upon. Still
less am I inclined so describe the heart-rending scene at Buncrana,
where the widows of many of the sufferers are residing. The surgeon's
wife, a native of Halifax, has never spoken since the dreadful tidings
arrived. Consolation is inadmissible, and no one has yet ventured to
offer it.

SHIPWRECK OF THE NAUTILUS.

The ship Nautilus, Captain Palmer, with important despatches for
England, sailed from the Dardanelles, on the 30th of January, 1807.
Passing through the islands which abound in the Greek Archipelago, she
approached the Negropont, where the navigation became both intricate
and dangerous. The wind blew fresh, and the night was dark and squally;
the pilot, a Greek, advised them to lay-to till morning; at daylight she
again went on her course, passing in the evening, Falconera and
Anti-Milo. The pilot, who had never gone farther on this tack, here
relinquished the management of the vessel to the captain, who, anxious
to get on, resolved to proceed during the night, confidently expecting
to clear the Archipelago by morning; he then went below, to take some
rest, after marking out on the chest the course which he meant to steer.

[Illustration: SHIPWRECK OF THE NAUTILUS.]

The night was extremely dark, vivid lightning at times flashed through
the horizon. The wind increased; and though the ship carried but little
sail, she went at the rate of nine miles an hour, borne on by a high
sea, which, with the brightness of the lightning, made the night appear
awful. At half past two in the morning, they saw high land, which they
took for the island of Cerigotto, and went confidently on, supposing
that all danger was over. At half-past four, the man on the look-out,
cried, "breakers a-head!" and instantly the vessel struck with a
tremendous crash; the violence of the shock being such, that those below
were thrown from their beds, and on coming on deck, were compelled to
cling to the cordage. All was confusion and alarm; scarcely had part of
the crew time to hurry on deck, before the ladder gave way, leaving
numbers struggling with the water, which rushed in at the bottom. The
captain and lieutenant endeavored to mitigate the fears of the people;
and afterwards, going down to the cabin, burnt the papers and private
signals. Meantime, every sea dashed the vessel against the rocks; and
they were soon compelled to climb the rigging, where they remained an
hour, the surge continually breaking upon them.