these poor fellows, who was above ninety years of age, was singular. As he had been endeavouring to extinguish the fire in the cupola, where it first raged, and was looking up, the melted lead from the roof came trickling down upon his face and shoulders. At Plymouth he was put into the surgeon's hands; and, though much burt, he appeared to be in no danger. He constantly, however, affirmed that some of the melted lead had fallen down his throat. This was not believed, as it was thought he could not have survived such a circumstance. In twelve days he died; and Mr. Smeaton says, he saw the lead, after it had been taken out of his stomach, and that it weighed seven ounces. were let down deep into the body of the stone. It was generally, indeed, thought well founded; and the archiect himself was so convinced of its stability, that he would often say, he wished for nothing more than to be hut up in it during a violent storm. He at length had his wish; for he happened to be in it at the time of that memorable storm on the 26th of November, 1703. As the violence, however, of the tempest came on, the terrified architect began to doubt the firmness of his work it trembled in the blast, and shook in every joint. In vain he made what signals of distress he could invent, to bring a boat from the shore. The terrors of the storm were such, that the boldest vessel durst not face it. How long he continued in this melancholy distress is unknown; but in the morning no appearance of the light-built by Mr. Smeaton, and is constructed on a plan, house was left. It, and all its contents, during that terrible night, was swept into the sea. This catastrophe furnished Mr. Gay, with the following simile in his Trivia, which was written a few years after the event: "So when fam'd Eddystone's far shooting ray, The next light-house, which is the present one, was which it is hoped will secure it against every danger. It is built entirely of stone, in a circular form. Its foundations are let into a socket in the rock, on which it stands, and of which it almost makes a part; for the stones are all united with the rock, and with each other, by massy dove-tails. The cement used in this curious masonry, is the lime of Watchet, from whence Mr. Smeaton contrived to bring it barreled up incider-casks; for the proprietors will not suffer it to be exported in its crude state. The door of this ingenious piece of architecture is only the size of a ship's gun-port; and the windows are mere loop-holes, denying light to exclude wind. When the tide swells above the foundation of the building, the light-house makes the odd appearance of a structure emerging from the waves; but sometimes a wave rises above the very top of it, and circling round the whole looks like a column of water, till it breaks into a foam, and subsides. A light-house was again constructed on the rock, before the conclusion of Queen Anne's reign. It was undertaken by one Ludyard, who built it also of wood, but having seen his predecessor's errors, avoided them. He followed Winstanly's idea in the mode of fixing his structure to the rock; but he chose a plain circular form, without any gallery, or useless projecting parts for the storm to fasten on. To give stability also to his work, he judiciously introduced, as ballast to the bottom, two-hundred and seventy tons of stone. In short, every precaution The care of this important beacon is committed to four was taken to secure it against the fury of the two ele-men; two of whom take the charge of it by turns, and ments of wind and water, which had destroyed the last; but it fell by a third. Late one night, in the year 1775, it was observed from the shore, to be on fire. Its upper works having been constructed of light timber, probably could not bear the heat. It happened, fortunately, that Admiral West rode with a fleet at that time in the Sound; and being so near the spot, he immediately manned two or three swift boats. Other boats put off from the shore; but though it was not stormy, it was impossible to land. In the mean time the fire, having descended to the lower parts of the building, had driven the poor inhabitants upon the skirts of the rock; where they were sitting disconsolate, when assistance arrived. They had the mortification, however, to find that the boats, through fear of being dashed in pieces, were obliged to keep aloof. At length it was contrived to throw coils of rope upon the rock which the men tied round them, and were dragged on board through the sea. The case of one of are relieved every six weeks. But as it often happens, wretched beings just scramble a little about the edge of the rock, when the tide ebbs, and amuse themselves with fishing; which is the only employment they have, except that of trimming their nightly fires. Yet though this wretched community is so small, we were assured it is generally a scene of misanthropy. Instead of