Unfortunate and eventful voyage.
The brig
Crocus,
W. H. Herbert,
Captain, with guano from the
Sombrero Islands, arrived at this port on the night of the 28th.--From the vessel's log, the Crocus left the
Island of Guadalupe on the 7th of October, with a clear bill of health, and not until the 23d of that month, while loading at the
Island of Sombrero, did the misfortunes of her
Captain commence.
On that day his youthful wife, to whom he had been married only five months, died on the
Island of the fever which had been prevalent at
Guadalupe early in the autumn.
On the 29th of October the vessel, with a crew of ten men all told, three of whom were doomed never more to see the land, left Sombrero for this port, all in excellent health.
When out three or four days the mate was taken sick, and remained so during the entire voyage, not being well enough at any time to be on duty.
John Cordery, a foreigner, was taken sick about the same time that the mate was, and died, of the bilious fever, on the 3rd of November.
On the 16th of November, about 10 o'clock, A. M., off
Cape Hatteras,
Peter Brown, a promising seamen, belonging to
St. John's
Newfoundland, fell from the main-topsail yard on to the poop deck, breaking both his legs and rupturing one of the blood vessels of his lungs.
He lived only one hour and a half, and was buried at 2 o'clock the same evening.
Scarcely had the effects of this lamentable occurrence been fully realized when another, if anything more terrible, happened; for on the 17th, the next day precisely at the same hour, Louis
Eugene de Voyeur, a youthful seaman, of Point Petre,
Guadalupe, felt from the fore topsail yard while shaking the reef out of the sail, upon the main deck, breaking his neck.
driving his head completely into his chest, and killing him instantly.
The same evening this poor fellow, encased in canvas, was committed to a watery grave to join his two companions sent before him.
Heavy seas and two severe storms, prior to the 21st of November, were weathered with comparative ease, but on that day in lat. 34 deg. 40 mi. long 75 deg., the brig encountered the most terrific sale ever experienced by those on board, loosing during its continuance, sails, spars, and one anchor, and almost tiring but, and rendering futile, the superhuman exertions of the captain, second mate,
cook, and two seamen upon whom devolved the whole working of the vessel; the rest of the crew being sick — Ill luck having, as seemed to the crew, apparently appropriated the whole of the trip, they are not staggered when informed, as the storm abated, that the provisions had almost given out; but each took his limited portion, with that thankfulness, and thanked the God of seas and lands that it was no worse.--
Alexandria Gazette. 
