to windward, became visible, proving that our drift during the thirty-six hours of the gale, had been nothing like what we had anticipated, and correspondently strengthening our good opinion of the noble ship. It still blew nearly a gale from about WNW. but the sea was smooth, and as much sail crowded as the gallant President could well "stagger” under. She swept through the water, and by midnight the lights on the highlands were a second time discerned.

Wednesday, December 7.-This morning, at an early hour, we were again greeted with a sight of the Jersey coast. The weather, however, looked doubtful, and we all felt more anxious than rejoiced, lest the unhappy occurrence of Sunday night might be repeated. Yet as the morning advanced the prospects were more cheering, and under a light, but head breeze, we were making a gradual progress toward the Hook; when about twelve o'clock we were boarded by the newsboat Thomas H. Smith, and nearly all of the cabin passengers, and some of those in the steerage, agreed to take advantage of her lighter and more expeditious sailing to NewYork, being much encouraged by the intelligence that our fellow-voyagers had safely reached the city on Sunday night. Before two o'clock we were all embarked, by six o'clock we were within the Hook, and at nine we were safely landed on the wharf at New-York.

Thus ended our tedious and dangerous voyage, a voyage of more than fifty days in length, and in which we struggled against for more than a month of head wind, encountered at least a dozen gales, and two or three hundred severe squalls. But owing to the strength of our excellent ship, and the rare skill and vigilance of our captain, no serious injury was sustained either by the crew or passengers. Although we passed on our way wreck after wreck, and found on our arrival the newspaper columns crowded with disasters of fellow-voyagers, all of our great company (nearly one hundred and fifty souls) were landed, safely landed at our long-sought haven. We found, too, that other vessels which had left London some days before us, were yet unheard of. Such distinguished protection and kindness as we have experienced from the Father of mercies, demand unfeigned gratitude, and a life of future obedience. May these claims of our great Benefactor be felt by us all, and may the result of these trials be our better preparation for the termination of the voyage of life, and the admission of our disembodied spirits into that haven above, where no tempest blows, and "no wave of trouble ever rolls."

LOSS OF HIS MAJESTY'S SHIP CENTAUR,

Of Seventy-four Guns, September 23d, 1782; and the Miraculous Preservation of the Pinnance, with the Captain, Master, and ten of the Crew. By Captain Inglefield.

AFTER the decisive engagement in the West Indies, on the glorious 12th of April 1782, when the French fleet under Count de Grasse was defeated by Admiral Sir George Rod. ney, several of the captured ships, besides many others, were either lost or disabled, on their homeward bound passage, with a large convoy. Among those lost was the Centaur of seventy-four guns, whose commander, Captain Inglefield, with the master and ten of the crew, experienced a most providential escape from the general fate.

The captain's narrative affords the best explanation of the manner and means by which this signal deliverance was ef fected. Those only who are personally involved in such a calamity can describe their sensations with full energy, and furnish, in such detail, those trials of the heart which never fail to interest.

The Centaur (says Captain Inglefield) left Jamaica in ra ther a leaky condition, keeping two hand pumps going, and when it blew fresh, sometimes a spell with a chain-pump was necessary. But I had no apprehension that the ship was not able to encounter a common gale of wind.

In the evening of the 16th of September, when the fatal gale came on, the ship was prepared for the worst weather usually met in those latitudes, the main-sail was reefed and set, the top-gallant mast struck, and the mizen-yard lowered down, though at that time it did not blow very strong. Toward midnight it blew a gale of wind, and the ship made so much water that I was obliged to turn all hands to spell the pumps. The leak still increasing, I had thought to try the ship before the sea. Happy I should have been, perhaps, had I in this been determined. The impropriety of leaving the convoy, except in the last extremity, and the hopes of the weather growing moderate, weighed against the opinion that it was right.

About two in the morning the wind lulled, and we flattered ourselves the gale was breaking. Soon after we had much thunder and lightning from the south-east, with rain, when it began to blow strong in gusts of wind, which obliged me to

haul the main-sail up, the ship being then under bare poles. This was scarcely done, when a gust of wind, exceeding in violence any thing of the kind I had ever seen or had any conception of, laid the ship upon her beam ends. The water forsook the hold and appeared between decks, so as to fill the men's hammocks to leeward; the ship lay motionless, and to all appearance irrecoverably overset. The water increasing fast, forced through the cells of the ports, and scuttled in the ports from the pressure of the ship. I gave immediate directions to cut away the main and mizen masts, hoping when the ship righted, to wear her. The mizen-mast went first, upon cutting one or two of the lanyards, without the smallest effect upon the ship; the main-mast followed upon cutting the lanyard of one shroud; and I had the disappointment to see the foremast and bowsprit follow. The ship upon this immediately righted, but with great violence; and the motion was so quick, that it was difficult for the people to work the pumps. Three guns broke loose upon the maindeck, and it was some time before they were secured. Several men being maimed in this attempt, every moveable was destroyed, either from the shot thrown loose from the lockers, or the wreck of the deck. The officers who had left their beds naked, when the ship overset in the morning, had not an article of clothes to put on, nor could their friends supply them.

