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Saldanha struck the Swilly Rock, in a storm at night, and was 

 driven from there to Ballynastocker, where she foundered with 

 all her crew. Two of her large guns grace the gates of Colonel 

 Barton at Port Salon, and other of her relics are still in the 

 neighbourhood. The following pathetic account of the incident 

 is by Thomas Sheridan, grandfather of the Marquis of Dufferin 

 and Ava : — 



Rathmullan, 6 December, 1811. — "His Majesty's ship ' Sald- 

 anha,' one of our finest frigates, commanded by Captain the 

 Hon. W. Pakenham, brother to the Earl of Longford, sailed 

 from Cork on the 19 of November, to relieve His Majesty's ship 

 1 Endymion ' off Lough Swilly, Having reached the harbour, 

 she again sailed on the 30 with the intention of proceeding to 

 the westward. On the evening of the 4 of December it blew 

 the most dreadful hurricane. At about 10 o'clock at night, 

 through the darkness and the storm, a light was seen from the 

 signal-towers, supposed to be on board the ' Saldanha ' passing 

 rapidly up the harbour. When the daylight appeared the ship 

 was discoved to be a complete wreck in Ballynastocker Bay. 

 Every one of the 300 souls on board had perished, and all the 

 circumstances of her calamitous loss had thus perished with 

 her. The bodies of Captain Pakenham and about 200 of the 

 crew are said to have been washed ashore and were interred in 

 a neighbouring burying ground." 



" Britannia rules the waves " — 

 Heard' st thou that dreadful roar ? 

 Hark ! 'tis bellowed from the caves 

 Where Lough Swilly's billow raves, 

 And three hundred British graves 

 Taint the shore. 



N o voice of life was there — 

 'Tis the dead who raise that cry — 

 The dead— who heard no prayer 

 As they sank in wild despair, 

 Chant in scorn that boastful air 

 Where they lie. 



