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Story
April 3, 1852
Richmond Daily Times
Richmond, Virginia
What is this article about?
Six young children from Sidmouth, England, drift to sea in a boat after being shoved off by a boy. After a night of desperate search, a Plymouth fisherman rescues them asleep in the boat, feeds them, and returns them safely, eliciting joy and prayers of thanks.
Clipping
OCR Quality
95%
Excellent
Full Text
A Wonderful Preservation.—The following very interesting story is taken from a Devonshire (England) paper:
"Sidmouth has been the scene of a most thrilling incident. Six little children, on Wednesday morning, got into a boat on the beach, and a mischievous boy shoved it off. The boat drifted away to sea before the children were missed. Terrible was the agony of the mothers when they knew it. A number of men went off in all directions; every boat was on the lookout until far into the night. Day-light returned and still nothing was heard about them—they were lost either in the expanse of the wide ocean, or buried within its insatiable depths.
A Plymouth fisherman fishing early in the morning, saw something floating in the distance; he bore down to it, and discovered it to be a boat—and in the bottom the six children, all cuddled in like a nest of birds, fast asleep, God having mercifully granted them that solace after a day of terror and despair. He took them aboard, feasted them with bread and cheese, and gladdened their despairing hearts with a promise to take them home. Between three and four in the afternoon, the fisherman was seen in the offing with the boat astern. All eyes were turned towards him; the best spy glasses in the town were rubbed again and again, and at last they fairly made out that it was the identical boat.
The news flew thro' the town—mothers came frantic to the beach for there were no children discovered in the boat; none to be seen in the sloop. Intense was the agony of suspense, and all alike shared it with the parents. At last the boat came in and the word went round. "They are all safe," and many stout hearted men burst into tears, women shrieked with joy, and became almost frantic with their insupportable happiness.
It was indeed a memorable day; and a prayer eloquent for its rough sincerity, was offered up to Almighty God who in his infinite mercy, had spared these innocent children from the perils and terrors of the sea during the fearful night. Five of these children were under five years of age; the sixth is but nine years of old."
"Sidmouth has been the scene of a most thrilling incident. Six little children, on Wednesday morning, got into a boat on the beach, and a mischievous boy shoved it off. The boat drifted away to sea before the children were missed. Terrible was the agony of the mothers when they knew it. A number of men went off in all directions; every boat was on the lookout until far into the night. Day-light returned and still nothing was heard about them—they were lost either in the expanse of the wide ocean, or buried within its insatiable depths.
A Plymouth fisherman fishing early in the morning, saw something floating in the distance; he bore down to it, and discovered it to be a boat—and in the bottom the six children, all cuddled in like a nest of birds, fast asleep, God having mercifully granted them that solace after a day of terror and despair. He took them aboard, feasted them with bread and cheese, and gladdened their despairing hearts with a promise to take them home. Between three and four in the afternoon, the fisherman was seen in the offing with the boat astern. All eyes were turned towards him; the best spy glasses in the town were rubbed again and again, and at last they fairly made out that it was the identical boat.
The news flew thro' the town—mothers came frantic to the beach for there were no children discovered in the boat; none to be seen in the sloop. Intense was the agony of suspense, and all alike shared it with the parents. At last the boat came in and the word went round. "They are all safe," and many stout hearted men burst into tears, women shrieked with joy, and became almost frantic with their insupportable happiness.
It was indeed a memorable day; and a prayer eloquent for its rough sincerity, was offered up to Almighty God who in his infinite mercy, had spared these innocent children from the perils and terrors of the sea during the fearful night. Five of these children were under five years of age; the sixth is but nine years of old."
What sub-type of article is it?
Survival
Heroic Act
Extraordinary Event
What themes does it cover?
Survival
Bravery Heroism
Providence Divine
What keywords are associated?
Children Adrift
Sea Rescue
Fisherman Savior
Sidmouth Incident
Divine Mercy
What entities or persons were involved?
Six Little Children
Mischievous Boy
Plymouth Fisherman
Mothers
Where did it happen?
Sidmouth, Devonshire, England
Story Details
Key Persons
Six Little Children
Mischievous Boy
Plymouth Fisherman
Mothers
Location
Sidmouth, Devonshire, England
Event Date
Wednesday Morning
Story Details
Six children under nine years old drift to sea from Sidmouth beach after a boy shoves their boat off. Mothers and rescuers search desperately overnight. A Plymouth fisherman finds them asleep in the boat, takes them aboard, feeds them, and returns them home to joyous relief and prayers of thanks.