The Loss of the Kent, East Indiaman, in the Bay of Biscay: Narrated in a Letter to a FriendMcGregor, Duncan
History
The Loss of the Kent, East Indiaman, in the Bay of Biscay: Narrated in a Letter to a Friend
McGregor, Duncan
Shipwrecks
[Footnote 10: See page 83.--One of the men saved after the
explosion (which had burned off both his feet) was met thirty years
afterwards by the individual who was first saved in the _Cambria_. This
man was wheeling himself in a go-cart on the race-ground at Lanark,
dressed in sailor's costume, and selling papers with a picture of the
_Kent_ upon them and some doggerel verses below. As honorary secretary
of the "Open-Air Mission" (which provides preachers for streets in
towns, and for races and fairs in the country), the "first saved" from
the wreck and burning then preached the Gospel to the "last saved" from
the scorched embers, and to a large and motley crowd, all of whom will
assuredly meet once more "at that day."]
[Footnote 11: Besides 500 barrels of gunpowder, there was on board
several hundredweight of highly explosive percussion powder. The brig
was about three miles distant when the _Kent_ exploded.]
[Footnote 12: Captain Cook afterwards rendered distinguished services in
the Niger expedition, and died in London a true Christian sailor, after
several visits from one he had helped to save.]
[Footnote 13: In addition to those who were naked on board the _Kent_ at
the moment the alarm of fire was heard, several individuals afterwards
threw off their clothes to enable them the more easily to swim to the
boats.]
[Footnote 14: One of the soldiers' wives was delivered of a child about
an hour or two after her arrival on board the brig. Both survived, and
the child received the appropriate name of "Cambria."]
[Footnote 15: There were lost in the destruction of the _Kent_, 54
soldiers, 1 woman, and 20 children, belonging to the 31st Regiment; 1
seaman and 5 boys--total, 81 individuals.]
[Footnote 16: A little Testament was also saved. Only one officer's
sword was saved, and that belonged to him who afterwards led the 31st
regiment in the battles on the Sutlej.]
[Footnote 17: From _All the Year Round_.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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