suffering the recollection of those distresses and dangers in which each is deserted by all but one, to endear that one to him, we were informed the humours of each were so soured, that they preyed both on themselves, and on each other. If one sat above, the other was commonly found below. Their meals too were solitary, each, like a brute, growling over his food alone. The emolument of this arduous post is twenty pounds a year, and provisions while on duty. The house to live in may be fairly thrown into the bargain. The whole together is, perhaps, one of the least eligible pieces of preferment in Britain; and yet, from a story which Mr. Smeaton relates, it appears there are stations still more ineligible. A fellow, who got a good living by making leathern pipes for engines, grew tired of sitting so constantly at work, and solicited a light-house man's place, which, as competitors are not numerous, he obtained. As the Eddystone boat was carrying him to take possession of his new habitation, one of the boatmen asked him, what could tempt him to give up a profitable business, to be shut up for months together, in a pillar? Why," said the man, "because I did not like confinement." About four o'clock they found the gripe carried away, and only hanging by some of the lower bolts; and after five hours severe labour at the pumps, there was above four feet water in the hold. All these circumstances combined, rendered their situation at once hopeless and deplorable, and all their exertions to stop the leak proved fruitless. In this emergency, they employed some hands in preparing the boats, and in making every necessary arrangement, as the latest alternative for their preservation. At ten o'clock, the crew, after all their exertions at the pumps, and finding six feet water in the hold, began to be disheartened and dispirited; but to their extreme joy and satisfaction, two ships were descried from the masthead, which gave them all new life and spirits, and being re-animated they plied the pumps with increased alacrity, but being at a great distance to windward, and bound to the westward, it was two, P. M. before the two vessels came up, the Cornelia having then above eight feet water in the hold. They proved to be the South Carolina, Captain Steele, bound for New York; and the Vigilant, Captain Prentiss, bound for Portland. Captain Steele having a great number of passengers on board, it was agreed that they should go on board the Vigilant. The South Carolina staid by them till seven o'clock, by which time they had got out most of their provisions and water on board the Vigilant; and when Captain Steele left them, the water was even with the lower deck. They employed themselves till nine o'clock in getting their baggage, stores, &c. out of the ship; and Captain Prentiss being willing to stay till morning, in the hope to save something of consequence, they all went on Loss of the Ship Cornelia, Captain Bliss, on her passage to board to the number of fourteen, and left the Cornelia New York, July 11, 1804. THE following narrative of this most deplorable disaster, was written on the day after the accident, on board the Vigilant, Captain Prentiss, who succeeded by his praiseworthy exertions, in rescuing the whole of the crew from their perilous situation. The Cornelia, at the time of the most melancholy and singular circumstance which caused her destruction, was at eleven, P. M. on July 11, in latitude 46°, longitude 40°, under full sail, going about seven knots, when she struck with such violence, on what was supposed to be a vessel bottom up, that it was some time before she could recover herself; the pumps were immediately set to work, and finding sufficient employment for them, they cleared away the fore-peak by throwing the staves overboard; when to their unutterable astonishment, they found the stern started, and several of the hood fends opened, so as to admit of several thicknesses of blanket. | with her lower-deck under water; and early the next morning, upon the boats returning, they found her full of water. As the wind was blowing very fresh from the S.W. and the ship lying over very much, the boats were ordered to leave her; all their endeavours therefore to save something from the wreck proved abortive. At half-past eight, A. M. to their mortification, they saw her capsize, and carry away her masts; the Vigilant then made sail and left her. Thus fell the good ship Cornelia, by an accident which no human prudence could foresee, nor human assistance prevent. Now is the ocean's bosom bare, Loss of the Dutton, East Indiaman, January 26, 1796. seamen, women, and children; but notwithstanding the THE Dutton, East Indiaman, arrived at Plymouth on the 25th of January, 1766, from Admiral Christian's fleet; but on the following day, at about ten o'clock in the morning, a dreadful gale of wind came on from the S. W., when she was driven to leeward, and