and when the living women were clothed and brought to identify
their friends, a sad scene presented itself, one recognizing a
lost husband, another a sister, two men their wives, and one man
his two children.

The corpses were all numbered, and together with a description
list, were delivered to the authorities of Stonington, a copy of
said list being retained on board.

On the morning of the 31st ultimo at daylight, kindly accompanied
by J. P. Bigelow, Captain George B. Hull, Superintendent of New
York and Providence Steamship Company (one of the rescued), and
John McGuire to assist my worn-out officers and men, I again
stood for the scene of the wreck and cruised in that vicinity,
with lookouts stationed aloft, extending my cruise as far as
Block Island. The wind was blowing strong from the northwest and
constantly increasing, with a heavy cross sea from the southeast,
breaking over and completely covering this vessel.

There being no signs of any bodies floating about, with decks
full of water, I stood for Point Judith. Still finding no signs
of the wreck, and the sea getting too heavy to lower a boat, I
stood for Newport and anchored.

Having found a jewel and pocket-book on board (the property of
one of the dead), I turned the same over to Mr. Bigelow, to take
them to Stonington for the purpose of identifying corpse marked
No. 4.

Trusting that the conduct of the Mocassin, under my command, (p. 437)
and the acts of her officers and crew may meet the approval
of the Department,

I remain, very respectfully, your obedient servant,
David RITCHIE,
_Captain United States Revenue Marine_.

_____

_Resolution of Congress Voting Thanks to Captain Ritchie._

_Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States in Congress assembled_: That the thanks of Congress
are due, and are hereby tendered to Captain David Ritchie,
commanding the revenue steamer Mocassin, and to the officers and
men under his command, for their heroic and humane action in
saving the lives of forty-two persons from the wreck of the
steamer "Metis" on the waters of Long Island Sound, on the
morning of the thirty-first of August, eighteen hundred and