The Sun.
London, England, 1837-02-03 00:00:00

WRECK OF THE MEXICO.

ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHT SOULS PERISHED.
(FURTHER. PARTICULARS.)
Tho barque Mexico, Captain Winslow, sailed from Liver-
pool on the 25th of October last, having on board a crew con-
sisting of twelve men and one hundred and four passengers,
in all one hundred and sixteen souls. She made the High-
land Lights on Saturday night last at eleven o'clock, and on
Sunday morning was off the Bar, with thirty or more square-
rigged vessels, all having signals flying for pilots, but not a
pilot was there in sight. The Mexico continued standing
off and on the Hook till midnight, and at dark she and the
whole fleet of ships displayed lanterns from their yards for
pilots. Still no pilorcatue. At midnight the wind increased
to a violent gale I'i•om the north-west, the barque was no
longer able to hold to windward, and was blown off a distance
of somo 50 miles. At this time six of the crew were badly
frost bitten, and the captain, mate, and two seamen, were
all that were left able to hand and reef the sails. On Mon
day morning at 11 o'clock, standing in shore, they made the
southern end of the woodlands, when she was wore round and
headed to the north, under a close reefed main-top-sail, reefed
fore-sail, two reefed try-sails, and fore-stay sail. At 4 o'clock
the next morning the mate took a cast of the lead, and re-
virted to Captain Winslow that he had 15 fathoms water.
Supposing from the soundings, as laid down in the chart, that
with this depth of water he could still stand on two hours_
longer with safety, the captain gave orders to that effect, and
was the more induced to do it as the crew were in so disabled
a state, and the weather SO intensely cold that it was impos-
sible for any one 'to remain on deck longer than half an hour
at a time. The event has shown that the information given
by the mate as to the depth of water was incorrect ; his error
probably arose from the lead line being frozen stiff at the time
it was cast.

Fifteen minutes afterwards the ship struck the bottom, 26
miles cast of Sandy Hook, at Hampstead beach, and not more
than a cable's length from the shore. For one hour and
three-quarters she continued thumping heavily without mak-
ing any water; the sea, however, breaking continually over
her. fler rudder was now knocked off, and the captain or-
dered the mainmast to be cut away. The boats were then
cleared, the long-boat hoisted out, and veered away under
her bows with a stout hawser, for the purpose of filling it with
passengers, letting it drift within reach of the people who
crowded the beach, then hauling her back again, and thus
saving the unfortunate people on board ; but this intention
was frustrated by the parting of the hawser, which snapped
like a thread as soon as the boat was exposed to the heaving
surf. The yawl was next got alongside, and stove to
pieces almost instantly. At seven o'clock the. same morn-
ing the ship bilged, and filled with water. Orders fol-
lowed from the captain to cut away the foremast ; and
that every soul on board should come on deck. In inexpres-
sible agony they thus remained until four o'clock in the after-
noon, when a boat was launched from the beach, and succeeded
in getting under the bowsprit of the wreck. This boat took
off Captain Winslow and seven men, and succeeded in reach-
ing the shore with them in safety. The attempt, however,
was attended with such imminent danger that none could be
induced to repeat it. And now the horrors of the scene were
indescribable. Already had the sufferings of the unhappy
beings beeu.such as to surpass belief. From the moment of
the disaster they had hung round the captain, covered with
their blankets thick set with ice, imploring his assistance, and
asking if hope was still left to them. When they perceived
that no further help came from the land, their piercing shrieks
were distinctly heard at a considerable distance, and continued
through the night until they one by one perished. The next
morning the bodies of many of the unhappy creatures were
seen lashed .to different parts of the wreck, embedded in
ice. None, it is believed, were drowned ; but all frozen
to death.

Of the one hundred and four passengers, two-thirds were
women and children.

