captain, who gave orders to keep the frigate away a little, that this strange-looking affair might be investigated. Meanwhile, as the ship was not to be tacked, the watch was called, and one half only of the people remained on deck. The rest strolled, sleepily, below; or disposed themselves in the sun on the lee gangway, mending their clothes, or telling long yarns. A couple of fathoms of the fore and main sheets, and a slight touch of the weather topsail and topgallant braces, with a check of the bow-lines, made the swiftfooted Endymion spring forward, like a greyhound slipped from the leash. In a short time we made out, that the object we were in chase of was, in fact, a boat. On approaching a little nearer, some heads of people became visible, and then several figures stood up waving their hats to us. We brought-to, just to windward of them, and sent a boat to see what was the matter. It turned out as we supposed; they had belonged to a ship which had foundered in the recent gale. Although their vessel had become water-logged, they had contrived to hoist their long-boat out, and to stow in her twenty-one persons, some of them seamen and some passengers. Of these, two were women, and three children. Their vessel, it appeared, had sprung a leak in the middle of the gale, and in spite of all their pumping, the strength of the men, however stimulated, must have given way before night, especially as the wind freshened, and the boat was drifting further to sea. Had it not been for the accident of the officer of the forenoon watch on board the Endymion being unaware of the captain's intention to tack before dinner, these poor people, most probably, would all have perished. the water gained so fast upon them, that they took to | long this might have lasted, I cannot say; but probably baling as a more effectual method. After a time, when this resource failed, the men, totally worn out, and quite dispirited, gave it up as a bad job, abandoned their pumps, and actually lay down to sleep. In the morning the gale broke; but the ship had filled in the meantime, and was falling fast over on her broadside. With some difficulty they disentangled the long-boat from the wreek, and thought themselves fortunate in being able to catch The women, dripping wet, and scarcely capable of hold of a couple of small oars, with a studdingsail-boom moving hand or foot, were lifted up the side, in a state for a mast, on which they hoisted a fragment of their almost of stupor; for they were confused by the hurry main-hatchway tarpaulin for a sail. One ham and three of the scene, and their fortitude had given way the mogallons of water were all the provisions they were able ment all high motive to exertion was over. One of them, to secure; and in this fashion they were set adrift on the on reaching the quarter-deck, slipped through our hands, wide sea. The master of the ship, with two gentlemen and, falling on her knees, wept violently, as she returned who were passengers, two sailors, and one woman, re-thanks for such a wonderful deliverance: but her thoughts mained on board, preferring to stick by the vessel while there was any part of her above water. This, at least, was the story told us by the people we picked up. were bewildered; and, fancying that her child was lost, she struck her hands together, and, leaping again on her feet, screamed out, "Oh! where's my bairn-my wee The wind had been fair for the shore when the long-bairn!" boat left the wreck, and though their ragged sail scarcely drove them along, their oars were only just sufficient to keep the boat's head the right way. Of course, they made but small progress; so that when they rose on the top of the swell, which was still very long and high in consequence of the gale, they could only just discover the distant land, Muckish, a remarkable flat-topped mountain, on the north-west coast of Ireland, not very far from the promontory called the Bloody Foreland. At this instant, a huge quarter-master, whose real name or nickname (I forget which) was Billy Magnus, and who was reputed to have no fewer than five wives, and God knows how many children, appeared over the gangway hammocks, holding the missing urchin in his immense paw, where it squealed and twisted itself about, like Gulliver between the finger and thumb of the Brob dignag farmer. The mother had just strength enough left to snatch her offspring from Billy, when she sunk down flat on the deck, completely exhausted. By means of a fine blazing fire, and plenty of hot tea, toast, and eggs, it was easy to remedy one class of these poor people's wants; but how to rig them out in dry a resource which answered very well. He sent to several of the officers for their dressing-gowns; and these, toge ther with supplies from his own wardrobe, made capital gowns and petticoats, at least till the more fitting drapery of the ladies was dried. The children were tumbled into bed in the same apartment close to the fire; and it would have done any one's heart good to have witnessed the style in which the provisions vanished from the board, while the women wept, prayed, and laughed, by turns. There appeared to have been little discipline among this forlorn crew, even when the breeze was in their favour; but when the wind chopped round, and blew off shore, they gave themselves up to despair, laid in their oars, let the sail flap to pieces, gobbled up all their pro-clothes was the puzzle, till the captain bethought him of visions, and drank out their whole stock of water. Meanwhile the boat, which had been partially stove, in the confusion of clearing the ship, began to fill with water; and, as they all admitted afterwards, if it had not been for the courage and patience of the women, under this sharp trial, they must have gone to the bottom. As it was both cold and rainy, the poor children, who were too young to understand the nature of their situation, or the inutility of complaining, incessantly cried out for water, and begged that more clothes might