The Express.
London, England, 1862-10-18 00:00:00

SHIPWRECK, AND LOSS OF POUR LIFTS.

We regret to learn that the ship Geneva, of
London, between 600 and 800 tons burden, was totally lost
on Bendel evening, by being driven ashore at the Mull of
Kintyre, to the south of Carekey Bay, and four of her crew
perished in presence of several people on the shore, who
could render no sasistance, in consequence of the stormy
state of the weather. The Geneve wiled from Quebec to
A'.twerp, timber laden, and on the 24th of September she
was abandoned, in • sinking state, in hit. id N., long.
34 W. Her crew wen subsequently picked up by the
Prussian brig Louisa, from New Fork, and landed at
Queenstown on the 4th at October. Some time after the
ship had been abandoned, she was discovered by the crew
of the St. Michael, of Glasgow, Captain Boyd, Which sailed
from London for Montreal on the 13th of September last,
about the same latitude, viz., near the Bents of Newfound-
land. The Geneva was boarded, when it was discovered that
she had been abandoned, and her papers taken away, the
only living creature on board being • poor cat which had
been left behind to perish with the sinking yawl. Wm.
Fordyce, belonging to Shetland, mate of the St. Michael,
and four of the crew, volunteered to take charge of the
waterlogged ship, and endeavour to take her into Glasgow,
believing, as they did, that there was • possibility of so
doing. They were accordingly permitted to take charge of
the ship. The undertaking, which was of the most daring
character, was pretty successful till Monday, when the
vowel approached the Kintyre coast. The weather became
most tempestuous, and, notwithstanding that the mate
and crew used every effort to preserve the ship, by
keeping her off the shore, they were unable to
do so, sod she struck about six o'clock near the place
we have named ; and so rough was the sea, that by
eleven o'clock at night she had gone to pious, about
300 yards from the shore. From the time the vessel struck
till she went to pieces the waves continued to dash over her,
and when the fatal moment arrived—when she broke up in
hundreds of pieces—the sae di was one of the most heart-
rending description. On the shore were standing men with
brave hearts hearing the airs for help of their drowning
fellow beings as they drifted out to sea on pieces of wreck ;
but they were helpless, they could render no assistance, and
four of the brave seamen perished in the waves, the mate
(who had acted as temporary master of the derelict) alone
escaping with his life. Aod his escape was • most mince-
low one. When the ship broke up be leaped upon • pins of
the wreck, and was tooled to and fro from 11 o'clock at
night till nearly 5 in the morning, when his tiny raft was
fasted near shore, and be expected every moment to be
dashed to pieces against the rocks. His rase was • desperate
one, and, after watching for some time he made a most
determined leap, and, though he fell short, he woe assisted
by thou who had gathered on the rocks, and was ulti-
mately rescued. When the purloin position tithe Geneva
was first discovered information was sent to Oanipbeltowe,
and the lifeboat which was stationed there last year, was,
without delay, conveyed, with • ant rate crew, wader Mr.
Watemi (Lloyd's arnt), to the scene of the disaster. The
boat was Lunched with great difficulty, and palled
towards the wreck ; bat, unfortonataly, she was too !Me—
the poor fellows who had clung to pert, of the wreck or
cargo. bevies all disappeared. The Geneve, as we have
already said, broke up quickly, and all vestige of her,
with the exception of her floating cargo and wreak,
sew disappeared. The loge of timher, of which her cargo
was composed, will be drif tiog about for some time, and
neaten of steams,, and other vessels would do wall to keep
a imp look oat far anal floating wreck. In 4001610110111

with this disastrous event, the following Incident li •
worth recording. Ae we have already said, the only
living creature found on board the derelict was a eat.
The poor animal, with the instinct natural to it. species,
was alive to danger the moment the Geneva
struck ; and when the mats Dade the leap upon the piece
of wreck, the cat almost simultaneously leapt upon his
neck, and clung there during the whole time he was
tamed about. Every movement he made was watched by
the poor animal ; and when he made the leap by which he
was to live or die, the poor grimalk made a bound at the
same moment, sad reached the rocks to safety, amongst
which It concealed itself. The Kintyre. coast, as is well
knower a meet dangerous one, and has frequently been
the scene of omny disasters similar to the above ; but al-
though this is the case, we regret that the oommunication
between that ..oast and Glasgow is not so expeditious as
it should be.