The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1871-02-11 00:00:00

Th. following letter from the Second Engineer of
the Domen to bin fhther, ban been forwarded for pub-
lication

.Rl,, de Janeiro, Jan. 1.

"S.ul, and news have Ito greet you with at the camtnenee-
ment of this new y enr, but thankful to C. Al that it has
brought no grief into oar own home. The Baehr° is a total
wreck on the roast of South A merlon. about 600 miles south
of Rio de Janeiro, hut the survivoni-91 oat of 78—have
been brought up by the Brazilian OavenYment, whose
kinclooss we cannot speak too highly of. I have time
to give you most of the pitrtietCars, and which you
may put in your paper if you wish. We left Monte-
video on the night of thn 22nd of December, about 7 34,
with 74 souls on board, 7-2 of whom compristd the crow
live° sale.. passengers, with two children, and one second
class, an engineer coming home from South America. The
wan drone, and had been blowing a stiff bretza from
N.! F N K. hut nothing t, retard our noble ship. Every-
-11,1 -it watt • ell day after day, when Christnias Day arrived,
and all the officers and passengers except those on duty,were
Invited into the saloon to dine Wo had a good old English
dinner. remembered all those we loved at home, anti broke
up at 615 p.m. I went on duty at 8 pm All was going
on well, and we were looking forward to the new year in
Rio de Janeiro. The weather had been all this time tine, but
the wind very thong, and a hoary sea. I COI. Gil watch at
twel7e o'clock, and WM relieved by Ithe Third Engineer,

Before thinking of going to bed I went on deck to hive- s 7
cool breath of air and • smoke. I had not been on deck
many minutes before I heard the captain call out Port !
hard wield and on looking over the side I saw the
breaker. all around us, and the fine ship Borwo struck. I
flew down to the engines, and saw the telegraph pointed to
'full speed astern.' The Third and I reversed the engine.,
but to no use. The ship commenced to strike fear-
fully, so much as to throw me off my legs. The chief and
all of us were down below then, and f went on deck to see
how Bangs were seine on. I found they were preparing
to lower the boat.. I e, malued on deck for half an hour,
assisting, when a fearful sea struck the ship and smashed
all the boats on the starboard lie. I then went below,
and found the fires iii out and the engine* stopped. We
then began to shut oil all connection from the engines and
boilers with the ww, and than went on deck to look after
saving °timely.. Every one wee calm, and all working well,
preparing the remateieg b.ats which were to be launched at
daybreak. While waiting for daylight the sea arose frightful,
and the turf was one inceesent roar, and amid thla the mob.
mast and rualutopmast went over the side, tearing up the
deck, and making fearful havoc. Still no one get frightened, but
waited patiently till daybreak, which came at last at o'clock.
The ahlp 1.1.11 then a complete wreck, anti we saw It was
hopeless to stand by her. There were seventy.elght people
logo off In four boats. The shore was about a mile off, with
a frightful surf running Forty-slx were put into three boats
and stood out to sea, hut the lifeboat was so large and the
wind and sea running 35 high that she broke adrift before the
rest could get lein her, and twenty-eve of us were left on
hoard with only one little boat that would hold seven
people, and the ladies and children were etill with us.
We set to work at Once to mete a raft and place the
small boat inside for the ladles. It took us two hours
to make. We then launched the raft overboard, and
banded the ladies and children Into her, and after we all
got on, te enty.fiva people, I lashed myself to the boat'.
bow sad sat down, for I saw it was Impossible we should
all he sawed. The raft mu held by two repels to the Fide
of the ship all this time. When everyone was on hoard
one of the rope, was let go, and we gradually drifted
from the ship, when, I shudder to write It, a fearful
breaker came and swept the raft of every soul on lt. Oh !
what a fearful shriek went up, and what a eight ! I was
lashed to the raft and managed te get on to It again, when
to our horror, out of 25 I only found four beside myself.
Sea after sea continued to sweep over no, and after a few
minutes we found that the rope had not bean let go that
held us to the ship. The cry, then, was for a knife to cut
the rope, but no knife could be found. At hist we got one,
but could not get to the rope. Another sea struck us and
tunied the raft completely over. I stll I was twilled, and on re-
gaining the eurface found only one left, but that sea had broken
the rope and we were free. loon write no more, but thank
the Almighty for sparing me through that fearful trial, arid
asking Blip, in ille mercy, to restore me safe home again to
you all, when you will hear all."