Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1859-12-08 00:00:00

LOSS OF THE INDIAN.

ADDITIONAL AND AUTHENTIC PARTICULARS
FROM THE SCENE OF THE DISASTER.

We have gleaned from a passenger on board the
Hungarian, which brought over the crew of the ill-fated
Indian, the foll?wing interesting but melancholy par-
ticulars, in addition to those already published.
The Indian, it appears, ran upon a reef of sunken
rocks, about sixty miles north of Halifax, covered by
twenty-one feet of water at high tide. No observation
had been taken for a couple of days prior to the catas-
trophe, in consequence of hazy weather; and from that
cause, as well.as from the variation of her compasses
and the heavy tides running in these parts, the ship had
got, considerably out of her course. She. struck at about
5 a.m. on the 21st, and partectamidships in about forty-
five minutes afterwards. It is wonderful, under the
circumstances, that the loss of life was not greater than
it has been. Six boats were half lowered, and ready to
be launched. The forward ropes of one of the boats,
when filled with people, were suddenly cut by some
decident, when, of course, the bow of the boat fell down,
and all were precipitated into the sea. Two of the
boats filled with people were driven out to sea by the
gale. One was picked up by a schooner, and the other
ran ashore at a point of land thirty miles from the
wreck.

The Indian struck three times, the last shock sending
her forward with her bow well over the reef. The loss
of life took place principally from the boats being
dashed against the sides of the vessel. No lives were
lost subsequent to leaving the wreck, but the unfortunate
people taken on board the Hungarian were in a most
lamentable condition, arising from their having lost
everything they possessed, besides being covered with
bruises, inflicted in their endeavours to reach the boats.
They were also very much frost-bitten. A large sum
of money was raised by subscription on board the
Hungarian, and distributed among the poor fellows who
had been rescued from shipwreck.
STATEMENT OF THE FIRST AND SECOND
OFRICERS OF THE INDIAN.
The Montreal Ocean Steam-ship Company's steamer
Indian, Captain W. Smith, left Liverpool on the 9th of
November, with about 300 tons of general cargo, and
the remainder coals, about 800 tons, eight cabin and
thirty steerage passengers, and a crew of seventy-nine.
For the first few days experienced moderate and change-
able weather, afterwards stroir, gales of westerly winds,
with frequent thick fogs, whicht prevented any observa-
tions from being taken for several successive days. After
reaching the banks of Newfoundland, soundings were
taken several times, in order to ascertain the true posi-
tion of theship. On Saturday, the 19th of November,
the fog. began to disperse about noon, when an in-
different observation was taken, which placed the ship
about 15 miles to the southward of the latitude of Cape
Race. At 1 p.m, of the same day, the fog being entirely
dispersed, but still cloudy, the land was seen about Cape
Race, and distant about 18 or 20 miles. A course was
then shaped to pass between Sable Island and the coast
of Nova Scotia. At midnight the wind veered to the
southward, and again brought on a dense fog, which
continued imtil 5 p.m. of Sunday, Nov. 20. At noon of
Sunday struck soundings in 40 fathoms of water, sup-
posed to be on Banquerean Bank. These soundings not
coinciding with the run of the ship by dead reckoning
from Cape Race, the ship was again stopped at 1 p.m.,
and soundings taken in 43 fathoms water ; afterwards
soundings were taken at 2.30, at 4, at 5, 6.40, 8 and 9,
varying from 43 to 30 fathoms, which led us to conclude
from the regularity of the soundings, that the ship was
still en the Banqurean Bank, but had been influenced
by a southerly current setting out of the Gulf of St.
Lawrence, and that the ship was placed to the southward
of her reckoning. Every possible care and strict atten-
tion was now directed to the lead, to watch the track of
the ship over the bank; and, supposing by the previous
soundings that we were approaching the edge of the
bank, the captain ordered the ship to be stopped at
10.30, and soundings again taken. No bottom was
found with 71 fathoms of line out, which convinced
him that the ship had gore off the Banqurean Bank,
and was approaching the middle ground north of Sable
Island. To confirm this conviction the ship was again
stopped at 11.30, and bottom found in 68 fathoms, which
left no doubt in his mind as to the position of the ship,
and his opinion was still further confirmed by getting
soundings in 40 fathoms water, at 12'30 ; and the same
at 2.40 a.m. of Monday the 21st. During all this time
the weather was thick, with heavy sleet and snow show-
__ . . .
veering to the northward, the weather clearing up a
little, but still exceedingly dark and cloudy. About
5 a.m. the ship struck on a ledge of rocks, which.
proved to be the Seal Rocks, off the small fishing har-
bour of Mariet Joseph, coast of Nova Scotia. After she
struck, the engines were stopped and reversed ; but
finding she was firmly fixed on the rocks, and filling
with water in all the compartments, the boats were
ordered to be cleared away. Nos. 1 and 2 boats were
the first putout, and lowered level with the rail, hang-
ing to their davits. Nos. 3 and 4_ were next cleared_
away, No. 3 was put out in safety ; but, by this time,
the ship was beginning to strain, and the after davit of
No. 4 boat was firmly jammed in consequence, defying-
all attempts to launch her for some time. While
some of the crew were getting this boat clear, Nos.
5 and 6 were lowered in safety, but No. 7 was
swamped in lowering. When the ship struck the sea
was not very rough, and it was about high water, but
in about 15 or 20 minutes heavy breakers from the
reef came rolling alongside the ship, filling No. 2
boat suddenly, breaking the davits, precipitating
her into the water, turning her bottom upwards, and
drowning all who were in her. The German family,
third and fourth engineers, joiner, and two seamen are
supposed to have been lost in this boat. No. 3, in charge
of the second officer, was now ordered by the captain to
be lowered and brought to leeward of the ship ; just as
she was unhooked from the tackles, and they were
endeavouring to get the boat clear of the ship's
side, No. 1 boat came down into the water with
a fearful crash, drowning the greater number in
her ; several of them were picked up by No. 3
1 boat. All the lives that were lost, with one ex-
ception, were lost in these two boats (Nos. 1 and
2). The cause of the accident to No. 1 boat is supposed
to have arisen from a heavy roller touching her bottom,
and lifting her in the tackles, so that, coming down with
a jerk from this cause, and-the weight of the persons in
her, straightened out the after davit, filling her aft
with water, the fore end of her still being suspended -
from the davit, when; by some means not known, it was
also disengaged, and the boat turned bottom upwards in
the water.

