LOSS OF H. M. S. INVINCIBLE.

The Invincible having on board Admiral Totty, and commanded by Captain Rennie, set sail from Yarmouth on the 16th of March, 1801, to join the Baltic fleet, under the command of Sir Hyde Parker, and between two and three o'clock in the afternoon struck on a sand bank. In this situation she continued with the greatest violence for near three hours, when the mizenmast went by the board, and the mainmast was immediately cut away. The signals of distress were heard and answered by a cutter, which immediately bore down to Yarmouth to give intelligence of the distress of the ship, so that the crew hoped, with the assistance that might arrive, to be able to save the ship as well as their own lives. Having, however, unfortunately lost her rudder, the ship became unmanageable, and was driven back again upon the bank.

All now gave themselves up for lost. At this awful juncture a fishing smack approached the wreck, on which two boats belonging to the Invincible were ordered out. On board one of these, the Admiral, the Purser, four midshipmen, three of the Admiral's servants, and six or eight seamen, reached the fishingsmack in safety, as did also the other boat full of people. Both of them immediately returned to the ship, but on again approaching the smack, one was forced away, and every person on board would inevitably have perished, had not a collier, which happened to be passing by at this critical moment, picked them all up.

This vessel afterwards afforded every assistance that humanity dictated, or that she was capable of giving, and was the means of saving the lives of many of the crew. All the other boats that were attempted to be got overboard were immediately lost.

The fishing-smack, with the admiral on board, being unable to afford the least assistance to the ship, remained at anchor during the whole of the night of the 16th. On the approach of day, the master of the vessel expressed an unwillingness to go near the wreck, but Admiral Totty, in direct opposition to him, caused the cable to be cut, and proceeded to the ship. Melancholy, however, to relate, while he was doing every thing of which human exertion is capable, to assist the unhappy people on board, the wreck once more got into deep water and gradually sunk, to the infinite distress of the Admiral and the other spectators, who were nearly frantic with grief at this tremendous scene of human misery and destruction.

While the ship was thus rapidly going down, the launch was heaved out, as many of the crew as she could possibly hold jumped on board, and had only time to clear the poop, when the vessel, with four hundred souls, entirely disappeared, and went to the bottom. A number of unhappy sufferers attempted to get on board the already over-laden launch, but as no more could be permitted to enter, without the certain destruction of the whole, they were struck away with the oars, and in a few seconds were wholly ingulphed in the pitiless waves.

After the ship had sunk, Captain Rennie attempted to swim to the launch, and after severe exertions got within reach of the oars, when, exhausted with fatigue, and unable to make any farther effort, he calmly resigned himself to his fate; lifting up his hands as if to implore the blessing of Heaven, and immediately afterwards placing them upon his face, he went down directly without a struggle.

Thus perished a brave and meritorious officer, whose eminent virtues in life ensured him the esteem

of all who knew him, and whose professional fame, had he survived, bade fair to render him an ornament to his country. All the other commissioned officers of the ship, excepting lieutenants Tucker and Quash, together with all the officers of marines, and most of their men, likewise went to the bottom.

About seventy or eighty of the crew were saved by means of the launch, the whole of whom had assembled upon the forecastle; but all those who remained in the poop were lost. The total number of human beings who thus found a watery grave was upwards of four hundred among whom were several passengers on their way to join other ships belonging to the North Sea Fleet.

Two seamen a few days afterwards arrived at the Admiralty, who had survived the rest of the unfortunate crew that went down in the Invincible, by adhering for two days and nights to a part of the quartergallery which broke away, and whence they were providentially taken up by the brig Briton, of Sun

derland. They had no other sustenance, till they were released from their perilous situation, but what they derived from a small quantity of tobacco which one of them fortunately had in his jacket pocket. One of them, named Daniel Brian, lost his hearing, and was much bruised.

The unfortunate Captain Rennie was an amiable man and an excellent officer. He had been promoted by his own merit alone. At the Helder he distinguished himself when a lieutenant, in consequence of which he was spoken of by Admiral Mitchell in his public despatches with merited praise, and was made Post-captain. Since that time he had been waiting for a ship, had just been appointed to the command of the Invincible, and was, for the first time, putting to sea in her, launching, as he thought, into good fortune!