about two hours afterwards, she struck on the S.W., part of Mount Batten, and immediately after parted her cables. She then veered round with her head to the N.W., and stretched across the harbour under her fore-topsail; but by her striking on the Batten, having knocked her rudder off, she became unmanageable, and, at about half-past twelve o'clock, was driven on shore, under the citadel, when her masts were all cut away. After violently beating on the strand for several hours, her back was entirely broken, and she became a mere wreck. The number of persons that were on board when the ship struck, amounted to five hundred, including soldiers, violence of the sea, and the imminent danger, from the dreadful situation of the ship, not more than three or four persons perished-and those were carried away by being entangled in the rigging when the main-mast was cut away; but, such was the eager anxiety of the soldiers and seamen to get to land, that numbers of them jumped overboard, and had very nearly lost their lives, by the violence of the sea dashing them on the rocks. Then rose from sea to sky the wild farewell; It was on this account that Sir Edward Pellew, with great intrepidity, got himself conveyed on board the Dutton, by means of a rope extended from the ship to the shore; and by his able conduct, put an end to the confusion that existed, assuring them, that he would be the last man to quit the ship. To this was owing the with her keel, which, being new, and their best dependorder and regularity which instantly prevailed. Measures were immediately taken to get the men out of the ship, which was effected by means of boats, and by ropes fastened to the shore; and it is a singular circumstance, almost unparalleled in the history of maritime disasters, that owing to the manly conduct and efficient presence of mind which was evinced by Sir Edward Pellew on this occasion, and for which the Corporation of Plymouth afterwards presented him with its freedom, that not another life was lost, although, such was the dreadful situation of the vessel, but very little hope could be reasonably entertained that any of them would be saved. ance, they brought a slight strain on the small bower, and endeavoured to strike their mizen-topmast, but could not get the fid out. About half-past ten, the thunder and lightning was tremendous, with continual flashes from several ships firing guns of distress. At this awful moment, they parted their best bower, occasioned by the ship that had chafed her cable: upon which they immediately let go the sheet anchor, and wore away on the sheet and small bower together; attempting several times to stop the sheet cable but to no purpose. They then endeavoured to snub her, by hauling taut the ring-rope and stoppers together; but on feeling the first strain, the small bower parted the sheet cable running out at the same time. They then got two stoppers passed abaft the main-bits, Loss of the General Barker, East Indiaman, Captain but both lanyards broke, and the cable ran out to the James Todd, February 17, 1781. clench round the mast, and parted likewise, Being now at the mercy of the wind, which blew a THE General Barker, commanded by Captain James hurricane, they drove, stern foremost, athwart a brig of Todd, was chartered by the Hon. the East India Com-about one hundred and twenty tons, with such force, that pany and sailed from Madras the latter end of February, she went down under their bottom, and every soul on 1780, in company with three sail of the line, and several board of her perishedEast India ships, having on board Sir Thomas Rumbold, governor of Madras, his lady and family, and other passengers for Europe. About the middle of the following April, they arrived at St. Augustine's Bay, in Madagascar, and having stayed six weeks there, were joined by some ships from China. In the beginning of July, they anchored in Table Bay, Cape of Good Hope, where they remained about six weeks, and then shaped their course for St. Helena; from whence they sailed in company with three sail of the line, a sixty-gun ship, a fifty-gun ship, and thirteen East Indiamen, for England. About Christmas, they entered Crookhaven, in the south of Ireland, where they landed Sir Thomas Rumbold and the rest of the passengers; and after staying some time proceeded up the channel, and arrived in the Downs, with some other ships, on February 10, 1781, and the wind blowing hard from the S.W. and W.S.W.; when the captain went on shore, to procure some stores that they were in want of, and the ship was waiting to receive them. On February 12, the wind continuing to blow very hard from the S.W., they struck lower-yards and topmasts, and soon after let go the small bower under foot. About nine, a small vessel near them having drove, came athwart their hawse, and carried away the larboard bumpkin and bobstays, but they cleared her without any further