WRECK OF THE BRITON TRANSPORT.

New Zealander, Volume 1, Issue 16, 20 September 1845, Page 3

WRECK OF THE BRITON TRANSPORT.

Her Majesty's SOth Regiment, about 1000 sirong, embarked at S>dne), for Calcutta, in the Royal Saxon, Lloyds, Enmore, and Briton. The Briton was a barque of 776 tons, commanded by Capt. Bell. The troops on board of her consisted of three companies of the 80th Regiment, under the command of Major Bunbun, Captains Bt->st, jSayeis, and Montgomery; Lieutenants Leslie, 'and Fieeman; Ensigns Hunter and Welman : Assistant Surgeon Gammie; 309 non-commis-sioned officers, and privates; 78 women and children, making with a crew of tfs, the number of souJson board, 431. The passage through Torres Straits occupied IS da^s. On the 11th Sept., the ships lay to off Boob) Ibland, each slrp sending a boat on shore to communicate with the Post office On the 2Sth, the Briton anchored in Copanz roads, w here she found the Royal Saxon aud Lloyds which had arrived a few hours previously, and H.M S. Royalist; the Briton again stood to sea, after taking in lresh provisions and water, on the2nd October, fin company with the Royalist, and Lloy4i,' the Royal Saxon having taken her departure the evening before. The day after leaving Copang the Briton lost sight of the Lloyds, the Royalist still incompany, on her way to Singapore ; on the sth Oct., the season being far advanced, they decided to take the inner passage, aud accordingly bore up for the btraits of Lombock. After passing Singapore the Briton was wind bound for several days before she got into the Straits of Malacca, when she expeiienced variable winds, with occasional heavy squalls, in one of which she sprung her main yard. On Friday the Sth Nov., the wind vi hich had been fiom the N R , backed tound to W.S.W., and on the following day the gale commenced. On Sunday the 10th, at delight the squalls were terrific, aud at noon they lulled almost to a calm, with sultry lowering weather, the sympsiometer falling to 24 Q 10. At live in the afternoon the gale had again beco r<e terrific, and continued without intermission throughout the following night, until 2 p. in. on the 11th, when the tempest tor a tune abated, but by 4 pm, it again increased to a hurricane At 10 p. in., the wind lulled for a few minutes, and veeied round E.N.E., and blew with greater violence than evei , tind about midnight the Briton was driven on shore, in a perfect hurricane with much rain, thunder and lightning. The next morning at daybreak, the Brilon was discovered to have been .driven high and dr> into, the centre of a mangrove swamp. On the shore, about a quarter of a mile nearer the sea, was a barque wnich had been seen on the previous.day,—at low water an oih'cer and a party of soldiers were lowered from their poop, and wnded to the Briton, when she pioved to be the barque Runny mede, Captain Doe;, lit}, fiom England, to Calcutta, with detachments of the 10th and 50th Regiments, under command of Capt. aupleton of the 50th Regiment. All that day, Tuesday, 12th Nov., it lamed incessantly, but with some contrivance, dinner was cooked up for the troops, after being seventy two houis without food, with the exception of a little biscuit. On examining the hold, the greater portion ofthebivad, flour, sugar, &<\, was found to tie damaged, as well as man) pork and beet casks stove. In the evening, Capts. Stapleton and Doughty, with the troops and crew left the Runnymede, and came on board the Brilon, it being feamd she might go to pieces during the night in the suri, the wind still blowing, and a heavy sea on. It appeared that the barque Runnymede left Gravesend on the 20th June, 1744, bound to Calcutta, with detachments of ihe 10th and 50th Regiments, consisting ot four officers, 142 pri yates, and 27 women and children, making with ttie ciew, 173 souls. Her voyage had been ver) uufoi tunate, autt contrary winds, with stores and water running shoit, obliged her to bear up for Penang, tit which port she came to anchor ou the 29Ji October. The Runnymede sailed from Penang, on the 3rd Nov., and encountered similar tempestuous weather with the Briton, until she was driven on shore close to her. When the troops and crew from tne Runnymede came ou boaid tne Briton, lVJrijor iiunbur) took the command of the whole party, The Runnymede hail a fair stock of pro visions, pdiiirularly biscuit and flour, which was landed for ihe benefit of both ships. On Sunda} the 17th Nov., Divine service was performed on board the Briton. Tlie island on which the vessels were wrecked, had expentnced the effects of the hurricane, not a leaf wa to be seen, or n tree untouched, large trees w ere torn up by the loots in all directions The bush was almost impassable, for pines and bambous were l_)iiigmany feet deep. In a few days, the JDoclois of the Begimenis reported that the position of the Briton in a mungruve swamp, would prove injurious to tne health of the troops, if they con tinued to occupy it as a bat rack or hospital, therefore two companies" of the SOth Regt. were ordered onshore to clear a place for an encampment. About the 2lst Nov., the natives became veiy troublesome, and four soldiers were wounded with arrows by them, while fishing. 'On the 22nd, an inventory, of the provisions, &c was taken, and as 575 full rations, allowing one half for children, would be required daily, tne troops were put on reduced allowance. On Monday the 25th Nov., the long boat of the Runnymede, which had been repaited, was read) for sea, aud was launched from the deck of that vessel,— she was named the Hope, and in the afternoon, Capt. Hall, and Lieutenant Leslie, bearing despatches, with 1 the boatswain and five sailors, embarked on board her, and took then departure from the island, amidst universal cheering. } After the departure of the Hope, the usual routine of field service was observed in t e camp. Regular morning parade and guards mounted Immediately after. The soldiers emplowed themselves, h> making ivinoe-. of nicker ,'toli->i) in tin. hay. Divine sei vice was njju t ii \ pei funned even Sund-iy. On Sunday I ITi !)■ !, ' jtwo heavy shoeks^oi ea; thqtiakes o<-vu<rcd, the ( Briton shook so violently, that all bauds i,\n up

