The Sun.
London, England, 1865-05-02 00:00:00

Fatal Boat Accident off Portishead,

On Friday evening a boat accident took place off Portia-
head, resulting in the death of two persons. On Friday
afternoon a party of friends met at Mr. Hooper's Royal
Marine Hotel, Avonmouth, and the weather being very
tempting, they determined to enjoy a sail over to Portia-
head. The party consisted of five gentlemen—Mr. Alonzo
Hooper, son of Mr. Hooper, of the Marine Hotel ; Mr. W.
Collins, Mr. Tanner, Mr. Sidney Bennett, and Mr. Scott,
all of Bristol. The voyage to Portishead was accom-
plished in safety. The day, it will be remembered, was
gloriously fine, and the excursionists enjoyed themselves
thoroughly. After staying at Portishead a short time,
preparations were made for the return voyage at about
half-past six o'clock. However, just as they wore about
to start Mr. Scott's hat blew off, and Mr. Tanner jumped
on shore to secure it. When on shore a sudden freak took
Mr. Tanner that he would not re-enter the boat. He states
that he had some vague presentment of danger ; but, at all
events, his abrupt decision saved him from the fearful perils
which the party afterwards encountered. The others com-
menced their ill-fated voyage. Mr. Scott, who had steered
the boat safely from Avonmouth to Portishead, again re-
sumed his seat at the tiller, Mr. Hooper, an experienced
sailor, giving his attention to the arrangement of the sails
and other necessary details. A few minutes after they had
started the niizen became unshipped, and it was necessary
for Mr. Hooper to remedy this little mishap immediately.
A sudden squall sprung up, and the little vessel was
allowed to run out into the channel much further than
was prudent, and she became exposed to the fury of the
gale. At the time the accident occurred the boat must
have been on the tack, for a sudden gust of wind swept
over her and she was completely capsized. By good for-
tune the four men who were thus thrown into the water
were enabled to lay hold of the boat. Messrs. Hooper and
Collins, being expert swimmers, relieved themselves by
swimming about, and while they were thus engaged the
boat's mast fell out, and the vessel quickly righted herself.
How the unfortunate excursionists got into her again it is
impossible to say, but they all succeeded in doing so. Their
position, however, was fearfully hazardous. They were
almost exhausted with struggling in the water. . Their
sails were gone, the boat was half filled with water, and,
tossed about by the boisterous waves, they were compelled
to resign themselves to their fate. Under such appalling
circumstances it is not at all wonderful that one of the
party should have lost his presence of mind. Poor Bennett,
terrified out of his senses, screamed continually to his com-
panions to save him, and swayed backward and forward in
his agitation. It was useless to attempt to persuade him
that he was doing all ho could to drown the whole four. The
unfortunate man was perfectly deranged with fright, and it
was the sad, but natural conclusion of such a scene that the
boat should be capsized the second time. Though exhausted
by their previous struggles, the agonising apprehensions
under which the men now laboured gave them additional
strength, and they clung to the bottom of the boat with
fearful tenacity. But for the exertions of Hooper poor
Bennett must have been put out of his misery at once. Not
being able to swim a stroke he must have sunk immediately,
but
.in his struggle he managed to catch hold of Hooper's
leg. Hooper himself had got entangled in the ropes, but as
he was holding on by the bottom of the boat ho contrived
to stoop down, seize Bennett by the arm, and enable him
to clutch the boat. The other two had previously succeeded
in accomplishing this object. At this moment they descried
a barge belonging to Messrs. Danks and Co., traders to
Gloucester, lying off in the roads, and they shouted with all
their remaining strength and assistance. It is with indig-
nation and shame we have to say that their entreaties passed
unheeded. Those on board the barge never offered them a
helping hand, and the boat, with the four men clinging to
it, swiftly floated by, their cries becoming fainter and
fainter in the distance. Assistance, however, came to
them in a most unexpected manner. After being in tho
water for about ten minutes or a quarter of an hour,
dashed about as the waves listed, a pilot yawl from Pill
hove in sight. This time the drowning men had not to
implore in vain. Rapidly the rescuers bore down upon
them, but with the high tide which was running at the
time it was with the utmost difficulty that the yawl could
approach near enough to be of service. Collins and Hooper
sprang from the boat on a last venture for their liVes,
anticipating that by that means they might get near
enough to the yawl to seize the ropes which were thrown.
out to them. As we have said, they were both expert
swimmers, and in such a sea they had need of all their
skill and courage. At an opportune moment a line was
thrown out, and Collins succeeded in grasping the friendly
rope, by which he was 4ra\vn on board, and carefully
tended by the brave fellows who had rescued him.
Hooper was not so fortunate. Several times a rope was
thrown over his head. but he had not strength to seize it,
and as each failure occurred his powers of endurance were
fast ebbing away. However, when he was almost at the
last gasp, the yawl suddenly veered round, one of the small
lines hanging by the side came into his failing grasp, and
friendly hands quickly laid hold of him and dragged him
on board. His prostration at this moment was complete,
and a quarter of an hour elapsed before his rude but expe-
rienced surgeons could restore any signs of animation.
While this was going on the pleasure boat, with Scott and
Bennett clinging to it, had drifted far away up Channel, and
the approaching darkness hid them from the sight of thoso
who might have rescued them. How long they held on
their despairing course will never bo known ; but judging
from the condition in which Mr. Collins and Mr. Hooper
were picked up it is evident that they could not have held
out more than a few minutes. It is probable, indeed, that
the last thing they saw was the rescue of Hooper, and that
they must have suffered the bitterest pangs of disappoint-
ment in the midst of their death agonies. If there had
been the slightest chance of rescuing them, we cannot but
believe that the gallant men on board the pilot yawl would
have persevered in their humane efforts; but the boisterous
sea and the rising fury of the gale rendered this a matter
of impossibility. To show the remarkable strength of the
current, we may state that the accident occurred about
half a mile off Portishead shortly after half-past 6 o'clock,
and Hooper was picked up at the mouth of the old river
about half-past 7.—Bristol Times.

MARKETS--This Day

HAY MARKETS.

- - -
SMITHFIELD.—Meadow hay, £4 10s to £5 7s 6d ; clover,
£5 lOs to £6 lOs Od ; and straw, £1 8s to £1 14s per load.
Trade slow.

CUMBERLAND.—Meadow hay, £4 15s to £5 15s ;
£5 15s to £6 15s ; and straw, £1 10s to £1 18s per load.
Al slow demand. clove;
WHITECHAPEL.—Meadow ha £4 10s to£s 7s 6d; clover,
£5 lOs to £6 10s ; and straw, £l. 8s to £1 14s per load.
A slow trade.