The Sun.
London, England, 1862-01-25 00:00:00

FATAL SHIPWRECK NEAR IRE
LIZA.W.

We are now enabled to furnish our readers with
additional particulars respecting the melancholy
shipwreck at Mullion, in Mount's Bay, Pelgew
Cove, where the vessel came ashore, and lies about
half a mile to the eastward, or Lizard side of Gun-
walloe Cove, which is formed by an indent running
between two lofty headlands of rock, and the tide
runs at high water over a sandy beach half a
mile inside the heads. Great difficulty was expe- 1
rienced in discovering the name of the unfortunate
vessel, as the four survivors were unable to make
themselves understood by any person who saw
them on Wednesday. They knew neither French
nor German, and both captain and mate have
perished. They appear to be illiterate common
seamen, and exceedingly dull, or perhaps exhausted
from their perilous adventure. From some papers
which came ashore it is believed that the wreck is
that of the barque Auguste Padre, Captain Lacori,
probably belonging to Trieste, or some other Aus-
tro-Italian port. She appeared to have been over
300 tons burden, and built for fast sailing, being
long and lightly planked, and had a stern poop
cabin about 18 feet long, with side berths, &c.,
nicely fitted up. The floor of the cabin was orna-
mentally, painted to imitate carpeting. The figure-
head was the bust of a male, smaller than usual for
a vessel of such a tonnage. Wheat appears to have
been her cargo, but it is likely she had discharged
it, as only a small quantity of grain was observed.
The mats which are used for laying under corn
were on board in great numbers. On Tuesday
evening the wind was moderate from ES.E.,
but a - strong sea was running in the
bay; several vessels were at sundown keep-
ing under the land, in consequence of its
being impossible to weather the Lizard, and a
bark was observed among them. During the night
the wind veered round to S.W., and blew on the
snore vita the force of a hurricane. !snout b o-ciocts
on Wednesday morning a Coastguard man first saw
the barque ; she was then wearing, with her head to
the westward, and it is probable that the captain,
observing an opening like the mouth of a harbour,
or perhaps distinguishing the beach, decided on
running ashore, as it was utterly impossible to
stand out to sea, to save his embayed ship. Some
of the sails had already broken loose, and were
flying in the wind. Mr. Henry Cuttance, of Gun-
walloe, with some others, as soon as they knew of
the vessel's being in the offing, proceeded to the
spot where she would be likely to strike, to render
assistance, and they were provided with lines, &c.,
for the purpose, They soon lost sight of her, and
conjectured that she had struck more to the west-
ward, and retraced their steps, but could not dis-
cover her. It was soon found that she had been
carried on a projecting reef at the eastern side of
Pelgew Cove. She heeled broadside to the breakers,
and drifted up the cove on the flood tide. Stand-
ing out from the western headland is a detached
rock, which rises abruptly to the height of 40ft.,
and against this huge mass the vessel was forced,
with her deck lying towards it. It is not unlikely
that before she reached this place part of her crew
had been washed off the deck, for only about half-a-
dozen men were seen on board. Mr. Peter Wil-
liams, of Angrouse, the nearest farm, hastened to
the spot, but was unfortunately unprovided with
ropes, which, on observing some men on the rocks,
he sent to his house for. Fortunately he found a
boathook, and by its means saved the life of one man,
The Gunwalloe party now came up, and having
thrown aline to two poor fellows who were on a rock,
beckoned to them to lash themselves together, but
only one made fast the line to his body, and before the
rope was again lowered his comrade was dashed by a
heavy wave with such force against the cliff as
must have instantly killed him, and he was washed
out and not seen afterwards. Through the gorge
between the cliff and the rock the sea was now
running with furious velocity, and it was between
the black and rugged sides of this foaming channel,
amid broken timber and tangled cordage, two more
of the sailors were carried and eventually saved.
The vessel now began to go to pieoes, and, first
having broken in two parts, large portions of the
hull drifted away landward on the top of the tide,
and beach and rock were soon covered with frag-
ments of wreck of all descriptions. Just after she
struck, the body of a fine handsome little boy, of
about two-and-a-half years of age, was washed
ashore, and the persons who took the body from
the water describe it as if just awake, having a
night dress on, and looking rosy and fresh. The
front part of the poop had been washed away, and
the infant must have been in a bassinet, which was
shortly after picked up, as also a little flock mat-
tress and quilted counterpane, with a small lace-up
boot, which had not been worn. No doubt, the
captain's wife was on board, as a chest of woman's
linen was found, and a packet with several unused
wedding cards. A considerable number of books,
principally in the Italian language, were also
washed on shore, and their leaves scattered over the
beach. The only body found up to Wednesday
night was the infant's, and that was taken to Mul-
lion, where it lies in the. church' awaiting an in-
quest. The surviving sailors are also at Mullion
under the care of Mr. W. Nicholas, who was on the
spot during the day, securing the property on be-
half of Mr. Richard Pearce, of Penzance, Lloyd's
agent. The divided hull lay on Wednesday against
the large rock with about 30 feet of the stern part,
with the mizen mast standing, resting on half its
length of the bow, which had been forced by the
waves under it. There were thousands of people
on the spot during the day, and most of the wreck
,was saved, but it is almost valueless. Up to noon
on Thursday the portion of the hull remained as
described above, the sea having moderated con-
siderably, There is no doubt as the number of
persons lost being 13, the survivors having so
enumerated thus on fingers. It is likely that
the name of the barque was on a loose board, fas-
tened to the stem, which got knocked off, as no
trace of letters can be observed on the afterpart,
although the upper framework of the stern, with
cabin, windows, &c., remains uninjured.