The Invincible was an old ship, having been built in the year 1766. A ship bearing the same name was lost almost in the same manner about forty years before this disaster.

An Irishman, who served on board a man-of-war in the capacity of a waister,* was selected by one of the officers to haul in a towline, of considerable length, that was towing over the tafferail.+ After

rowsing-in forty or fifty fathoms, which had put his patience severely to the proof, as well as every muscle of his arms, he muttered to himself, "By my soul, it's as long as to-day and to-morrow!"-" it's a good week's work for any five in the ship!"-" bad luck to the arm or leg, it'll leave me at last!" "what! more of it yet! -och, murder! the sa's mighty deep, to be sure!" When, after

continuing in a similar strain, and conceiving there was little probality of the completion of his labour, he stopped suddenly short, and addressing the officer of the watch, exclaimed, "Bad manners to me, sir, if I don't think somebody's cut off the other end of it!”—

The habits of a sailor are so totally at variance with those of a landsman, that in most instances he not only imagines he must pay more dearly for his enjoyments than others, but thinks himself lucky, if, in the first jovial night's cruize ashore, he happens to baffle the Philistines and Amazons, and even reserves for himself a single shot in the locker. An unsuspecting tar of this com

plexion was observed, a short time since, at 2 o'clock, p. m., reeling out of one of the unhallowed purlieus of Drury Lane. He had no sooner brought up in smooth water, than, choosing a snug birth, as he supposed out of observation, between two buttresses of the piazza, he began overhauling his traps, first turning out the pockets of his trowsers; both were alike empty, which induced him to turn his quid, and ruminate for a moment. His 'bacco box, jacket, and waistcoat pockets, underwent a similarly fruitless survey; the very lining of his hat was rummaged-still no effects! Here one might have read in his rueful countenance the full conviction that he was hard-up on a lee-shore, and breakers a-head. As a last hope, he proceeded doubtingly to unknot the black Barcelona from around his neck, which he shook carelessly between his finger and thumb, until he discovered a flimsy Five fall on the curb-stone.

Poor Jeffry the sailor, when left by his captain to starve on a desolate island, never felt more lively joy at perceiving a vessel bear-up to his rescue, than did our hardy tar at discovering those well-known white figures on a black ground, which announced it to be a genuine Henry Hase for FIVE POUNDS. Delight brightened every feature, and his past despondency appeared to be succeeded by comparative content, notwithstanding that it was but a few hours since he had ten times

the

sum; so, thrusting it in his 'bacco box, from which he took a refresher, he slapped his thigh exultingly, and muttered to himself, with a goodhumoured laugh, "D-n the lubberly pirates! I've done 'em for once."

Admiral Keppel being sent to Algiers for the purpose of demanding satisfaction for the injuries done to his Britannic majesty's subjects by the corsairs of that state, the Dey, enraged at the boldness of the ambassador, exclaimed, "that he

wondered at the insolence of the English monarch, in sending him a message by a foolish beardless boy." The admiral immediately replied, that if his master had supposed his wisdom was to be measured by length of beard, he would have sent his deyship a he-goat." Unused to such spirited language, this reply put the Dey beside himselt; and, forgetting the laws of nations, he ordered his mutes to attend with the bow-string, saying, that the admiral should pay for his audacity with his life. Unmoved by this menace, the ambassador took the Dey to a window facing the bay, and shewing him the English fleet, told him that if it were his pleasure to put him to death, there were Englishmen enough in that fleet to make him a glorious funeral pile. The Dey was wise enough to take the hint; the admiral came off in safety, and ample restitution was made.

A surgeon aboard a ship of war used to prescribe salt water for his patients in all disorders. Having sailed one evening on a party of pleasure, he happened, by some mischance, to be drowned. The captain, who had not heard of the disaster, asked one of the tars next day if he had heard any thing of the doctor. "Yes," answered Jack, 'after a turn of his quid," he was drowned last night in his medicine chest.

A sailor, during the late war, having been promoted from a foremast man to a boatswain, was ordered on shore by his captain, to receive his commission at the Admiralty-office. Jack went accordingly, and thus described his reception afterwards to his companions; "I bore away large," said he, " for the Admiralty office; and on entering the harbour I espied a dozen or two quill drivers I hailed 'em; -not a word said they. Hollo again, said I; not a word said they. Shiver my topsails, but what can this mean? said I. Then I took a guinea from my pocket,

and holding it up to my peeper, hollo, again said I. Oh! bollo,' returned they. So, so, my boys, cried I, you are like Balaam's ass, are you? You could not speak until you saw the angel!"