damage; the gale still increasing, and blowing violently from S.W., to W.S.W., another ship drove, and brought up in their hawse, chafing their best bower cable "No reckoning made, but sent to their account, The blow being chiefly on the back of their rudder, it The next day, February 13, they cut away the ends of the cables at the foremast-bits, and at about half-past one, swayed up the fore-yard, knocked down the bulkheads, and cleared away the great cabin, to ship a tiller in the rudder-head. All the valuable effects of Sir Thomas and Lady Rumbold, which were stowed there with the furniture, were beaten to pieces with malls, crows, and axes, and thrown out of the cabin windows, with chests of plate, money, valuable curiosities, and about forty cages of oriental birds, &c.; and it is computed, that not less than ten thousand pounds' worth of property was thus sacrificed, there being no passage to pass them along. About two o'clock they got the spare tiller shipped, and set the foresail, and in half an hour afterwards, they swayed the main-yard, and set the mainsail; and till about half-past eight in the morning, she made about two CHRONICLES OF THE SEA.' every knots an hour, on the starboard tack, when they saw being in deep water, they cleared the gun-deck. In the Kentish Knock on the larboard bow; a high sea run- the pens amidships, they had a fine Arabian horse, a ning, and blowing a strong gale at the time. This tiger, a hyæna, two Madagascar cows, two calves, with caused a debate on the quarter-deck, as to the most sheep, goats, &c., which they were obliged to dispatch kind of advisable course to pursue the opinion of the two pilots with half-pikes, and then heave them overboard, togewho were on board, was to veer the ship, and stand off ther with chests, hammocks, bedding, and on the other tack; but the officers were of opinion, that lumber, leaving a clear deck, the guns only excepted. being so near, they could not weather it on the other The yard was now swayed up, the foresail unbent, and tack, but that if they were to ease her off a foot or two another brought to the yard, and the spritsail bent: and on the fore and main sheets, to give her more way, they by five o'clock in the afternoon, they saw the buoy of could weather it on the tack they were on. The pilots, the Longsand-head; the ship continuing to make about however, prevailed, and all hands were ordered to veer three feet water per hour. The raft that was being towed astern by the cat-fall, ship. The helm was put a-weather, the main-yard braced to, and the fore-staysail, which they had bent that morn-broke the tow-rope, and went adrift. They got a piece ing, run up to help her; the four lower shrouds were of old junk, and making fast both ends of it, veered it manned, and as many hammocks as possible stowed there, but all to no purpose; for the instant they got her before the wind, she struck on a bank fore and aft; the forestaysail slipped, and the sea, which was running very high, made a fair breach over her, from stem to stern. About ten, the ship began to have a heel to port, upon which they cut away the mainmast, but not having cut the main-stay soon enough, it fell across their six-oared yawl, which was the only good boat they had, and cut it in two. As yet, they had made but little water, the vessel being strong, and her first voyage; but by continual beating on the bank, she began to make it very fast, which made it necessary to keep the pumps going; and, observing on the lee-side of the bank, a sloop-rigged vessel under her fore-sail, they made signals of distress, by firing guns, and hoisting the ensign union downwards; but to their extreme mortification, they saw her bear away under a close reefed mainsail and foresail. At eleven, they lowered down the fore-yard, hove the broken yawl overboard, unstowed the booms, and began to construct a raft with spars lashed across each other, which they completed by one o'clock, and launched it over the side. They then cut away the timber-heads in the waist, and launched the long-boat; but she leaked so fast, that in twenty minutes after, she sunk alongside, with several men in her, and nearly carried away the raft that was towed alongside. They were obliged to cut her away, but the men were saved by ropes thrown to them. As the ship was striking very hard abaft, they started some casks of water in the lazaretto, to ease her forward, when the ship struck violently, which tore the rudder from the stern-post and shook the whole sternframe. As the flood-tide continued to make, there were great hopes that she would beat clear over the bank, which they did, by about twenty minutes past three in the afternoon, when they got into seven fathoms water, and soon after into thirteen, and then into twenty fathoms; upon which, out of the great cabin windows, with a guy to it, from On the fourteenth, at daylight, they discovered a sail |