The Sun.
London, England, 1847-04-09 00:00:00

to be done. Few had escaped without severe cuts and
b -uises and some poor f. Lows w. re dreadfully mangled.
The rnorAing wo cold, and h w I,:vd any ciethine ;
so the first act of all aho eoulti erswl shout among the
wreck, stones, and water, was to search for any sort of
clothes to protect them from the cold. Some might be
seen scrambling ever a ship's beam, it-rose a few cabin
doors, broken chairs, Bsc., disappearing into a hole of
water for a few seconds, scrambling on egain over a few
ragged stones cutting the fief, up to the waist in water.
and, on coming alongside, some poor fellow's well-packed
trunk was seiz,-.,d, broken open, and the clothes turned
over in search of flannels, troteters, and coats. These
were in great demand, but few w ere to be found. Fur
want of a coat, a few wet shirts wrapped round the
shoulders helped to keep some warm.
After the strag-
glers had been gathered together on the shoalest spot.
about 250 yards inside the breakers, and perhaps 600
yards from the place ''here the ship had struck, the
pieces of the wreck being about midway, information was
gathered of the state of the boats, which were seen here
and there among the wreck. Ono lifeboat was
reported to be unfit for use, having some
eight feet of the side torn away, besides being
rent from stem to stern, so that she opened with every
sea that struck her. The cutter was reported also use-
less, being crushed to pieces, and the only other boat to
be seen was the mail-boat, which was reported of no use,
having her entire stem torn out, all the lining boards
gone, and stove in the stern, bottom, and sides. Our
position seemed hopeless. Had but one boat been saved
out of the seven boats which were on board, she might
have lived to reach the coast of Campeachy,
and picked
up some vessel and brought her to our relief, if we could
have held together in our present condition. By 10 saw.
the tide was observed to be flowing. We had never
thought of that; and now came the question from every
mouth, "How far is it likely to flow?" but no one could
tell! It might cover the spot where we then were so
deeply that we must all perish! Some few at last put
their heads together, and said that our only hope of
salvation was in getting ose of the boats patched up
any how, to make the attempt to reach the main coast;
that now we were only idling and losing time,—time,
which, if well used, might be the means of saving
us all yet. The mail-boat was fixed on as the only
boat worth attempting to make swim. She was hauled
out from the wreck and pushed to the place where
we stood, which had then some twelve inches of
water on it. The carpenter, poor man, was seen in
the morning to leap off the remaining portion of the
wreck, and try to swim on shore. He almost gained
the reef, but was drowned; so his loss was greatly felt
at this time. We had no hammer, nails, &c., and
scarcely knew how to commence to repair the boat. The
chief engineer, chief, second, and third officers, boat-
swain, and half a dozen men were appointed to take her
in hand; a copper bolt was torn out of a timber to serve
as a hammer; every one was desired to look among the
broken wreck and gather together all the nails to be
had; some picked up oars, others odd sails, &c., and the
patching of the boat commenced. About this time some I
one happened to pick up one of the ship's compasses.
Wonder: ul to relate, it was uninjured, although it had
been torn out of the binnacle, washed on to the reef,
and was found lying among the mass of wreck and
stones with not even the glass broken! We hailed it
as sent by Heaven to assist in our deliverance. A
rough sort of bulkhead was made in the boat, about
three feet from the bow, the space before it being
stuffed full of anything which could be laid hold
of, such as old blankets, pillow-cases, shirts, &c.