It is related, that before the particulars of the engagement between Monsieur Conflans and Admiral Hawke were generally known at Paris, a sea-officer, relating the event to the King of France, was interrupted by his majesty's saying, "But did Hawke strike ?" "Yes, sire," answered the officer," he struck such a blow as your majesty's navy will not recover these three years.

Poetical Scraps.

Rare compound of oddity, frolic, and fun. GOLDSMITH.

SEA COURTSHIP. Susan.

Madam! madam! I have just received a poetical billet-doux from my furious sea-caliban; impudence and humility, resolution and weakness, hope and despair, forming the sum total. Permit me to read it.

Hawser to Susan.

Miss Susan, I think it in vain

To groan any more for that face;
Your behaviour hath prov'd it so plain,
That to others I give up the chase.
Very wisely resolved, Mr. Lieutenant.

About love I shall make no more pother-
You know that I'm not very rich;
Yet I'd man you as well as another,

And stick to your timbers like pitch.
Nice sticking-plaster indeed!

I am out in my reck'ning, 'tis clear,

As your frowns and your cruelties prove, Since I thought to have anchor'd, my dear, In your arms, that sweet harbour of love. Very elegant, tender, and metaphorical! And though you so scornful are grown, Let justice be done, by the Lord! You're a smart little frigate, I own, As a seaman would wish for to board. Thank ye, Mr. Lieutenant.

Yet, Susan, before we depart,

And I beg thou'lt not take it unkind,

Since your sneers have restored me my heart, If I give thee a piece of my mind. By all means, Mr. Hawser.

Instead of my tears and my sighs,

Which you, laughing, call'd Love's water gruel,

Could guineas have rain'd from my eyes, By G-thou hadst never been cruel. Impudent rogue.

And yet, should the wind chop about, And thy mouth cease this damn'd squally weather,

Let us send for old thump-cushion out, And swing in a hammock together. Never, never, indeed, poor swain.

LINES TO LORD NELSON, With his Lordship's night-cap, that caught Fire on the Poet's Head at a Candle, as he was reading in Bed at Merton.

Take your night-cap again, my good lord, I desire,

For I wish not to keep it a minute; What belongs to a Nelson, where'er there's a fire,

Is sure to be instantly in it.

P. PINDAR.

ON A SAILOR WHO DIED OF
DRINKING.

Here Jack who died of drinking lies,
Yet none, as all the world agree,
Though strange it seems to mortal eyes,
On water lived so much as he!

THE POETICAL SAILOR. The captain of one of the British frigates, a man of undaunted bravery, had a natural antipathy to a cat. A sailor, who for some misconduct had been ordered a flogging, saved his back by presenting to his captain the following petition:

By your honour's command
A culprit 1 stand—

An example to all the ship's crew;
I am pinion'd and stript,
And condemn'd to be whipt;
And if I am flogg'd-'tis my due!
A cat, I am told,

In abhorrence you hold:
Your honour's aversion is mine!
If a cat with one tail
Makes your stout heart to fail,
Oh save me from one that has nine!

ON THE FAILURE OF THE POLAR EXPEDITION.

The Nile, to our forefathers dead,

Was a mystery whence it could roll; They never could get to the Head, And we cannot get to the Pole. Our case is a nice one, I wis, But if they would take my advice,

I think, in a matter like this,

There's nothing like breaking the ice.

"You may talk o' the hardships of pressing your man-hunting-and the likes of such lubberly prate; but if there's never no ent'ring, how the h-ll can you help it? -Men-o'-war must be mann'd, as well as your marchanmen. Marchanmen must have their regular convoys; for if they hav'nt, you know, then there's a stopper-over-all upon trade:-so take the consarn how will-' by or large'-there's not a King's Bencher' among you can mend it. Bear up for Blackwall-ship aboard of an Ingee-man, and see how you'll be badgered about, by a set o' your boheaing-hysun-mundungo-built beggars? Get hurt in their sarvice[No. 6.