While noticing the immediate disasters of the ship, we
forebore to mention the fate of one of the boats which had
gone from George's Island. About nine o'clock as the ship went
off, the boat got under the ship's bow and was upset; by this
circumstance a part of the men, consisting of two sergeants
and four privates of the Royal Nova Scotia Regiment were
unfortunately drowned; the remainder were taken up by the boat
belonging to the Eastern Battery. Too much praise cannot be
given to the men who manned these boats, and particularly to
Sergt. Bourke, and the boat's crew who persevered in following
the ship, and finally brought off Lieuts. Campbell and Nooth
of the Royal Fusiliers.
Great praise is also due to the dock-yard boat which carried
Mr. Rackum on board. They followed the ship at a short
distance till she foundered, and with extreme difficulty at
length reached Herring Cove. We are sorry to mention that Mr.
Rackum, whose exertions on board La Tribune to preserve the
ship were gratefully acknowledged, perished with the unhappy
ship's company.
Having mentioned all the disastrous circumstances which have
attended this distressing scene, it is with pleasure we now
notice the attention which has been paid to the widows and
children of the unfortunate sufferers. His Royal Highness
Prince Edward with that uniform generosity which has
distinguished his Royal Highness during his residence in this
province, directed immediate provision to be made for the
bereaved families, and there is reason to hope through his
Royal Highness' representations, that provision will be made
as permanent as their sufferings. Actions like these dignify
even kings and add splendour to the highest rank.
Besides the attention shown by his Royal Highness a liberal
subscription has been made by the garrison and gentlemen of
the town for the widows of the soldiers who were drowned and
for the men who manned the boats.
There is another instance of generosity, which the occasion
seems to require, and it seems to be the earnest wish of the
men who were saved from the wreck; it is that some reward may
be bestowed on the boy who first came off to them. They
attribute in a great measure their deliverance to him, and
they mention with the warmest gratitude, not only his
exertions to save them from the wreck, but his kind and
hospitable attention to relieve them after they had reached
the Cove. Surely if a subscription were set on foot there is
not a man in the country who would not give something to
reward and encourage so young an instance of humane and heroic
magnanimity.
Mr. Club, the master of La Tribune, was master of the Active,
frigate when she was run ashore on the Island of Anticosti.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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