We regret to say that about fifty of our countrymen are missing; amongst these unfortunate men is Captain Charles Lydiard; also, the first lieutenant, a very valuable officer; also the doctor, a very worthy man, and his son; besides some midshipman, and petty officers. The principal things saved from the wreck are a few casks, containing spirits, butter, &c. Captain Lydiard was nearly half-way to the beach, when a most dreadful sea overwhelmed him, so that he was seen no more!
The body of Captain Lydiard was found, and interred with military honours. Several officers, both naval and military, attended the funeral, together with the mayor, &c. of Helston. The body was afterwards conveyed to his family vault in Haslimere, Surrey. This worthy and distinguished officer was married to an amiable woman, by whom he had five children. He was highly esteemed as a gentleman; and as an officer, he was of sterling merit. His conduct in attacking the Fourdroyant, (Admiral Williametz), under the Spanish batteries, near the Havannah;—in the capture of the Spanish frigate Pomona, under the batteries of Mure Castle; and at the capture of Curaçao, obtained him a name for skill and bravery, that will “live after him.”
We are happy to hear that the inhabitants of Helston, and its neighbourhood, have, in this instance, as well as the late one of a transport, which was also wrecked, rescued their character from those odious epithets of savage and barbarian, which have heretofore been thrown upon them; for by their unexampled and hazardous activity, all the crew that remained on board, and escaped a watery grave by not being precipitate in getting on shore, were landed by eleven o’clock; and too much praise cannot be given, that Mr. Tobias Roberts, shopkeeper, of Helston, does not deserve, for the imminent and perilous danger he ran by remaining close to the Anson, (while the sea, in all its rage broke over her mast high), lifting the benumbed crew from impending ruin.
On the 31st of December, Mr. Rogers, the Coroner, took an inquest on the bodies of Mr. Robert Smith, the Surgeon, and Mr. Richard Leach, one of the midshipmen, belonging to the Anson, in the church-yard, at Helston. Dead bodies were continually washing on ashore in great numbers along the coast, and most of them very much mangled and disfigured.
During the interval of the Anson being on the beach, the situation of our brave seamen was perilous beyond description: the sea running mountains high, so that it was quite impossible for any boat to live on the water; and the only method which remained for the crew to land was, by ropes from the masts to the beach (as fortunately she was thrown with her masts towards the land), and through the assistance of which, by the aid and blessing of a merciful and kind providence, about two hundred and fifty were saved from destruction.
We cannot help here recording, as an illustration of the naval character, a most heroic and benevolent act of one of these seamen in the hour of danger. This brave fellow was supporting himself in the water on a plank, expecting every moment a watery grave. At this critical time, he perceived one of his companions, who had been swimming for about an hour in the vain hope of reaching land, in such an exhausted state, that he could no longer persevere in his exertions. Our hero magnanimously threw him the plank, with which he had so long defended himself, desiring him to take that, the only assistance he could at present give him, while he would see how far he himself could swim. Having thus parted with his staff, he swam for about twenty minutes, and fortunately met with another piece of the wreck, by which he was enabled to prolong his worthy existence, till a boat came to his relief. We sincerely trust that the valour and commiseration of this noble tar may be properly rewarded, whose merit is certainly worthy of a more exalted station.
Another anecdote of a more entertaining though, perhaps, less interesting nature, but equally authentic, has happily reached us in time for insertion.
One of the poor fellows, who narrowly escaped drowning, took refuge in the first cottage he could find. In this cottage there happened to live an old lady and her niece, who received the distressed mariner in the most kind and compassionate manner. As, however, they were provided with no male apparel, and it was necessary that their guest should have some comfortable clothing, till his own was perfectly dry, the niece supplied him with a change of her own; and Jack having plenty of flannel petticoats on, soon recovered his strength and spirits. Though plenty did not adorn their board, yet a sufficiency was provided, and the hospitality with which it was given, rendered it more delicious; suffice it to say, that the sailor passed a very comfortable night here, and owing to a pressing invitation from the niece, who thought it would be dangerous for him to stir out too soon for fear of catching a cold that might be fatal, he also spent two or three comfortable days. It was not, however, the apprehensions of catching cold, a phrase unknown to mariners, that induced Jack to make a longer stay; the fact was, he became delighted with the conversation and manners of his younger hostess, and as every hour of his stay tended to augment that delight, he at last declared to the old woman his passion for the niece. This information was by no means disagreeable to the latter, and the end of the matter was, that our hero found a wife in Helston; he does not therefore repent his being shipwrecked, but humorously remarks, “It is an ill wind that blows nobody good.”
The philanthropy of the inhabitants of Helston, in endeavouring to save their fellow creatures from perishing by shipwreck, reminds us of another similar instance of feeling and humanity, which was also united with courage; and which we think, may, with great propriety be introduced here, as a further stimulus to the people of sea coasts to use, at all times on these occasions, their utmost exertions in favor of distressed mariners.
A ship having been wrecked at the cape of Good Hope, a guard was sent from Horse Island, consisting of thirty men and a lieutenant, to the place where the ship lay, in order to keep a strict look-out, and to prevent any of the cargo being stolen. A gibbet was erected, and at the same time an edict was issued, importing, that whoever should come near that spot should be hanged immediately, without trial, or sentence of judgment passed on him. From this cause the compassionate inhabitants, who had gone out on horseback to afford the wretched sufferers in the ship some assistance, were obliged to return back without being able to do them any service; but, on the contrary, were occular witnesses of the brutality and want of feeling shewn by some persons on this occasion, who did not bestow a thought of affording their fellow-creatures, that sat on the wreck perishing with cold, hunger, and thirst, and were almost in the arms of death, the least assistance or relief.