Directory_and_Chronicle_1842 — Page 656

634

Loss of the Madagasıar.

Dec

to act as he did by any “strong influence” of a third party; that influence, unfortunately at the moment, was operating in the opposite direction, and what was done was occasioned only by a sense of duty and humanity to the persons in captivity. The reasons for withholding the communication, till the present tine, are obvious.]

SIR,-Being released from the hands of the Chinese, it now devolves on me to lay respectfully before your excellency a full and correct account of the loss of the late H. C. armed steamer Madagascar, while under my command, and of the sufferings and privations of myself and party while in captivity; also of the measures adopted for restoring me and my companions in captivity to liberty and our country, which have been crowned with success.

I arrived at Hongkong on Monday, 13th September, 1841, and having received orders from captain Nias, c. B., H. M. ship Herald, senior officer, that I was to join your excellency immediately, then on the east coast of China, I commenced taking in coals, watering, and receiving provisions. Having completed these duties, and re- ceived the dispatches for your excellency and the post-office packets, I finally left Hongkong on the morning of the 17th in prosecution of my voyage. I experienced calms and light easterly winds the whole of the 17th; on the 18th the wind increased to a strong breeze, and on the 19th it blew hard from the eastward, with a very high sea-so much so, that at almost every plunge, our jib-boom and bowsprit were under water; the topmasts were housed, with the yards all on deck, and the steamer made as snug as possible for progressing against adverse weather.

On the 19th Sep. at noon, we were in lat. 32° 50′ N., long. 117° E. Clouds with increasing wind and the weather very unsettled, and a high sea running. At 6 P. M. sighted the Lamock islands, bear- ing N. by W. about fifteen miles, and shaped our course for the Bro- thers. At 9 P. M., the after accommodations were filled with smoke, and as the vessel had been repeatedly on fire in the former voyage in the coal boxes, and smoke was seen escaping from the starboard after coal box scuttle on deck, I thought the coals in the boxes were on fire. I turned all hands up, and commenced passing them on deck, but at 10 P. M. was satisfied that the coals in the boxes were not on fire though very much heated; at 10.30 P. M. the smoke was too dense to remain below in the after part of the ship. I there- fore closed all the hatches abaft, and covered them with awnings and curtains to smother it as much as possible, leaving only a part of the main hatch open. This was nearly over the place where I supposed the fire to be, viz. the bulkhead abaft the boiler, and a