The masts had not been over the sides ten minutes before I was informed the tiller had broken short in the rudder-head; and before the chocks could be placed, the rudder itself was gone. Thus we were as much disastered as it was possible, lying at the mercy of the wind and sea: yet I had one comfort, that the pumps, if any thing, reduced the water in the hold; and as the morning came on (the 17th) the weather grew more moderate, the wind having shifted, in the gale, to north-west.

At day-light I saw two line of battle ships to leeward; one had lost her fore-mast and bow-sprit, the other her main-mast. It was the general opinion on board the Centaur, that the former was the Canada, the other the Glorieux. The Ramilles was not in sight, nor more than fifteen sail of merchant ships.

About seven in the morning I saw another line of battle ship ahead of us, which I soon distinguished to be the Ville de Paris, with all her masts standing. I immediately gave orders to make the signal of distress, hoisting the ensign on

the stump of the mizen-mast, union downwards, and firing one of the forecastle guns. The ensign blew away soon after it was hoisted, and it was the only one we had remaining; but I had the satisfaction to see the Ville de Paris wear and stand towards us. Several of the merchant ships also approached us, and those that could, hailed, and offered their assistance; but depending upon the king's ship, I only thanked them, desiring, if they joined Admiral Graves, to acquaint him of our condition. I had not the smallest doubt but the Ville de Paris was coming to us, as she appeared to us not to have suffered in the least by the storm, and having seen her wear, we knew she was under government of her helm; at this time also, it was so moderate that the merchantmen set their top-sails, but approaching within two miles, she passed us to windward; this being observed by one of the merchant-ships, she wore and came under our stern, offering to carry any message to her. I desired the master would acquaint Captain Wilkinson that the Centaur had lost her rudder as well as her masts; that she made a great deal of water, and that I desired he would remain with her until the weather grew moderate. I saw the merchant man approach afterwards near enough to speak to the Ville de Paris, but I am afraid that her condition was much worse than it appeared to be as she continued upon that tack. In the mean time all the quarter-deck guns were thrown overboard, and all but six, which had overset, off the main deck. The ship lying in the trough of the sea labored prodigiously. I got over one of the small anchors, with a boom and several of the gun carriages, veering out from the head door by a large hawser, to keep the ship's bow to the sea; but this, with a top-gallant-sail, upon the stump of the mizen-mast, had not the desired effect.

As the evening came on it grew hazy, and blew strong in squalls. We lost sight of the Ville de Paris, but I thought it a certainty that we should see her the next morning. The night was passed in constant labor at the pump. Sometimes the wind lulled, and the water diminished; when it blew strong again, the sea rising, the water again increased.

Towards the morning of the 18th I was informed there were seven feet of water upon the kelson; that one of the winches was broken; that the two spare ones would not fit, and that the hand-pumps were choked. These circumstances were sufficiently alarming; but upon opening the afterhold, to get some rum up for the people, we found our condition much more se.

It will be necessary to mention, that the Centaur's after hold was inclosed by a bulk-head at the after part of the well; here are all the dry provisions, and the ship's rum were stowed upon twenty chaldron's of coal, which unfortunately had been started on this part of the ship, and by them the pumps were continually choked. The chain pumps were so much worn as to be of little use; and the leathers, which, had the well been clear, would have lasted twenty days, or more, were all consumed in eight. At this time it was observed, that the water had not a passage to the well, for there was so much, that it washed against the orlop-deck. All the rum, twenty-six puncheons; and all the provisions, of which there was sufficient for two months, in casks, were staved, having floated with violence from side to side, until there was not a whole cask remaining; even the staves that were found upon clearing the hold, were most of them broken in two pieces. In the fore-hold we had a prospect of perishing: should the ship swim, we had no water but what remained in the ground ties; and over this all the wet provisions, and butts filled with salt water, were floating, and with so much motion, that no man could with safety go into the hold. There was nothing left for us to try, but bailing with buckets at the fore hatchway and fish room; and twelve large canvass buckets were immediately employed at each. On opening the fish room we were so fortunate as to discover, that two puncheons of rum, which belonged to me, had escaped. They were immediately got up, and served out at times in drams; and had it not been for this relief, and some lime juice, the people would have dropped.

We soon found our account in bailing; the spare pump had been put down the fore hatchway, and a pump shifted to the fish room; but the motion of the ship had washed the coals so small, that they had reached every part of the ship, and the pumps were soon choked. However, the water by noon had considerably diminished by working the buckets; but there appeared no prospect of saving the ship, if the gale continu ed.

The labor was too great to hold out without water; yet the people worked without a murmur, and indeed with cheerfulness.

At this time the weather was more moderate, and a couple of spars were got ready for shears to set up a jury fore mast; but as the evening came on, the gale again increased. We had seen nothing this day but the ship that had lost her main mast, and she appeared to be as much in want of assistance as