The Recorder, Or, Lady's And Gentleman's Miscellany

MELANCHOLY ACCOUNT OF THE BRIG INDUSTRY.
Boston February 27.

Communicated in a Letter from one of the Passengers, to his Parents in this Town.

Dear Parents,

Through the interposition of God, I am now enabled to write you: and to assure you and my other relations and friends, that no personal injury has been sustained by me although the loss of our vessel, of which you have heard, was attended with scenes of extreme misery, and with death to most of our crew and passengers. The particulars are these. On the 15th of November, we sailed from Halifax for St. John's, having on board 24 souls, 16 of whom were passengers and among them, a Lady with 3 children, the oldest 5 years and the youngest 10 months; on the 20th being then 70 miles west of Seal Island in the Bay of Fundy we discovered, at about 8 o'clock in the evening a Fire in the after hold of the vessel, every endeavour was instantly tried to extinguish the flames but in vain; the dry goods with which she was principally loaded, were all in flames, and had spread to every part of the brig. In this dreadful situation, we had no other alternative, but to take to our boat, which being but 16 feet long, was ill calculated either for containing so many souls, or for navigating a sea which was then tempestuous. We however, lost the brig about 10 o'clock, at night, and embarked on board our little boat: the wind then blowing from the land; the next day two of the men died, on the 2d, the Lady and her poor infants expired under their severe sufferings: from this time until we were taken up, the men were continually dying. The cries of the afflicted woman and her infant children, were the most heart piercing of any thing I ever felt or experienced; to have saved them I would willingly have sacrificed my own life. During this period, and until we were relieved, we had nothing to eat or drink; On the 6th day, we had but 6, out of the 24 that left the vessel with us: and these so exhausted with hunger and fatigue as to be unable to throw all the dead overboard; indeed, we were compelled to eat a part of the flesh of one man who had recently died. On the 7th day, we were providentially, taken up by a vessel, and carried to Yarmouth on the Nova-Scotia shore, where every assistance and comfort were afforded. One of the 5 taken up is since dead, and the others except myself, so frost bitten, as to be forever maimed.