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Melancholy shipwreck: It now becomes our painful duty, beyond a
doubt, to record the melancholy loss of the brig Jessie, with all
the passengers and crew, 26 in number. She sailed from Three
Rivers (in Prince Edward Island) on the 25th of December instant
for Liverpool, Great Britain and was seen passing Cheticaw, (Cape
Breton) on the evening of the 27th, and it is most probable she run
on shore that night on St. Paul's Island (a desolate island
opposite Cape North in Cape Breton.) From the currency of a vocal
report from the adjacent shores of the wreck of a brig on that
island, a small vessel was despatched from the house of Messrs.
McKay's (the owners) which returned on Tuesday last with the most
conclusive proof of the fatal loss. The wreck of the Jessie lies
within 200 yards of the southwest point of the island, and on the
west side of the house, eleven bodies were discovered about half a
mile from the wreck, among whom were recognized Donald McKay,
Esquire, Mr. Forbes (a merchant of Miramichi) and Captain McAlpine,
who were lying together. It would appear that they must have
perished from the severity of the weather, as some provisions were
found. The passengers who left Three Rivers in the Jessie, Captain
Alpine, were Donald Mckay, Esquire, Mr. Forbes, Mr. John Lowe, Mrs.
Williams (wife of Mr. John Williams) and two of her family. The
loss of each individual is sincerely to be deplored, but the blank
which Mr. McKay leaves will be severely felt by every person in
this island, and indeed all who had the happiness of knowing him.
The excellence of his whole character, the kindness and benevolence
of his disposition, and his affable and truly gentlemanlike manners
will be long remembered; no man perhaps ever possessed a warmer or
more feeling heart, or enjoyed a greater share of the good will of
mankind. A schooner left this town yesterday to bring some of the
bodies here for internment, and on her return we hope to be enabled
to give more detailed particulars.
Extract of a letter dated Sydney, June 11. "A fishing vessel has
lately returned to Margaree, from St. Paul's Island, off Cape
North, where they discovered eleven dead bodies of persons lying in
a tent on the island, supposed to have perished from cold and
starvation, as there appears signs of their having lived on each
other." |
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