Thrilling Narratives of Mutiny, Murder and Piracy: A weird series of tales of shipwreck and disaster, from the earliest part of the century to the present time, with accounts of providential escapes and heart-rending fatalities.Anonymous
History
Thrilling Narratives of Mutiny, Murder and Piracy: A weird series of tales of shipwreck and disaster, from the earliest part of the century to the present time, with accounts of providential escapes and heart-rending fatalities.
Anonymous
Mutiny; Pirates; Seafaring life; Shipwrecks
Commander Ross, Mr. Thom and myself, have, indeed, been serving
without pay; but in common with the crew have lost our all, which I
regret the more, because it puts it out of my power adequately to
remunerate my fellow sufferers, whose case I cannot but recommend for
their lordships' consideration.
We have, however, the consolation, that results of this expedition
have been conclusive, and to science highly important, and may be
briefly comprehended in the following words: The discovery of the Gulf
of Boothia, the continent and isthmus of Boothia Felix, and a vast
number of islands, rivers and lakes; the undeniable establishment that
the north-east point of America extends to the 74th degree of north
latitude; valuable observations of every kind, but particularly on the
magnet; and to crown all, have had the honor of placing the
illustrious name of our Most Gracious Sovereign William IV, on the
true position of the magnetic pole.
I cannot conclude this letter, sir, without acknowledging the
important advantages we obtained from the valuable publications of Sir
Edward Parry and Sir John Franklin, and the communications kindly made
to us by those distinguished officers before our departure from
England. But the glory of this enterprise is entirely due to Him,
whose divine favor has been most especially manifested towards us, who
guided and directed all our steps, who mercifully provided, in what we
had deemed a calamity, His effectual means of our preservation; and
who even after the devices and inventions of man had utterly failed,
crowned our humble endeavors with complete success.
I have, &c.
JOHN ROSS, Captain, R. N.
To Captain the Hon. George Elliot, &c. }
Secretary Admiralty. }
LOSS OF THE CATHARINE, VENUS AND PIEDMONT TRANSPORTS; AND THREE
MERCHANT SHIPS.
The miseries of war are in themselves great and terrible, but the
consequences which arise indirectly from it, though seldom known and
little adverted to, are no less deplorable.--The destruction of the
sword sometimes bears only an inconsiderable proportion to the havoc
of disease, and, in the pestilential climates of the western colonies,
entire regiments, reared in succession, have as often fallen victims
to their baneful influence.
To prosecute the war with alacrity, it had been judged expedient to
transport a strong body of troops on foreign service, but their
departure was delayed by repeated adversities, and at length the
catastrophe which is about to be related ensued.
On the 15th of November 1795, the fleet, under convoy of Admiral
Christian's squadron, sailed from St. Helens. A more beautiful sight
than it exhibited cannot be conceived; and those who had nothing to
lament in leaving their native country, enjoyed the spectacle as the
most magnificent produced by the art of man, and as that which the
natives of this island contemplate with mingled pride and pleasure.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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