A piece of sail was then covered over the broken
' extending under the
bottom , bowsandsotmhee
fivefore
eprarstixoffeet, e
the boat
there nailed on and
t
fastened as well as possible. The other defects in the
frail boat were tinkered up as much as possible, so that
by 4 P.M, she was thought fit to swim. Her mast and
sad were found, and put on board, with half-a-dozen oars,
a few bottles of wine, a ham, a bit of cheese, and a little
oatmeal and flour ; after which the chief officer was ap-
po'nted to take charge of her, with six men ; the Admi-
ralty agent, Mr. Davies, and Mr. Dimond, the American
Consul, bound for Vera Cruz, being allowed also to go
in her, the first on account of his age and injuries, the
latter to act us interpreter on the coast. Before setting
off we all shook them by the band, wishing them God
speed from the, bottom of our hearts. They shoved
off, and we gave them three cheers, which they
returned ; but both sides cheered with sorrowful
arts. She set oil at fivo P.M., with orders to steer
south, but to be careful how she passed the night
crossing the reef, and getting through the surf when
they came to the edge. As she moved away from
us many felt a sinking at the heart ; her chance of
being kept afloat over 100 miles was very cicubtful, and
on her depended all our hopes By this time, as we
were all so much taken up in starting the boat, it was
scarcely noticed that the tide had risen at least 18 ,
inches, so that we were surrounded by deepening water,
and the wreck bean to float from the edge of the reef
where it had first grounded, and floated in hundreds of
pieces towards us, the wind still being from the north,
which sent the drift in our direction. It was now time
to set about constructing some sort of fabric on which
to take shelter. As the pieces drifted near, we secured
them, and placed them one above another, anyhow,
without any sort of order, or distinct idea at first what
we could or should do. At last so many were piled up
that we got up on the top, above the water, and began
to arrange it in something like order. It was squared
as much as possible, and the flat boards laid along the
top. The size might be ten feet square. There were
no lashings to any part of it, as we had no rope.
The few bottles of wine and odd provisions, Sic.,
which we had gathered during the day, were
placed on the top, by which time it began to
come on dark, but still the tide was flowing, and
continued to flow till near midnight. This was a most
anxious time to all —our first night, not knowing to what
the tide might flow, and our only footing
on a " loose
bundle of sticks," it might almost be said. Few slept
much that night. The tide rose to the very level of our
raft, so that sometimes the waters dashed ever the side
near the reef, the breakers seeming to approach nearer
and nearer as it became darker, and the tide increased.
How often we sounded round our frail raft to watch the
tide ! It was very cold, too, and few had much clothing
still, the teeth chattering together, and
on, and that little saturated with water. . There was not
mom to lie down, but all huddled together in a sitting
posture as close as possible to keep each other warm ;
with extreme cold, might be heard 'and felt everywhere.
Some tried to talk in a cheering tone
busy with his ownwhen they felt
sleep was out of the question, but it was a faint at•
tempt, and of no use ; the heart was too sad, and the
limbs trembling
thoughts too gloomy ; so each relapsed into silence,
reflections, and
those on the reef then. During
morning light.
But all this time " the wreck " has been forgotten
by the writer here, although far from forgotten by
sa longing for the
the day a few
managed to reach the reef in safety but far the greater
number were killed by the floating timber in the
surf, as they tried to reach us. Half-a-doses might
be seen to jump off at a time to make the attempt,
but seldom more than one lived through the surf.
Swimming was of no avail
at the same time, some
those known to be expert at
it were seen to go down,
who could not swim one stroke came on to the reef sate,
washed and blown on to it, as it were, helpless. Those
who came safe said that, although the side of the ship,
from the figurehead to the port-sponson, might be seen
by us at daylight still hanging together, yet, while,
that was all that was left; there was nothing behind it—
decks, beams, all were gone! They
saw no in reality,
w and then
the tops of the engines and boilers,
which, of course,
would not move. In an hour or so after daylight the
side of the ship, from the bows as far aft as the fore part
of the sponson, was seen to move backwards and for-
wards with every wave, until gradually it all broke away,
leaving only the sponson and wheel, surmounted still by
the lite-boat; but the latter was observed soon to be
washed away, falling to windward, and dashed to atoms
in a few minutes; so now all that remained to be seen
above water were the sponson and the top of the wheel;
the whole only a few feet above water new and then, but
oftener buried in the sea, as it broke over it every
minute. To this small portion still clung some dozen
people. It should have before been observed, that las-
fore the little boat left us to day we all gathered toge-
ther, and offered up our thanks to Almighty God for our
wonderful preservation. One of the passengers had
saved a Prayer-book, and kindly read prayers. To-day
each had a little wine and a- little oatmeal-

SATURDAY, FEB. 13.—8 y 6 A-M. all were up and astir.
