The New Hampshire Gazette And Historical Chronicle

In the GAZETTE of January last, we gave an Account of Captain Morton's meeting with a Sloop on this Coast the 26th of December, bound from Fayal to New York, David Harrison, Master, who had then been out 65 Days, and was in a most distressed Condition for want of Provisions, which Captain Morton endeavoured to supply them with, though he was at very short Allowance himself, but was parted from them in the Night by a violent Gale of Wind, without being able to give them that Assistance he intended. The following from a late English Print is a further and more particular Account of the Distress which the People on board the Sloop suffered, 'till they were taken up by a Vessel bound from Virginia to London.

"ON the 9th of Nov. in lat. 39 10 & long. 32. he met with a very heavy gale of wind, which carried away all his sails, and tore his rigging to pieces. Being in this miserable situation, he then put the ship's company to an allowance; that on the 25th day of Dec. all their stock of Provisions was quite exhausted; they were then obliged to kill what living Creatures they had on board, which were two pair of pigeons, a dog and a cat, which served them for that day and the day following; they afterwards feed two days on barnacles, which they took from the sloop's bottom. From the 28th of Dec. until the 9th of Jan. they had nothing to subsist on; and being almost famished with hunger; it was resolved among the ship's crew to cast lots which of them should be killed; they accordingly drew lots, and it happened to fall on a negro man whom they had on board, and he was immediately killed, whom they fed on for seven days; and from the 16th of Jan. until the 20th, they had nothing to live on, when they resolved a second time to cast lots for another man to be killed, the lot fell on a foremast man, whom they allowed twenty four hours to prepare himself for death; but on the 30th day in the morning (which was the day he was to be killed) they observed a sail at some distance; but having no canvas to spread, were unable to make towards her; but the ship observing their distress, stood for them, and hoisted out her boat and took them on board. She proved to be the Susannah of London, capt. Thomas Evers. from Virginia, who behaved to capt. Harrison and his distressed crew with great kindness and humanity. It must be observed, that capt. Harrison had not the least food for forty two days, as he would rather have chose to die, than to have eaten the negro's flesh raw. The other poor fellow whose lot it was to have died (had not providence sent capt. Evers in their way) had been out of his senses ever since his lot was drawn. The mate is dead since his arrival at Dartmouth, and another of them is now on the point of death. Capt. Harrison could not omit mentioning the great inhumanity of Capt. -mms, who commanded a sloop from Newcastle, bound to Boston, which he fell in with on the 26th of Dec. who promised to supply them with some provisions; but instead of doing so, immediately made all sail again, without giving them the least morsel of any thing; and on that same day they were obliged to eat part of the cat and dog which they killed."