The Sun.
London, England, 1863-05-15 00:00:00

STATEMENT OF ASSISTANT-PURSER GILBERT LITTLE.

" At a quarter p st 11 yesterday morning, the ship
going at slow speed and the fog very thick, the el-)
of breakers' was heard, and immediately after the
ship struck. The captain tried to back her, out the
vessel had slewed round, and there was a large rock
right under the stern, which prevented any chance
of backing and hemmed the ship in so that we could
not possibly get her off. When Capt. Burgess found
he could not get her clear he gave orders to get out
the bow anchors, so as to steady her where she was.
We were lying close in to the shore at the time, the
sea running high, and a rock between the ship and
the shore. We rigged a basket on a rope leading
ashore, and commenced to land passengers. The
bowsprit at this time was right over the land, and
three men managed to get ashore by it. While the
passengers were being landed on the starboard side
the three port boats were being launched, and almost
immediately a number of the passengers and crew
got into them and hauled off. We continued getting
the people on shore in the basket. At this time the
captain and officers did not apprehend any danger
of the ship going to pieces immediately, and we
worked away at landing the people nearly an hour.
The ship's forefoot was firmily fixed on the rocks,
but the stern was deep in water, and although the
ship rolled considerably we believed she would hold
together some hours. I went below to see the con-
dition of the ship, Found the water up to the orlop
deck forward, but no water in the bedrooms aft, and
felt satisfied that the ship would last for a few hours.
We had six boats altogether—three on each side.
The three port boats had get off partly laden.
We now lowered the aft starboard boat. It was
so difficult to get this boat clear of the ship,
being on the shore side, that only five or
six persons were in her. The mail officer had
charge of this boat. He went off by the captain's
orders and brought back one of the port boats,
in order that she might take more passengers. The
two boats came alongside and were quickly filled
with passengers, chiefly women and children. We
were still landing the people in the basket. In the
meantime the water had begun to rise in the ship,
and she was slowly sinking. When we had got all
the ladies who were standing near into the boats,
and they had put off, Captain Burgess, who was
assisting me, turned away and said something, I
did not understand w hat. That was the last lsaw
of him. Tile water was now washing over the
decks. I then leaped into the boat. The chief officer,
when the water was up to his knees on deck, jumped
overboard, and we hauled him in. At this time
the vessel was listing over so much to port that we
were afraid the masts and rigging would swamp
our boat. A great number of people were in the
rigging at this time, and we hauled our boat off to
clear the masts and rigging, and so as to pick up
any persons who might get into the water But we
could not get near enough to pick up any, for the
masts were coming down fast enough upon the
water, the vessel having fallen almost entirely over.
It was now about a quarter to 1 o'clock p.m. The
three boats kept hanging round all the afternoon,
picking up a few persons, and then we put off to
find a landing-place. We went some 15 miles
noth, but could not land, and rowed about all night,
anxiously waiting for daylight. Just before dawn
we spied the tug, and three such hearty cheers as
twheat ngaeghviehbhoaovrenood.,,tbeen heard for a long time in

STATEMENT or MR. G. n. TEALBY, PASSENGER.

" I was on the deck when the ship struck. The
captain was on the bridge at the time, and or-
dered the engines to be reversed, which was done.
After a few revolutions of the screw she was brought
up by a rock. After some time I got into No. 6
boat, which I helped to lower, and into which got
19 passengers and two or three of the crew The
vessel listed over so fast that we were in danger of
being smashed by the falling of the hull.
Searched for some time fir a landing-place until
after noon, when we fell in with the other boats,
and after spending all night on the water,