i: 
16 LOSS OF THE KENT. 
Several of the soldier's wives and children, who had fled 
for temporary shelter into the after cabins on the upper deck, 
were engaged in praying and in reading the scriptures with 
the ladies, some of whom were enabled, with wonderful self- 
possession, to offer to others those spiritual consolations which 
a firm and intelligent trust in the Redeemer of the world ap- 
peared at this awful hour to impart to their own breasts. The 
dignified deportment of two young ladies in particular, formed 
a specimen of natural strength of mind, finely modified by 
christian feeling, that failed not to attract the notice and admi- 
ration of every one who had an opportunity of witnessing it. 
On the melancholy announcement being made to them that all 
hope must be relinquished, and that death was rapidly and in- 
evitably approaching, one of the ladies above referred to, calmly 
sinking down on her knees, and clasping her hands together, 
said, "Even so come. Lord Jesus," and immediately proposing 
to read a portion of the scriptures to those around her, her 
sister, with nearly equal composure and collectedness of mind, 
selected the 46th and other appropriate Psalm.s, which were 
accordingly read, with intervals of prayer, by those ladies 
alternately to the assembled females. 
One young gentleman, of whose promising talents and piety 
I dare not now make farther mention, having calmly asked me 
my opinion respecting the ship, I told him I thought w^e should 
all be prepared that night to sleep in eternity : and I never 
shall forget the peculiar fervor wdth which he replied, as he 
pressed my hand in his, " My heart is filled Avith the peace of 
God ; yet though I know it is foolish, I dread exceedingly 
the last struggle." 
All hope had departed ! the employment of the different in- 
dividuals indicated utter despair of rescue — one was removing 
a lock of hair from his writing-desk to his bosom — others were 
awaiting their fate in stupor — some with manly fortitude — 
others bewailing it with loud and bitter lamentation — and part 
were occupied in prayer and mutual encouragement. 
It was at this appalling instant, when " all hope that we 
should be saved was taken away," that it occurred to Mr. 
Thompson, the fourth mate, to send a man to the foretop, ra- 
ther with the ardent wish than the expectation, that some 
friendly sail might be discovered on the face of the waters. 
tied forward, with a view to draw the fire in that direction, knowing 
that between it and the magazine v/ere several tiers of water casks; 
while he hoped that the wet sails, &c. thrown into the after hold, would 
prevent it from communicating with the spirit-room abaft. 