be wrapped round them. Even after they came to us, the little things were still crying, "Oh! do give me some water!" words which long sounded in our ears. None of these women were by any means strong-on the contrary, one of them seemed to be very delicate; yet they managed to rouse the men to a sense of their duty, by a mixture of reproaches and entreaties, combined with the example of that singular fortitude which often gives more than masculine vigour to female minds in seasons of danger. How the dif The rugged seamen, when taken out of the boat, showed none of those symptoms of emotion, but running instinctively to the scuttle-butt, asked eagerly for a drop of water. As the most expeditious method of feeding and dressing them, they were distributed among ferent messes, one to each, as far as they went. Thus they were all soon provided with dry clothing, and with as much to eat as they could stow away; for the doctor, when consulted, said they had not fasted so long make it dangerous to give them as much food as they as to were disposed to swallow. With the exception of the the vessel, in company with the jolly-boat, steering for ham devoured in the boat, and which, after all, was but Balambangau; in the jolly-boat were Captain Brooks, a mouthful a-piece, they had tasted nothing for more the mate, gunner, and two sea-cunnies; their only provithan thirty hours; so that, I suppose, better justice was sions being a small bag of biscuit and two bottles of never done to his majesty's beef, pork, bread, and other water; while on the raft were one Portuguese, four good things, with which our fellows insisted upon stuff- Chinese, and three Malays, who were much better proing the new comers, till they fairly cried out for mercy, vided. On the same day, they parted company, and a and begged to be allowed a little sleep. brisk gale coming on to blow from the N. W. those in the jolly-boat saw no more of the raft. As the island of Borneo böre S. E. there is a probability that she might have drifted upon it. The Betsey was lost in lat. 9° 48' N. and long. 114o 14' E. Possibly some of us were more disposed to sympathise with the distress of these people when adrift in their open boat on the wide sea, from having ourselves, about a month before, been pretty much in the same predicament. It always adds, as every one knows, greatly to our consideration for the difficulties and dangers of others, to have recently felt some touch of similar distress in our own persons. This maxim, though it is familiar enough, makes so little impression on our ordinary thoughts, that when circumstances occur to fix our attention closely upon it, we are apt to arrive as suddenly at the perception of its truth as if it were a new discovery. Loss of the Betsey, Captain Brooks, Nov. 24, 1805. THE schooner, Betsey, of seventy-five tons burthen, commanded by William Brooks, left Macao on Nov. 10, 1805, bound for New South Wales; besides the master, the crew consisted of Edward Luttrell, mate, a gunner, two sea-cunnies and one Portuguese, three Manilla and four Chinese Lascars. Her beauteous sides, whose rainbow hues O'er wreaths of murm'ring snow, To sleep 'mid colours as bright as her own. On the 29th, at day-break, to their great joy, they discovered land, which they supposed to be Balabac; but they were nearly exhausted with the fatigue of rowing, as it was then a perfect calm, and exposed to a burning sun; added to which, so great was their distress from want of water, that many of them, almost desperate from intense thirst, began to drink their own urine. At night it blew so hard from the N. E. that they were obliged to bear up for Banguey, the N. W. point of which they discovered the following morning at daybreak; and having fortunately succeeded in reaching it, they instantly went in search of water, which they soon found and drank to excess. Nothing particular occurred during the first ten days; but on the 21st, at about half-past two in the morning, while going at the rate of seven and a half knots, the vessel struck upon a reef: they instantly lowered down the boat, and sent a small anchor astern; but, on heaving it, the cable parted. They then began to construct a raft with the empty water-casks they had on board, but the swell was at that time so great, that for the pre-being understood by the Malays, they went away, and sent they found it impossible to effect it. When the morning broke, they found that the vessel had forged over the reef, about four or five miles, not having more than two feet water; the reef extending for nine or ten miles to the S. E., and W. from four to five miles. During the following three days and nights, every exertion was made to get the vessel off, but all to no effect; and the exhausted crew became so weakened and dispirited by their fruitless efforts, that they could hardly be persuaded to complete the raft which they had commenced; and the vessel, at this time, was bulged on the starboard side. However, on the 24th, by dint of their united efforts, the raft was finished, and they took their departure from As they were afterwards rambling in the woods, in search of fruit, they were met by two Malays, to whom they made signs that they were in want of food; which returned in the afternoon, bringing with them two cocoanuts, and a few sweet potatoes, for which they gave them a silver spoon in exchange; and at night they returned on board the boat. The next morning, five Malays made their appearance, bringing with them some Indian corn and potatoes, for which they received some spoons in exchange. These people pointed towards Balambangau, and endeavoured to make them understand that the English had quitted it for some time; they then repaired on board with their little stock of provisions, and returned the following morning to receive the promised supply. Eleven Malays now appeared on the beach; when, after they had landed, and some conversation had taken place, one of them threw a spear at Captain Brooks, which hit |