The tragedy of the seas; or, Sorrow on the ocean, lake, and river, from shipwreck, plague, fire and famine .. . lowing remarks of Captain Sleeper. The situation of these men on board the Burlingtonwas not an enviable one. They stood, as it were, on thesummit of a volcano, which was raging beneath them, andthreatening at each moment to burst out with uncontrollablefury. They were cold, wet, and uncomfortable, during agreat part of this time, and exhausted by their labors to ex-tinguish or stifle the fire. The carbonic acid gas, whichgenerated in large quantities, drove them from the cabin,and t
The tragedy of the seas; or, Sorrow on the ocean, lake, and river, from shipwreck, plague, fire and famine .. . lowing remarks of Captain Sleeper. The situation of these men on board the Burlingtonwas not an enviable one. They stood, as it were, on thesummit of a volcano, which was raging beneath them, andthreatening at each moment to burst out with uncontrollablefury. They were cold, wet, and uncomfortable, during agreat part of this time, and exhausted by their labors to ex-tinguish or stifle the fire. The carbonic acid gas, whichgenerated in large quantities, drove them from the cabin,and they had no place of refuge beneath the deck. Duringthese few days, they were visited by several dreadful gales,at which times it happened providentially that the fire,didnot break out, for no hoat could have lived during suchweather as they experienced; and when the whole interiorof the vessel was, as it were, a mass of fire, which it becameevident was about to burst through the deck, the weathermoderated; a ship hove in sight, steering directly towardsthem, took them off, and in a few hours afterwards the. THE BURLINGTON STRUCK WITH LIGHTNING. 265 barque was burnt down to the waters edge and sunk!The captain, officers, and crew, ought to feel deeply gratefulfor the aid which was afforded them by the Divine Power inthis trying hour. They appear to have exhibited a degreeof coolness, intrepidity, and wisdom, during the circum-stances which attended the loss of the barque, which reflecthonor on the American character, and must command theadmiration of all who can conceive the perilous situation inwhich they were placed. The extracts from the log-bookare written in plain but forcible language, and convey agraphic sketch of an extraordinary event, which cannot beread without emotion. ^^ Tuesday, March 10, 1840. Commences with freshsoutherly breezes and passing clouds; a brig in 2, P. M., took in topgallantsails. At 6, blowing fresh,double-reefed the topsails, reefed main
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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1840, bookidtra, booksubjectshipwrecks
