[List-Cumbria] Carlisle Patriot, 23 Nov 1822 - Shipping (1)

[Petra Mitchinson]

Saturday 23 Nov 1822   (p. 3, col. 6)

 

WRECK OF THE BRIG GEORGE. 

 

The following details have been handed to us, of the melancholy wreck of the brig George, of Greenock, John M'ALPIN, master, from
Quebec, on the 6th of October last: they are from the pen of Mr. M'ALPIN himself. He and a seaman named BROWN, are the only
survivors of a crew of eleven persons, and a man, his wife, and child, passengers; they were taken from the wreck, after 38 days'
suffering, by Capt. John HUDSON, of the brig Saltom, of Carlisle. M'ALPIN and BROWN arrived at Annan on Wednesday evening, under the
warmest recommendations of Capt. HUDSON, and they were received in a manner which reflects credit on the town, a liberal
subscription having been immediately raised for them. 

 

Mr. M'ALPIN's own account.-"Early on the morning of the 6th of Oct. a very heavy gale sprung up from the south-west. At 8 A. M.
began to reef topsails, and  laboured hard till we brought the brig under bare poles, keeping the pumps sucking the whole time. At 2
P. M. broached to, just then reefing the foresail; by means of hoisting the fore-top-mast stay-sail, got her before the wind without
any accident. Went upon the fore-yard to finish reefing the fore-sail, when a tremendous sea came on board, and washed the boat and
a man passenger overboard; he was fortunate enough, however, to lay hold of a slack rope which hung over the side, and got on board
again. (This person had on board his wife and one child; they were on their passage from Quebec, and belonged to a place between
Larne and Belfast.) We had the foresail set a little time; but the gale still increasing, were obliged to furl it, and lash the
fore-top-mast stay-sail taut down, and so scud under it and bare poles till sun-set. Still no abatement of the gale. Finding
ourselves unable to steer the brig, we hove to under bare poles, as no cloth could stand, nor, in fact, could the vessel bear away;
but we instantly got a tarpaulin, and were in the act of preparing it for the main rigging, when the wind shifted two points more to
the westward, which threw the sea more upon the quarter; and a wave broke on board, washed away three of our best men, the companion
binnacle and a cable, broke the stay-sail boom and gaff in two, and very much damaged the hull. I instantly ordered all hands to the
pumps, but only three were in a state to obey; the others gave up; and so small a force could not stand long at that duty. About six
A. M., on the 7th of Oct., we found the vessel water-logged; and as nothing further could be done, we prepared ourselves to take the
main-top, with the following stores:-one bag of bread, about 8lb. of cheese, a dozen of wine, two bottles of brandy, and a little
rum; we were nine in number; but all had not got into the top, when the vessel lay upon her beam-ends for the space of half an hour,
the decks were cleared, the hatches blew up; the foremast, however, going overboard, she righted, and on again looking at our
stores, we found nothing remaining but the bag of bread. The passenger had his child in his arms while the vessel lay on her
beam-ends: and in order to secure himself was obliged to resign his infant to the fury of the waves. We now cut away the main-top
sail from the yard, and got it round the top to screen ourselves from the elements. Until Friday the 11th, we had no moderate
weather, and on that day for the first time were able to go upon deck to look for any kind of sustenance. By this time, thirst
prevailed among us so much, that many began to drink salt-water. Having saved the carpenter's axe, we cut the deck away just above
the place where the water-cask was stowed, and got the cask out, but found that it had been stoved. Nothing was to be found fore or
aft but an empty pump-can, which we took into the top with us. That night the woman (whose name was Joyce,) became insensible, and
at 8 A. M. on the 12th, she died. We now found the first relief by drinking her blood, of which her own husband was obliged to
partake with the others! At two P. M. a barque-rigged vessel hove in sight. We observed her haul her wind towards and come within a
mile of us, it being then dusk, and we expected immediate assistance; but to our great disappointment and grief, she left us to our
fate. Sunday the 13th, the boy, John LAMONT, died; Wednesday the 16th, died John M'KAY, the carpenter; Thursday the 17th, George
M'DOWELL, the passenger, expired; Sunday the 20th, Colin M'KECHNY, seaman, sunk under his sufferings; and on Tuesday the 22nd,
Gilbert M'ALROY, the steward, gave up the ghost. We saved a part of the flesh of all, except one. After the last man died, we
obtained a plentiful supply of water by means of the top-gallant stud-sail boom which was in the top-mast rigging, having got the
pump-can under it, and the can was never less than half full while we remained on the wreck, which was till the 11th of November, a
period of 38 days. Our sufferings may be imagined, but they cannot be described." 

 

 

[to be continued] 

 

 

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