The Sun.
London, England, 1863-12-22 00:00:00

1 o'clock the captain gave orders to sound with the lead. We
did so, and to our horror found only 17 feet of water. We saw
that we were lost, and in a few minutes the ship struck for-
ward, and with a terrible shock she afterwards struck aft. The
rudder then gave way. We immediately proceeded to cut
away the masts, but they broke off like sticks, and their
wreck beat great-holes in the deck,through which the water
poured and filled the 'tweet) decks. Another fearful crash
was heard, and the ship broke in two amidships. All who
were in the fore-part of the vessel and 'tween decks were
drowned, as the one sank with all who were there, and the
other was full of water. Thus 250 lives were sacrificed to
the waves in the space of a few minutes. It was a fearful
sight. Yet we could do nothing. In such a moment one
has enough to do to think of himself, and has also enough
to do to save himself. The after-portion of the vessel also
sank in a few minutes, but was not entirely covered with
water. The lower portion held together, but was imbedded
in the sandy bottom. Now, however, one sea after another
rushed over the deck, tore away the bulwarks, and carried

off all who could hold on firmly. We all jumped into the
largest boat, which was firmly jammed in between the
wrecks of the masts and water vessels. Behind and before
me lay dead and wounded, and among these was the cap-
tain. Thus cowering together in the boat, exposed to every
sea which swept the vessel, sometimes lying on the dead,
at other times packed between corpses, I awaited the dawn
of day. It was quite 7 o'clock when we saw a northern
barque in the distance. with her masts cut away, but other-
wise holding together, drive upon the strand. Her crew
launched their long-boat,and fortunately succeeded in land-
ing. We followed this example, although our boat leaked.
Men now came from behind the masts and water ves-
sels and from every corner of the deck, almost blue with
hunger and frost, but anxious to get to land. There were
about 10 more than the boat would carry; but, as these were
passengers, come of the crew were compelled to remain be-
hind,and amongst these I was one. The boat left us with the
promise that we should soon be fetched from the wreck. The
boat, however, soon stuck fast, and those who were in were
compelled to wade to dry land. The tide now ebbed,and as the
boat lay high and dry wa were compelled to try and save our-
selves, as we could expect no help from the shore. We
therefore patched up a small boat the stern part of which
had been broken away by the waves, and this frail barque we
launched in the darkness into the sea. The waves fortu-
nately drove us to the shore, and then we got out and waded
towards our comrades. The next night, like the last, we
were forced to spend without any shelter ; but at all events
we were not exposed to the waves. On the evening of the
next day some men arrived, and we were conveyed to the
nearest village in waggons. We then learned that the land
was the island of Terscheliing, and hers we remained till we
could be sent to Harlingen. Of the 300 passengers only 24
men and one woman are saved, and, with the remnant of the
crew, are reduced to a state of utter destitution. They are
now at Hamburg, where they have been treated kindly;
but one or two have left for England, with the intention of
finding their way to Au3tralla in another vessel.