BURNING OF THE ROYAL CHARLIE.

Colonist, Volume IV, Issue 426, 22 November 1861, Page 2

BURNING OF THE ROYAL CHARLIE.

A spectacle was witnessed in Pinang harbor happily as rare as it is painful to behold, viz., a vessel on fire, niid that vessel was the Prince Charlie, Captain. Rennie, of 403 tons, loading for London, and consigned to Messrs. Lorrain, Sandilands and Co. Fortunately she was lying clear of other craft in port, the only vessels near her being the American ship Troy, the British barque Ann, and the brig Antelope. The decks of those vessels were crowded with spectators as the fire progressed. Its origin (the case was investigated by the Police Magistrate, and the acting Master.Attendant) remains a profound mystery, but it arose forward, the first symptoms of fire being the escape of smoke from the fore-hatch. Very shortly after the fire commenced—about three in the afternoon—folks from all quarters flocked to the scene. Many betook themselves to boats to have a close view of the catastrophe, others hurried on board of adjacent vessels ; the jetty was one mass of [thicklypacked spectators,—some looked on from tho nearest points ashore, —and a grand array of sampans surrounded the burning vessel, bent evidently on nothing but loot, a rich and rare harvest to the rapacious mob. Meanwhile, slowly but steadily, the conflagration, fed by a fresh breeze and the highly inflammable materials by which it was begirt, was doinjj its woik of havoc ; and when the ruging flames rose above the deck, expanding rapidly from the fore-part of the vessel abaft, the sight was as appalling as it was indescribably grand. Magikficent as it was below, it must have been more so on the hill, where many were residing at the time. The most striking feature of tho painful spectacle was when the masts went by the board. The anxious spectators looked long and eagerly for this event. Presently—about six in the evening—willy the rigging and spars streaming with glittering light, more like a pyrotechnic display on a gala night at Cremorne than the sad lea'ity of a ship on fire, down came the masts almost simultaneously with a fearful crash. Illumined b}' a lurid light, it was truly terrible now to behold ' the hollow phantom of departed power.' Shortly previous to ibis crisis, all hope of saving the ship Having been wholly abandoned, it was resolved to scuttle her, and this was accordingly done,

In the midst of the exciting scene there were two objects that riveted the spectator's attention—a pig and a monkey! The loud and horrible yells of the former, absolutely burning to death, came most painfully grating on the ear. Ever and anon tbe poor creature could be seen, scorched, and scorning the deck in desperate but abortive efforts to escape the torturing, yes—as it were—the demoniacal flames. The monkey, lithe and free, and seemingly unconscious of the impending danger, traversed the rigging repeatedly from the fore to the mainmast. As Nero fiddled whilst Rome was burning, « Jocko' diverted himself with foraging expeditions, purloining plantains, and devouring them with great gusto as far away as practicable from the fast advancing foe. Notwithstanding the horror of the catastrophe it was indescribably ludicrous to watch his gambols. The iast that was seen of the poor little fellow was when the vessel was one mans of devouring flame from stem to stern. In this dreadful dilemna he philosophically betook himself to the Ultima Thule of the flying jib-boom. Ultimately, we hear, some good Samaritan found him clinging to a spar on the boisterous waters, and he will no doubt be vastly prized, as Desdemona loved Othello, 'for the dangers he had passed.'— Pinang Argus.