After picking up these men, No. 3 boat managed to
get round to the lee side of the ship ; but was driven to
sea, and succeeded in reaching. shore about nine hours
afterwards, thirty miles to the westward of the wreck.
Nos. 5 and 6 boats were also driven considerably to
leeward of the wreck; but, the tide turning and the
weather moderating, they succeeded in reaching the
baynd a
passengersschoone
r,
shore, much fatigued, after being nine hours in the boat.
No. 4 was finally put out, but in reaching the water she
was half filled. The third officer then went into the
boat to assist the others to bale her out, when the rope,
them
picked
at
Boston, up about
rrh noon oco re n w
which was fast to the boat, was broken, and they were
driven
which
andth
who were in the boats suffered much from cold, there
being a cold north wind blowing, with a hard frost.
About forty-five minutes after the ship struck she
parted in two, breaking amidships by the bridge, and
landed
d sea
ed
the fore-end separating about forty feet from the after-
end, and falling: over to port, having about twenty-five
of the crew on it, who were afterwards brought to the
after-end of-the ship by means of a rope. About noon
boats came from the shore to our assistance, and landed
the rest of the passengers and a few of the crew. Several
schooners passed the wreck during the day, while signals
of distress were flying and guns being fired, but they
paid no attention to us.
Towards the afternoon, however, two came within
hail, and promised to remain and take the remainder
of the crew off the wreck. One, unfortunately, was
driven on the reef alongside the ship, and became a.
total wreck. The other landed us all safe at dark in
the village of Mariet Joseph.
During the night it fell calm, and parties from the
shore went and plundered the wreck, carrying off the
clothes of the passengers and crew, and the silver plate
belonging to the ship.
At daylight the following day the chief officer and a
boat's crew went to the wreck, and succeded in saving
the mails and a few moveable articles from the saloon at
low water. In the afternoon a breeze from the south-
east sprung up, which increased during the night, with -
a heavy fa lof snow. The next morning not a vestige
of the wreck was to be seen. When the Indian struck
she was going about 81- knots under steam, and some of
her-fore and aft canvass was set: •
(Signed) JAMES STEWART, First Officer.
WM. H. SMITH, Second Officer.