The New Hampshire Gazette

Since our last we are favour'd with a particular Account of Capt. John Frost's Misfortune of losing his Schooner Elizabeth, alias Old Monk, extracted from the Journal of Capt. Benjamin Randell, who was a Passenger on board said Schooner, which as it contains some singular Providences, may be agreeable to relate.

We sailed from Philadelphia the second of October last. and on the 7th we met with a violent Gale of Wind at N. N E. and a heavy Sea, which obliged us to throw over 80 Barrels of Flour and above five Ton of Iron : On the 8th the Storm increased, we then put before the Wind. and at 4 P. M. a Sea struck our Star-board Quarter, which broach'd her to, carried away our Bowsprit and Boat and one Man over board, but soon recover'd him again, and hove the vessel on her beam Ends ; we then cut away the Main Mast and got her before the Sea ; but by lightning the Vessel the Day before, the Barrels shifted in the Hold, and stove all our Water Casks, and lost all our Water, excepting about four Gallons. The 9th another Sea struck us, and knock'd off the Head of the Rudder and Plank Stern, and lifted the Quarter Deck. The 10th the Storm continued ; the 11th the Wind veer'd to N. N. W. and moderated, but a terrible Sea still continued ; the 13th the Sea abated. Wind N W. we then opened our Hatches and threw over 40 Barrels more : From the 13th to the 19th we lay a Wreck, having no Command of the Vessel, reduced to the greatest Extremity, oblig'd to drink our own Urine to quench Thirst, being then in Lat. 33. 10 N. and Longitude 68. 12. W, (almost in Despair) when, to our unspeakable Joy, we discover'd a Sail which bore directly towards us, and soon came up with us, he proved to be a French Snow from St. Domingo, bound to Old France. with 46 Men. who hail'd us, and ask'd whether we would be taken off; to which we readily consented ; but as they had lost their Boat as well as we, & seeing our great Distres, three of them jumped over board, and risk'd their Lives. swam to us (though the Sea ran very high) but could not get aboard us, and were oblig'd to put back to their Vessel, having narrowly escaped being drowned themselves ; yet notwithstanding, after they had made a small Tack, they attempted again, and with an uncommon Resolution got on board us, by which Means we got a Rope fastened to a small Hawser on board them, and hove us under their Stern, when we all got safe into their Vessel and left our own, after taking only eight Barrels of Flour out of her. We then steer'd E. N. E. for Old France, but unhappily on the 5th of December, we were cast away in a terrible Storm 45 Miles to the Northward of Bayonne, and lost Vessel and Cargo, and even Frenchmen were drowned in endeavouring to get on Shore ; on the 6th we were taken up as Prisoners, and the 9th put into Bayonne Castle. where we remained till the 12th of January, and were treated as well as we could expect, all Things consider'd.: After which, we with about 300 more Prisoners were put on board a Cartel Vessel bound to England ; but our Informant left the Vessel, and got to Bilboa, and came home to this Place via Salem, and supposes Capt. Frost and Son sailed for England in the Cartel soon after he left them. We must inevitably have perish-ed in all Probability in a Day or two more, had we not been discovered by the above French Snow, Stork. formerly taken from the English, and the extraordinary Kindness of the Frenchmen who thus risk'd their Lives to save ours.