THAMES OF

LONDON.

ON Wednesday the 24th of Octóber, 1804, we saw something in the North-west appearing like a boat with one sail set; hauled up towards it, and in a quarter of an hour after discovered it to be a wreck, with her masts gone and her bowsprit standing. What we took for a sail was a piece of canvass hoisted on the bowsprit for a signal. Soon after we discovered four men on the bowsprit, and likewise part of a shark, and a firin of butter hanging under it. We hauled up close to the wreck. At ten hove-to, hoisted the boat out, and took the men on board. They were in an extremely weak condrion, having remained,

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their account, thirteen days on the bowsprit, with no other sustenance than the piece of the shark we had seen, and some saltbutter, as will appear from the subjoined narrative. The captain, Thomas Burrows, who was one of them, on being brought on board, fainted away several times. The legs of all of them were dreadfully ulcerated, and they were emaci ated and feeble to a degree scarcely conceivable. We made a bed for them on the quarter-deck, setting up an aing over it, and gave them very assistance necessary.

Th that sympathy and tenderness two ladies, our passengers, which ever distinguishes the sex,

were most assiduously attentive to them, doing every thing in their power to contribute to their relief and comfort. We were particularly careful to prevent them from gratifying their eager desire to assuage the burning thirst they had so long suffered by drinking too copiously, which might have been fatal to them; and we therefore supplied them with fresh water at first only sparingly and cautiously. We gave them some sago, and made them some chicken-broth; and they soon began to recover their spirits and strength. As their clothing was in a very wretched plight, from the distress they had suffered, our people furnished them with new clothes; and we had the happiness daily to see a rapid progress in the re-establishment of their health.

While we were lying-to, and the people with the boat were employed in taking the poor men from the wreck, we caught six dolphins.

Our latitude to-day at noon, by observation, was 25, 5, North; from which it appeared that we - had been carried by some current, or some unknown cause, eleven miles to the Northward of our ac-count, by which deviation from the course we had intended to steer we were brought to the spot where the wreck lay; a deviation the more extraordinary, as it had never occurred to us in any former voyage, and can only be ascribed to the immediate direction of HIS all-gra ious Providence, whose tender mercies are over all his works, and who had ordained that we should be the instruments of his merciful goodness, by dicovering and rescuing from their dreadful situation the four poor souls we took on board from the

wreck. So true is it that those who go down to the sea in ships, and who do business in great waters, see the works of the LORD, and his wonders in the deep.

The following is the narrative of the loss of the ship of which we discovered the wreck, and of the sufferings of the crew, written by Mr. Thomas Burrows, the master.

Account of the Loss of the Brig Flora, of Philadelphia, Thomas Burrows, Master, on a Voyage to Cayenne and South America.

On Friday the 28th of September 1804, we sailed from Philadelphia, in good order, and wellconditioned for sea; our crew consisting of the following per

sons:

Thomas Burrows, master; Williain Davidson, supercargo; Jacob Oldenberg, mate; Josiah Anderson, steward; Samuel Bab cock, seaman; John Nevan, ditto; William Story, ditto; Joseph Wilden, ditto; Josiah Smith, boy; James Cameron, ditto.

On Tuesday, the 1st of October, we discharged our pilot, and took our departure from Cape Henlopen, with a pleasant breeze from the North-eastward, all well on board. Nothing of importance occurred til Tuesday the 8th, when the wind hauled to the South-eastward, and continued in that direction till the 10th, with a heavy swell from the East-northeast. On Friday, the 12th, we found by observation that we were in latitude 28, 50, North, longitude 54, 0, West. Observing it to look for a blow from the Northeast, we took in our jib, squarer main-sail, top-gallant-sails, and stay-sails. At four in the afternoon, the gale increasing, we close reefed the top-sails, sent the cop

gallant yards down, and took in two reefs of the fore and aft mainsail. At quidnight, the gale still increasing from the North-eastward, we handed the top-sails, and hove-to under the fore-sail and main-stay-sail. At one A. M. of Saturday the 13th handed the foresail and main-stay-sail; hove-to under the balance-reefed inainsail; the gale increasing with a heavy sea, thunder, lightning, and violent rain. At two A. M. the gale still increasing, handed the balance main-sail, and hove-to under bare poles, the brig making good weather. The gale still continuing to increase, all hands were employed on deck, and our pump kept constantly going; till finding it impossible that the brig could lie-to any longer, we called all hands aft, and it was determined, for the preservation of the vessel, to cut away the main-mast, and scud before the wind. Every thing being prepared, we divided accordingly: but before we could get to the mast, we were struck by a whirlwind, which hove the brig on her beam ends. Every person or board, except Joseph Wilden, a seaman --who, being in the forecastle, was drowned-now ran to the windward side of the vessel. We immediately cut the lanyards of the main-bigging, and the main-mast went by the board. By this time the hatches had bursted up; the vessel filled with water; and the cargo was floating out at each hatch-way. All hope of saving the ship being now at an end, selfpreservation became the only object with every one; and we endeavoured to lash ourselves to the main-chains, when a heavy sea broke over us, and carried away William Davidson the supercargo,

William Story, and the two boys, Smith and Cameron: the foremast soon afterwards went by the board.

Day-light came on, and discovered the most dismal sight ever beheld by the eye of man. 5 The vessel was an entire wreck, with masts and spars hanging to it; while different parts of the cargo, as they floated from time to time out of the hold, washed over us. At length we shipped a heavy sea abaft, which stoved in the stern; and made an opening through which the cargo in the cabin washed out; and thus the wreck becaine considerably lightened.

