LOSS OF THE KENT. 17 
The sailor, on mounting-, threw his eyes round the horizon for 
a moment — a moment of unutterable suspense — and waving 
his hat, exclaimed, " A sail on the lee-bow !" The joyful an- 
nouncement was received with deep-felt thanksgiving, and 
with three cheers upon deck. Our flags of distress were in- 
stantly hoisted, and our minute guns fired ; and we endea- 
vored to bear down under our three topsails and fore-sail upon 
the stranger, which afterward proved to be the Cambria, a 
small brig of two hundred tons burthen — Cook — bound to 
Vera Cruz, having on board twenty or thirty Cornish miners, 
and other agents of the Anglo- Mexican company. 
While Captain Cobb, Colonel Fearon, and Major McGre- 
gor of the 31st regiment, were consulting together, as the brig- 
was approaching us, on the necessary preparations for getting 
out the boats, &c. one of the officers asked Major M. in what 
order it was intended the officers should move off? to which 
the other replied, "of course, the funeral order ;" which injunc- 
tion was instantly confirmed by Col. Fearon, who said, " Most 
undoubtedly the juniors first — but see that any man is cut down 
who presumes to enter the boats before the means of escape 
are presented to the women and children." 
Arrangements having been considerately made by Captain 
Cobb for placing in the first boat, previous to letting it down, 
all the ladies, and as many of the soldiers' wives as it could 
safely contain, they hurriedly wrapt themselves up in what- 
ever article of clothing could be most conveniently found ; and 
I think about two, or half past two o'clock, a most mournful 
procession advanced from the after cabins to the starboard 
cuddy port, outside of which the cutter was suspended. Scarce- 
ly a word was heard — not a scream was uttered — even the in- 
fants ceased to cry, as if conscious of the unspoken and un- 
speakable anguish that was at this instant rending the hearts 
of the parting parents — nor was the silence of voices in any 
way broken, except in one or two cases, where the ladies plain- 
tively entreated to be left behind with their husbands. But 
on being assured that every moment's delay might occasion 
the sacrifice of a human life, they successively suffered them- 
selves to be torn from the tender embrace, and with a forti- 
tude which never fails to characterize and adorn their sex on 
occasions of overwhelming trial, were placed, without a mur- 
mur, in the boat, which was immediately lowered into a sea so 
tempestuous as to leave us only "to hope against hope" that 
it should live in it for a single moment. Twice the cry was 
heard from those on the chains that the boat was swamping. 
2* 
