Jenks' Portland Gazette

Distressing Accident. December 28, the schr. Farmer, J. P. Scott, jun. master, sailed from Boston for the W. Indies. In the afternoon anchored in Nantasket Roads, and lay there waiting for a favorable wind until Jan. 2d, 1804 when she filled with the wind N. W. that evening about 8 o'clock it was discovered that the vessel was on fire, and after searching, found the fire to be under the hearth of the steerage fire place, every exertion was made to extinguish the flames, but to no purpose : and at about half past two o'clock the captain and crew were obliged to take to their boat; the fire then bursting through the Quarter Deck. They were about 10 or 12 leagues from Cape Cod Lighthouse, bearing east by N. the wind blowing a gale from the N.W. and were left to the mercy of the waves, without bread or water; at 10 o'clock the gale abated, and the wind came round to the Eastward. They then steered West in hopes to make land ; and at half past nine o'clock in the morning discovered land. It came on to blow and snow very hard ; and at about half past 10 o'clock, as they approached the land, the surf on the East side of Orleans beach, (Cape Cod,) ran to a prodigious height, and a long distance out. The first comb of the surf which was about 12 by 14 feet, filled the boat; the next which immediately followed, over set her, and all hands were washed out. Capt. Scott, William Farrie, and Francis Stitham, washed on shore and Joshua Steenbroke, Thomas Coats John Bosworth, Jacob W. Bell & Julius Augustus were drowned. The next day Thomas Coats and J. W. Bell were picked up about 3/4 mile from where those who survived were cast on shore and were decently interred in the burying ground at Orleans. The survivors received great benefit from the Light House, which stood near the place where they were driven, on shore, though it was destroyed by fire works and clothing. They were treated with the greatest humanity by the inhabitants of the Cape; Capt. Scott arrived in town on Monday.