We remained on the mainchains till eight o'clock in the morning, when we took to the bowsprit, thinking that the safest part of the wreck. About nine, William Story, and the boy, William Cameron, drifted on board, on the caboose-house. We now had lost all hope, and resigned ourselves to our fate, expecting every wave to swallow us up. About noon the boy died through fatigue, and we committed his body to the deep. In the latter part of this day the gale became more moderate, but a heavy sea continued running, On Monday the 15th William Story died for want of subsistence, and the mate, from extremne hunger, actually devoured a part of his flesh; all the rest, however, refused to share with him, and the remains were committed to the deep.

When we had continued in this disinal situation till Wednesday the 17th, the gale had become considerably more moderate; and it occurred to us, that by diving into the half-deck, we might, obtain something on which we might

subsist. This we endeavoured to do, but all our attempts proved ineffectual; and we then had no other resource but to chew the lead from the bows. On Friday the 19th, we discovered a large ship to leeward, and made all the signals we could, but in vain, for she passed without noticing us.

'On Saturday the 20th, a strong breeze springing up, with a heavy sea running, several kegs of butter came up from the fore-castle: we all immediately plunged in on the deck, and were so fortunate as to save five kegs of salt-butter, one of which was immediately opened, and we fed one another; but we found that the salt-butter, instead of relieving, only increased our thirst.

On Sunday the 21st, Jacob Oldenburgh, the mate, became delirious, and continued so till his death, on the 23d. On the same day (the 21st) a schooner passed us to leeward, within less than a mile. We hoisted all the signals we could make, but without effect, though we could see every man on deck.

On Tuesday the 23d, the mate departed this life from want of subsistence; and as we were reduced to the last extremity from want of water and food, it was agreed to eat his flesh for our own preservation. We accordingly dissected him, and drank his blood among us, from which we found considerable relief. At this time we were surrounded by numerous sharks, which seemed waiting for us; and, as Providence directed us, we were so fortunate with a rope, and a piece of human flesh, as to take one of the largest of them. We then committed the mate's body to the deep; and having got the shark on the bow

sprit, split him open, and divided his blood among us, which proveda most happy relief to us all.

On Wednesday the 24th, at sun-rise, we saw a brig standing towards us, which sight cheered our drooping spirits, as it afforded us hope of relief. We immediately hoisted signals of distress; and had the pleasure to find the brig haul up towards us. A. M. she hove-to, hoisted her boat out to our assistance, and we were taken on board the vessel, which proved to be the Snow Thames, of London, Charles Burton master, from Madeira, bound to New Providence. We were at that time' in the most feeble and emaciated condition possible for living men' to be; but we soon began to re vive, as we received every assist: ance and attention from the humanity of the captain, his officers, and passengers.

THOMAS BURROWS.'

The Bahama Chamber of Commerce, in testimony of the humanity and active exertions of captain Burton on this occasion, passed the following vote of thanks to him:

'Resolution of the Bahama Chamber of Commerce.

At a meeting of the Bahama Chamber of Commerce, held on the 16th of November, 1804,

⚫ RESOLVED,

That the thanks of the Chamber be given to captain Charles Burton, of the Snow, Thames of London, for his humanity, in picking up, and bringing to this port, the master and surviving part of the crew of the American brig Flora, of Philadelphia, whereof Thomas Burrows was master,

when in the greatest distress, almost in the middle of the ocean; and that the same be transmitted by the president,

J. WEBSTER, President.'

Letter from Mr. J. Webster, pre

my best wishes for your future
success and happiness in life.
I am, sir,

Your most humble servant,
J. WEBSTER,

President of the chamber
of commerce.'

New Providence, Dec. 31, 1804.

'SIR,

The Chamber of Commerce of the Bahama islands, ever ready to bear testimony of the meritorious conduct of individuals anywise concerned in commerce, did, at their quarterly meeting, on the 16th ultimo, resolve unanimously, that the thanks of the Chamber be conveyed to you for your humanity in picking up, and bringing to this port, the master and surviving part of the crew of the American brig Flora, of Philadelphia, whereof Thomas Burrows was master, when in the greatest distress, almost in the middle of the ocean.

Although in this instance you did nothing more than what was due, and ought to have been expected from one individual to suffering brethren of the same profession under similar circumstances, yet it must be allowed that few men would have exercised the humanity you did to those unfortunate people when at the point of death, and that to your care and attention, after they were received on board the Thames, may be attribrated the preservation of their lives.

A copy of the resolution of the Chamber I herewith transmit to you with great pleasure; and I request, sir, that you will accept

Thames of London.

REFLECTIONS on AUTHORS.

[By the late Mr. Cowper.] CARACCIOLI says there is something very bewitching in authorship; and that he who has once written will write again'-I can subscribe to the former part of his assertion from my own experience, having never found an amusement among the many I have been obliged to have recourse to that so well answered the purpose for which I used it. The quiet and composing effect of it was such, and so totally absorbed have I sometimes been in my rhyming occupation, that neither the past nor the future had any longer a share in my. contemplation. For this reason I wish, and have often wished, since the fit left me, that it would seize me again: but, hitherto, I have wished it in vain. I see no want of subjects, but I feel a total inability to discuss them. Whether it is thus with other writers or not I am ignorant, but I should suppose my case, in this respect, a little peculiar. The voluminous writers, at least, whose vein of fancy seems also to have been rich in proportion to their occasions, cannot have been so unlike and so unequal to themselves. There is this difference between my poetship and the generality of them-they have been ignorant