from below, fearing she would fall over; the last shock had scarcely subsided, when a shout was heard from the look out on the right of the camp, where the men themselves had established a sentiy, lelieving each other every hour. A sail! a sail ! yt as quickly echoed ft orn one end of the encampment lo the otl.er. The Runny' m&le, hoisted her ensign and filed a gun-— a signal already agreed upon, for a sail in the ofling ; the camp 'was in a complete state of excitement, ' — within a quarter of an hour she had rounded the point, and was visible to all. Atone p.m., she came to anchor, abieast of the Runnymede, the men cheering, on shore, while the ship saluted her with 12 guns. She proved to be Hon. Company's schooner, George Stvmton, Captain, Daniels, with the long boat, the Hope towing astern. Immediately site anchored, Mr. Michael, an officer of the 17th Madras native infantry, landed bringing despatches from Mergui for the commanding officer. The Hope had reached Mergui on the 6th Dec, eleven days after leaving the island, the crew had suffered greatly from sun and fatigue, having from light and contrary winds, been obliged to pujl the greater part of the distance. Capt. Hall and Lieut. Leslie having reported at Mergui and being provided with a lighter boat, proceeded on to Moulmein, on the I Oth Dec, and on the following day the George Swint on left Mergui. In consequence of this arrival the rations were increased. On Chribtmas day, the troops had been fort\fi-ve da)s on the island. Divine service was performed on board the Briton, and the tents decorated with boughs and flags in honor of the day. The George Swinton sailed for Moulmein with Mr. Michael of the 17th Madras Native infantry, bearing despatches from the commanding officer. On the 2Sth H.M. brig, Pilot, Captain Jervis,, with two of Hon. Company's schooners, arrived from Moulmein, —on the following day, the Ayrshire transport, from Moulmein, and on Mon* day, 30th Dec. the first division of the 80th Beg , embarked on board of he. The same day, the Elizabeth Ainslie transport, also arrived from Moulmein. As the troops embarked, the force in the camp gradually diminished, and the natives in consequence began to be troublesome. On Friday, 3rd Jan , at night, they surrounded the camp in great numbers, making lires in every direction. The picquetsent out to prevent their approach, fired on a party moving in the rear o£ the tents, when they decamped, and put out their fires in a most extraordinary manner, every trace but a few burnt embers, disappearing as if by magi •. The brig of war dispatched two boats to pull along shore in front of the camp, and afterwards sent two shots and a shell amongst a large body of ihem collected round a fire, a short distance to the left of the Briton, when they made off, and did not return that nisrhl. On the 31st Dec, the Ayrshire sailed for Calcutta, with the first division, and the Elizabeth Ainslie on the 2nd Jan., with the second division of the 80th Regiment. The transport Lady Lee, arrived from Moulmein, on the 3rd Jan , and on Sunday, 3th Jan., the last detachment of the wrecked troops, after a sojourn of fift) five dajs on the island, sailed for Calcutta in her. The voyage was most pros- ' peious, the several ships reaching their destination within a few days of each other. The detachments of the 10th and 50th Regiments proceeded on to Chinsurah by steam, but the 80th landed at Cilcutla, and took up their quarteis in Fort William. Thus happily terminated one of the most trying and disastions shipwrecks upon record How apparent throughout are the kind and merciful acts of Piovidence. Two transports from 'opposite sides of the globe, are lost on shore within a mile of each other, each fortunately possessing stores, &c , of which the other was deficient, thus mutually affording that assistance which was most required. Had the vessels been separated, wrecked on different islands, how different in all probability would have been the result — how fearful the loss of life, had not the hand of God been mercifully extended towards them ! Few indeed would have been left to tell the tale of their comrades fate and sufferings. Six hundred and twenh souls are cast on a most inhospitable and proverbially unhealthy island, short of provisions, which at the furthest could notsupply the people upwards of 35 days, — exposed to .a tropical sun, vi ith gr at fatigues, constantly wet for the first fortnight, landing stores through the surf from the Ruanymele, scantily clothed, and annoyed arid pestered by savages, — yet, wonderful to relate, only six adults, three of whom were accidentally drowned, and. a few children died during 1 the ,s4 days they remained on the island. What may not indeed be accomplished by British soldiers and British discipline in times of trial such as these? In that short space a considerable portion -of the dense jungle was cleared round -the camp, wells were sunk, a workshop, saw pit and foige erected, and a boat completed capable of .carrying twenty five persons ; and those may hereafter visit the spot will find a tablet on a rock at the head Of the bayj on which is en-raved the names of four British soldiers, of the 50th and 80th Regts., who were buried near the place. These islands appear to be but little known, and imperfectly surveyed. Holding out no inducement, they aie seldom visited by shipping; fruit and vegetables are not to be found, the water is 'in general bad, and difficult of access The soil is remarkably fine, and no doubt if cnltivdtei, tiopicdl fruits and vegetables might be produced in abundance T.ie rocks boidenng tlie island are of a soft description of sandsione, while the [beach and wa«h rocks are of a coral iotnidiion. It was chiistened Briton Maud, and the am-hor-age Uminvmeiie Bay,. I«it. 12 a 4' N. long. 93 d 14' X from übserv<uion. - Calcutta, January 18, 1843.