It is but justice to the people on shore to say, that every,
thing which human beings could accomplish to save the un-
fortunates was done. The only boat which boarded the vessel
Was hauled a distance of ten miles, and was manned by an old
man and six others, four or five of whom were the old man's
sons and grandsons. For thirty-five years has he been living
on the sea-shore, during which he has" rendered assistance to
numerous wrecks, and nave). before has he or his comrades
shrunk from the suit; but us addition to its violence on the
present occasion, such was the extreme cold, that a second at-
tempt to rescue was more than they dared venture; it would
have inevitably proved fatal to them.
The following are the names of the persons saved
Captain Window ; William Broom, a lad, brother of the
owner; two seamen and the cook ; Richard Haynes, Thomas
Mullohan, and John Wood, passengers.
The boat put off frOm the vessel without Richard Haynes,
but be sprang from the bowsprit, and was drawn from the sea
by those in the boat.

The following are the names of those who perished as far
as recollected by Captain Winslow :
Mr. Pepper, wife and six children, of England; William
Roberts, formerly of New York ; Joseph Brooks, of Derby-
shire ; John Blanch rd, Mrs. Barrett ; Mr. Evans, State of
New York ; Mrs Evans and five children, England ; Thos.
Hanrilian and sister, Longford, Ireland; Standford Thomp-
son, of Cambridge, England; Michael Murray, Mark De-
vine, Patrick Devine, Bridget Devine, Eleanor Turner, and
Catherine Galaghan, of Cavan, Ireland ; Samuel Black-
burn, formerly of New York; Samuel Blackburn, jun.,
and Thomas Ellis, of Ireland ; Mrs. Ballantync, of Scot-
land ; Eliza Lawrence and her brother, of Scotland—bodies
floated ashore ; Mr. Hope, wife, and four children, of
Dublin—two floated ashore ; Miles Carpenter and sister,
of Ireland; Maria Carr and Bridget Carr; Mrs.
Wilson and two children ; Mrs. Heggins, of Ireland
body floated ashore ; Mrs. Smith and two children ; John
Hays, wife, and two children, of Cork; Mr. Ellsworth and
child, of Pougneepsie, N. Y. ; Sidney Thompson, wife, and
brother ; Rosy Hughes, and Catharine Ross, of Ireland ;
Martin Mooney, of Dublin—body floated ashore ; Edward
Smith and wife, of Cavan : James Dwyer, Ireland ; John
Riley and George Howland, Cavan; Thomas Mulloney,
Bridget Brennan, Margaret Doran, Wm. Babbington, Te-
rence Byrne, Charles Dolan, Mr. Martin, and two friends
(names not known) ; Mary Delany, John Uval, wife and two
children, Ireland ; 22 other passengers, names not known ;
Walter Quinn, Lord Sherwood, James Munro, Peter Picker-
ing, Noah N. Jordan, mate ; Jacob• Allen, Stephen Simmons,
steward, crew.

Perished in all, 103 souls.
The ship at present lies with her starboard side about feet
under water, her mizen mast standing. Besides being bilged,
her upper works have so far parted from the hull as to allow
the cargo to wash out.

The Mexico was a substantial eastern-built vessel, of 280
tons, eleven years old, owned by Mr. Samuel Broom, of this
city. She is insured by the Commonwealth Office, of Bos-
ton, for 8,000 dollars. The freight is insured by the State
Marine, of this city. The Atlantic-Office is also on part of
her cargo.

The Cargo consisted of 200 tons of bar iron ; 100 tons of
coal; and 200 tons of crates—all consigned to Samuel
Thompson.
Sixteen of the bodies had been driven ashore when our re-
porter left the beach, all frozen. It was expected the re-
mainder would drift ashore during the night, the wind and
current setting strongly in shore.
When off the Hook the Mexico, besides her signal for a
pilot, had her flab flying Union down, as a signal of distress,
in consequence of the frostbitten state of the crew and the
shortness of provisions. She spoke on Sunday the Montreal,
packet-ship, from the Captain of which vessel we learned she
was below, and reported her arrival in consequence yesterday
morning.

Of the fleet of thirty vessels that were off the Hook in com-
pany with the Mexico on Sunday, waiting pilots, not more
than one-half have as yet arrived.
The unfortunate passengers were of a very superior class,
and had considerable property with them. On the bodies
which drifted ashore gold to some amount was found.
The wreck master, Mr. James Smith, the Coroner, Mr.
Borgen, agent of the Insurance Companies, and a guard of
16 picked men, arc on the beach, to prevent pillage.