As each were cold and benumbed, a small drop of
brandy was dealt round in the neck broken off a bottle,
with a cork in it. Then, all who were able to work were
divided into parties, each in charge of an officer of the
ship ; some to secure provisions, others clothes, and
spars for our raft, &c. It was another mercy to find so
many officers of the ship saved, as
.they were able to
take charge of the men, keep them in order, and make
them useful; for, without some order and system, nothing
would have been done. At 10 A 31. all were gathered
together on the raft, and we offered up our thanks to
God for our preservation through the night. By 4 P. 31.
all the spars which could be collected. together were
added to our; raft, and lashed togetle.r, as well as
we
could
odd ropes picked up; and the raft was
n
size, and touch heavier, still
)w
nearlymanage,
double with
odd
the
anything but secure. We served out to each halt a
.. tottle" of brandy, and a small ball of flour mixed
up with a little salt water, wine, and a little treacle.
The five poor fellows who still clung to the wreck
were observed about to leave it—they had tied to-
gether two spars, which they had broken Off; and
at last committed themselves to the surf. how
anxiously we all watched, ready to assist them I Out
of the five, three were saved. We now numbered 69
souls on the raft, and, 10 having. gone off in the little
boat, made 79 saved out of 151 souls supposed to have
been on board. We bad by this time gathered together
on the raft three barrels of flour, one small barrel of
II
oatmeal, one small cask of brandy, one barrel of vinegar,
one ease of claret, about three cases ee other wines'
three hams, two small cheeses, one small basket of pre-
served apples, a piece of bacon, two live pigs, one live
Sheep, one dead sheep, one dog alive, one tin of stuff like
treacle, one small barrel of bitter, and one box of
candles. We had also picked up some few clothes ; so,
when each bad rigged himself out as he test could, a
strange lot we must have been. But there was no
grumbling, no complaints ; each man was for hint
aelf in the way of garments. A bag containing the ship's
signals was found, and one flag was fattened to a spar,
which we hoisted as a signal to any ship, At six r N.
we all lay down to rest, the depth o.f water round our
raft two feet ; at ten P.M. it was 3i feet ; then bean
to it uegan
to ebb. The tide flowed from noon till ten r.m., and
ebbed from midnight till ten A.m. This night we had
room each to lie down on t 1.-.e raft. It was still very
cold ; and, as the raft was still insecure, it
was also air
anxious night for us.
.SUNDAY, FEB. 14.—With the first daylight all were
moving, glad to stretch our cold and stiffened limbs.
To those who were going to work we. served out each
half a tuttle of brandy. Some set off to collect pieces
of the wreck and spars, others provisions, clothes, &c ;
some to gather stones to fortify the raft; others, with

some boarding pikes a hich had been picked up, to en-
deevour to catch fish, as many were seen round about us.
A writing-desk was found, and in elm corner wa.s a little
xof about a eh zen wax lucifer matches; but they
were wet, and would not light. We stuck them in the
flour to dry; but very nearly lost them. Ono of the
Spanish passengers having seen the box there, pocketed
the box, throwing away the matches. When this was
discovered, a hue and cry was raised about the matches,
On which our existence almost depended. The reel-wet,-
able portion of the Spaniards (sense of them most worthy
and kind gentlemen) assisted in the :earth at once, and
Itt last we made the delinquent turn out the box, v1,:o ii
jar of preserves he had pocketed for his own use! He
confessed having thrown the matches out, and on
searching' we found them scattered in some holes of
the raft. A few of them were picked up, and dried,
and at last we struck a light! Oh, joyful news it
was to all. We gave three cheers! A candle was
lighted, and placed in an empty barrel, and a watch
placed over it, with orders never to let it out, by
night or day. A piece of board lined with iron was
found, and on this we soon had a fire blazing, having
plenty of sticks at hand. The doctor and purser then
got the dead sheep, skinned it in a most skiiful manner
with an old razor, and we soon had a portion of it
cooked. A piece was served out to each man, and all
declared they never tasted such excellent mutton. One
" tottle "of wine followed round to each. At noon we
offered up our thanks to God for his goodness. This af-
ternoon we picked up a few fish, one or two fine lob-
sters, three bottles of wine, and a can of oil. The en-
gineers (now that we had a fire) set about constructing
an apparatus with which to condense water, if possible.
