Alexandria Gazette, Commercial And Political

Charleston Aug. 31.

SHIPWRECK.

Several vessels arrived here yesterday, gave us information of a vessel being on shore at Cape Romain; but we could gain no certain information who she was until last evening, when the schooner Polly, capt. Davenport, came in from Edenton, having on board a Spaniard, whom he had picked up at sea about 10 o'clock yesterday morning, 6 or 8 miles to the Eastward of Ball's Island, floating upon one of the hatches of a vessel.—From this Spaniard, whose name is Goze Vicente, we have obtained the following particulars: through the polite assistance of a gentleman speaking the Spanish language, who kindly acted as an interpreter.— The seaman not speaking a word of English

It appears from his statement that the vessel wrecked is called the Diamond, commanded by capt. Christobal Soler: that she was fitted out at Havana for a voyage to the coast of Africa, and left that port about the 28th of July in company with another vessel, having the same destination. The Diamond had on board 42 men before the mast, besides officers, &c. in all about 50. soon after sailing, parted company with her consort and about 15 days since encountered a gale of wind, in which she was dismasted Having erected jury-masts they made for the American coast, and at 8 o'clock on Thursday morning, between Georgetown and Cape Romain, they brought too the schr. Hornet from Philadelphia, for Charleston: the Spanish captain insisted that the commander of the schooner should send on board a person to take charge of the Diamond, and captain Edward G. Gardner, of Philadelphia, who was a passenger on board, reluctantly agreed to do so.—In the course of the day, the Diamond was brought to anchor some where near Cape Romain Shoals, where she remained until about 4 o'clock in the afternoon, when the Captain and other Officers insisted upon getting the vessel under way, contrary to the advice and opinion of the person they had forced on board as Pilot. At 6 o'clock, she struck upon the Shoals, when her guns and many other things were thrown overboard. her jury mizen mast cut away, and every expedient resorted to lighten her—she then drifted somewhat nearer to the land—(now supposed to be about 5 miles distant) when she bilged, and was filling fast with water. As the only means remaining to preserve their lives. a raft was hastily constructed and all the crew embarked upon it, in the hope of reaching land : but they had not drifted far before the raft settled so low in the water. that the sea beat over it, and many were washed off'; our informant sustained himself upon it as long as possible. but was at last obliged to swim for his life, when fortunately getting hold of a part of the hatch of the schooner, he got upon it, and was thus providentially preserved from immediate death. He can form no correct opinion as to what may have been the fate of the remainder of the crew—many were still hanging to the raft when he was washed off, and the presumption is but too strong that a large portion of them must have perished. So completely was Vicente overcome with fatigue, that he fell asleep upon the hatch towards morning, and did not awake until after sun-rise, when nothing was to be seen of the wreck, or of his wretched fellow sufferers. Fortunately for him, the wind blew in a parallel direction with the land, to which circumstance he may probably ascribe his escape from a watery grave. as it kept him in the track of vessels running down the coast. and made Capt. Davenport the happy instrument of saving the life of a fellow creature.

FURTHER PARTICULARS.

Since writing the above, we have conversed with Mr. Juan Achondo, mate of the schr. Diamond, who, with 5 Spanish seamen, arrived here last evening in the schr. Hornet, from Philadelphia. He states, that after the Diamond's situation was considered hazardous, he was sent with a boats crew on board the Hornet, with a view of throwing over a part of her cargo, to made room for goods on board the Spanish schooner—but it coming on to blow, they found it impossible to get along side her : and after making a number of ineffectual attempts, it which the Hornet lost her cables and anchors, they were compelled to give it up : and while the ill-fated Diamond was tranded and washed in pieces upon the breakers, the small remainder of her crew who were on board the Hornet, by great exertion only avoided her fate. Mr. Achondo states, that the person who took charge of the Diamond, as pilot. professed a thorough knowledge of the coast ; but there appears to be no doubt that he (as many others have unfortunately done before him) mistook the Wind-Mill on Cape Romain, for Charleston Light house, and in consequence run the vessel into a perilous situation : when it came on to blow a gale at N. E. rendered it impossible to extricate her. Mr. A. thinks the whole crew of the Diamond. with the exception of the man miraculously preserved as above detailed, must have perished : as they ran close in with the beach yesterday morning, without being able to discover a single survivor. Nothing was to be seen but floating fragments of the wreck.

It will be observed that the two Spaniards differ in their statements, as to the view with which Capt. Gardner, who is called by them the pilot. went on board the Diamond. But capt Hollman, of the Hornet, states that he did not go on board as pilot, but merely to give them such assistance as it might be in his power to render.

We hope that this dreadful Shipwreck, in which so many lives probably have been lost, added to the great number which have before happened from the same cause. will induce the government, either to have the Wind-Mill on Cape Romain removed altogether, or else so marked, as that it may be more easily distinguished from our Light house.

September 2.

The Shipwreck.—Since our last. we have collected the following additional particulars of the late Shipwreck on Cape Romain :

On Saturday, the coasting schooner Ann. arrived here from Georgetown. bringing 12 of the unfortunate seamen. which she took from the fore mast of the wreck. to which they had been hanging from 9 o'clock on Thursday evening to 2 o'clock on Friday afternoon.

And last evening the pilot-boat Hampton, with Mr Wellman & Mr. Phinney, branch pilots. on board, came in from the sea, where they had proceeded immediately on hearing of the disaster, and they have brought in with them captain Gardner, of Philadelphia, and one black seaman. who it is to be feared, are the last remaining of that ill-fated crew.— Capt. G. who is very much bruised and exhausted, from 42 hours exposure upon a small raft, most of the time up to his middle in water, informs us, that he was most providentially picked up by the wrecking schooner Polly-Gallup, Mr. Greffen master, about 3 or 4 o'clock on Saturday afternoon, every soul besides himself having previously been washed off and perished: or cut away some portion of the raft, and in attempting to gain the shore upon it, met a similar fate. Capt. Gardner was afterwards put on board the Hampton, from the wreck. The black seaman was found by Messrs Wellsman and Phinney, stretched upon the sand on the beach at Cape Romain— he was almost gone when they found him lying flat upon his face. He stated to them, that two others attempted to gain the shore upon the same spar with himself, but both were washed off and drowned. The Spanish captain, second Mate, and Doctor, were seen to perish by the side of capt. Gardner, and as the whole has now been examined, there can be but faint hopes entertained of any more of the crew being saved. 21 have now been rescued and brought to this city, 51 was the whole number on board, consequently 30 have been, most probably, lost.

The hull of the vessel has not gone to pieces, but lays sunk in about three fathoms water, her quarter railing is above water at low tide.