At about two in the afternoon, we had a view of, I think, the largest water, or by some termed, air-spout, I ever saw. Nothing occurred until we reached soundings at the St. George's channel. Here Mrs. W—— presented her husband with a fine boy; when the fact was communicated to the crew, they hoisted the colors and fired a salute.
A stormy wind headed us several days; the channel was full of vessels of all nations waiting a passage up. A light breeze springing up, we set studding-sails, and soon made the Tuskar light. Rounding the rock, we shaped our course to Holyhead. A thick fog again setting in, and shutting out the land from sight, we were obliged to run the ship by reckoning. When abreast of Bardsey island, spoke a coaster, and found our reckoning right.
At night the fog cleared away. Made sail. Sighted Holyhead light on the coast of Wales; rounded the head at daylight; took on a pilot who soon ran us into Liverpool. When we docked ship, and discharged all hands. A few days after, the ship and cargo was sold upon the water. I was offered the command of her by the new owners, to make a voyage to Quebec; this I declined, not liking the voyage, though I regretted leaving the ship, for she was a beautiful sailor.
Wishing to go to St. Johns, I watched every opportunity to work my passage. This I could find no means of doing until some time in July, when I was offered the berth of chief mate on board the Ashburton, Capt. Poole, bound thither. The Ashburton was a splendid ship of 1009 tons register, built for either passengers or freight. All things ready, we left our moorings the 18th of July, with sixteen passengers, and cargo of dry goods, iron, &c. Proceeded down the Mersey, and stood across to the Irish shore, made the hill of Howth. The wind blowing a double reefed top-sail breeze from the southwest, and every moment freshening, we hauled up and stowed our main-sail; tacked and stood back to the English coast. Sighted the Calf-of-man at midnight. Finding we made no progress, and the wind still increasing, we close reefed the fore and mizzen top-sails, and double reefed the main top-sails. At three, the next day, the Captain thought best to square away, and stand northwest towards the North Channel; which course we ran about six hours, then hauled our wind N. N. E. till midnight, and stood N. N. W.
During this time I was below: coming on deck at half past twelve, found the Captain had been on deck all night.
On learning that, at nine o'clock, the Calf-of-man bore E. S. E. four leagues distant, and since that time we had been bearing northwest, I was fully persuaded all was not right, and went aft into the poop, where the Captain was walking with a thoughtful expression of countenance. The rain was at this time falling in torrents.
WRECK OF THE ASHBURTON ON THE COAST OF IRELAND.