First, they tried earthenware jars, but these broke; of
terwards, they got hold of some copper vessel and lead
pipes, with which they busied themselves. We began
now to long for water, the want of which pained us
most; and the poor dog, pigs, and sheep seemed very
thirsty. At four P. M. served out to each a bit of fish or
lobster, then half a " tottle" of brandy. To-day attempts
were made to drag the broken lifeboat near to us at high
water, that we might again examine, and try if possible
to repair her. If sound, she could have carried us all
safely to the main coast; but she was found to be use-
less. Made up our minds to commence the construction
of a strong floating raft to-morrow, on which, if
there should be no succour by the 19th (one week from
the day of our shipwreck), we will set out in hopes of
reaching a little island which the captain is sure lies on
the south side of the reef; or, failing that, the main
coast. At six r. at. served out to each man before lying
down one " tottle "of wine. Thirst began to be very
troublesome. The vinegar-cask was much resorted to
by all; some drinking a little, others only wetting their
lips with a wet rag of vinegar.
MONDAY, FED. 15.—A1l up at daybreak. At six
served out half a tottle of brandy, mixed with half a
tottle of vinegar, which was most palatable. Many
began to try a mixture of brandy, salt water, and vinegar,
in equal quantities, some thinking it very good, as afford-
ing something like a drink; the half tottle of brandy, or
whole one of wine, scarcely sufficing to wet our parched
tongues. At seven offered up our thanks to God for
his goodness. Parties then started off in all directions,
wading in the water, as usual, almost half breast high,
to look for wreck, food, &c. One party of a dozen was
appointed to gather together the fore, main, and wizen
masts, main-yard, and other large spars, with which to
form a substantial floating raft; and they set about it
with right good will. Our distillery had now been put
together, and was at work, but the success was very
doubtful. At eight A.M., the ship's cook commenced to
make 69 small cakes of flour, butter, and salt water,
which were baked at the fire on a piece of sheet iron torn
from a bit of the wreck. The cakes were served out, with
a piece of mutton, or fish, and never was a feast so re-
lished. At 9 A.M. the distillery getting into good order
produced a bottle of water in about fifteen minutes. The
water so made was not very pleasant to the taste, and
we were rather afraid of the first portion made, on ac-
count of its passing through dirty copper and lead pipe:
however, it was all carefully put by for future use in
corked bottles, until it should be seen how much could
be made. By ten o'clock A.m. the raft builders had put
together a most substantial groundwork for a raft, fit
almost to carry the whole of us. It made us feel more
independent of our old fixed raft, in case of its. going to
pi ecs. By eleven A ne, we had made about six bottles
of water, when some one called out " A sail!" How it
made our hearts leap with joy, although many were
sceptical, there having been a false alarm in the morning
about a light, which was only a star. All were, up in a
moment, with eager looks, asking -`Where ? ' It seemed
i but a mere white speck, and some doubted t being any-
thing but the top of some rock, many of which were to
be seen in the distance. But some of the old seamen, on
taking a good look, declared it to be a sail ; and a sail
it proved to be in a few minutes. W e were half afraid
to believe that she was coming to us, in case she was only
a chance ship, and might, after all, never see us on our
lowly raft. The distillery and everything else was
thrown aside—all were gazing towards the vessel, to
make out how she was steering. Some said she was
a schooner, others a brig. We got another signal
raised on two oars lashed together. At length she
hauled round the east point of the reef, some six or eight
miles distant, and bore right up towards us along the
reef, keeping about two miles outside. Wben there
could be no doubt as to her intentions, we felt that the
sudden and unexpected prospects of a speedy deliverance
were almost too much for us. Only then did our hearts
seem to soften, and feel what we had gone through. All
knelt down and joined together most fervently in thank-
ing Almighty God for our preservation; after which each
might be seen to grasp their friends by the hand and shake
it, with something like a smile at last upon their lips,
although the heart was too full for anything to be said.
As the brig stood towards us about noon our claret was
opened, and a double allowance (two tottlefuls) was dealt
round to each man. By one o'clock F.M. it was abreast
of us, about four miles outside the surf; she stopped;
and a small boat, which we had observed towing astern,
set sail towards us. In less than an hour she had
neared the surf, when she let down the sail. and eight
swarthy fellows got out poles, with which they guided
their canoe right through the breakers on to the reef,
close to us.
In a few words we may as well relate the adven-
tures of our little boat. She left us at five P.M. on
Friday, and continued to row and sail gently along
across the reef, in great fear of running aground every
moment and damaging her frail hull. She touched
often as she went along in the dark ; but they were able
always to clear her. The stem turned out not to be her
frailest part, when once they got clear away ; she leaked
in so many places in the bottom, that two men baling
could scarcely keep her free, and had any of them stood
up in her bottom, they would have gone through her.
The chief officer sat with the compass between his knees
in the dark, steering, but with great difficulty making
out the points of the compass ; only doing so by now and
then getting a glimpse of the flourish round the north
point. They scarcely knew how they got off the reef
into open water ; remarking,on being asked, " God must
have guided us I" At daybreak on Saturday they found
themselves clear of the reef, and also saw that they were
past the small island of Perez, to which they thought it
best not to return, but kept on their course towards the
south. The sea was calm, and the wind was fair all the
way. By sitting all well aft they kept her bows out of
the water. They sailed all day and during the night,
and when Sunday morning dawned, had the happiness of
seeing the coast a few miles off ; at the same time they
observed a brig in the offing, to which they at once
made, but she seemed to avoid them, keeping away. The
little boat kept on towards her, however, making signals
as well as they could, and, at last, got near her, and the
chief officer boarded her. He found them all in confu-
sion, with loaded muskets ready to protect themselves,
having taken the small boat for some piratical craft.
The tale was soon told to the chief' mate, Senor
Villaverde, of the Spanish brig Emilio, and at once
he got all on b iard, and set off towards Sisal to
inform his commander, the brig having been obliged to
slip and run from Sisal, leaving her captain on shore,
w hen the same "norther" came on to blow which the
Tweed encountered. Sisal being only 11 miles off, the
brig reached it by 11 A.M., when the captain was at
once communicated with. On hearing of our disaster
he hesitated not for one moment, but, getting some
water hurriedly on board, set sail towards the reef,
which he reached, as has been said, at 1 P.m. the next
day. Worthy, noble, humane Bernardino Camp, for
such is the name of the excellent young officer who com-
mands the Emilio. Ho never thought of his cargo lying
on the beach at Sisal, or his passengers appointed to
jein him, to sail on a certain day for Hevannah, to which
port
.she is a regular trader ; his only thoughts were on
rescuing the poor shipwrecked people. lie thought not
of his insurance either, or the risk he ran of coming on
to a lee shore in the " norther " season; and last of all
but not least, he never thought of remuneration or re-
ward, afterwards remarking, when spoken to on this
point, "I did but my duty, which every man would
have done in such a case, and my reward is here " (lay-
ing his hand on his heart). We knew that many would
not have acted so promptly as he had done.
To return to the canoe nlongsido our raft. She
brought some roasted fowls, biscuit, and two or three
eallons of water mixed with sugar. Captain Camp
came else) with her, and for a noble purpose, nemely,
to remain with us on the raft, as a security in himself
that the brig would not leave us until all were rescued
Ile raft's muster-roll was at once got out and twenty-
five names called over, commencing with the invalids,
ell of whom were to go off in the canoe to the brig.
The writer's name was among the first called out, but,
for certain pressing reasons, which need not be here
mentioned, he preferred remaining on the raft till the
last. The canoe started with twenty-five passengers,
and was anxiously watched while the attempt was
made to pull her through the breakers. Ater a
struggle this was accomplished, and their oars got out,
and they were about to hoist the sail, when a sea struck
her and turned her broadside on the surf, into which
she was driven, and back on to the reef, narrowly
escaping being capsized. Her crew said she was
overloaded, so twelve only were sent in her ; and
this time she got over in safety, and made towards
the brig, on board which they were placed. She
returned about four P.M., bringing the brig's Small
host, which alone came through the surf; the canoe
stopping outside, as they were afraid she would get stove
if she struck the reef in the middle of the boiling
•urf. The small boat took off seven passengers to the
canoe, and returned for seven more, with which she set
off; but, when in the middle of the surf, one wave
seemed to lift her high in the air, then dash her mune,
oroadside on, and capsize her. She turned over and over,
and was swept back on to the reef, full of water, the
people who were in her being scattered about in the surf.
Fortunately, all of them, after a little, got a footing on
the reef, in four or five feet of water, and reached the
raft in safety. The boat was baled clear of water, and a
few inure seamen put into her, with extra oars, and only
'our passengers allowed togo.This time she got safely
through the surf, and alongside the canoe, which went to
the brig, the small host returning to the raft. It was
iow getting late, and the brig stood out to sea for ti.
night. We dealt round the sugar and water and biscuit,