The Sun.
London, England, 1859-02-16 00:00:00

FEARFUL VOYAGE.

The late passage of the steamer North American,
from Liverpool to Portland, United States, with
140 souls, is thus graphically described by one of
the passengers :—" We left the Mersey on the 22d
Dec., during a severe gale of wind from the south-
east ; and such was the state of the weather, that it
was found impossible for the pilot to leave, so he
was carried across the Atlantic. At 7 p.m. on the
Ist Jan., the captain calculated that we must be
very near Cape Race. As it was thick weather,
with continued snow storms, Capt. M'Master
shaped his course so as to give the Cape a wide
berth.' All went well up to nine o'clock, when we
were alarmed in the saloon by the cry of ' Star-
board ; hard a-starboard !' given by the officer on
duty. Then followed a violent shock that threw
us to the floor. A moment of extreme anxiety and
terror succeeded. The lashings of the boats were
cut away, and the boats provisioned and lowered in
five minutes, and their crews told off to meet the
emergency. In the meantime the machinery was
reversed, and we moved slowly astern. This was
the critical moment, for we expected the vessel to
sink in deep water. As soon as the excitement had
somewhat subsided I proceeded on deck, and could
just discern through the haze and snow the precipi-
tous coast on which we had struck. All around
were frantic passengers, rushing to and fro, life
belts in hand, and apparently undecided whether to
leap overboard or not. No one slept that awful night.
At last the morning arrived, and we found the crew
hard at work pumping ; the bowsprit was gone,
and there was an immense hole extending from
just above watermark to the very keel, a distance
of from 15 to 20 feet. (This we could perceive as
the vessel was lifted at the bows by the heavy sea.)
The hole was large enough, as one of the sailors
expressed it, ' for an omnibus to drive through.'
The first compartment—the ship being constructed
in eight—was full of water, some 30 tons or more,
while the second was gradually filling, as some of
the rivets dividing the first from the second were dis-
placed by the force of the shock. The passengers were
divided into gangs for the pumps, and we all took a
turn every alternate four hours. At times we would
gain on the water, while at others it would gain on
us three feet or more in a couple of hours. Seeing
our dangerous condition, Captain M'Master deter-
mined to bear up for St. John's, Newfoundland ;
but an adverse wind arose, which baffled all hope
of reaching that port, so we made for Halifax,
NOva Scotia, a distance of 400 miles, the pumps
constantly at play. To add to our misfortunes the
cold was intense. The vessel was coated with ice.
Ropes an inch in thickness swelled to a diameter
of two and three inches. On the fourth day of our
troubles, January 4, our eyes were gladdened by
the sight of land, and shortly after mid-day we
anchored in the harbour of Halifax, . .
. Such
was our high appreciation of Captain APMaster's
coolness, presence of mind, and seamanship, that,
before leaving the ship, we presented him with a
complimentary address, signed by all the passen-
gers.—Manchester Examiner.

Delicate chest, tender lungs.—Throughout Great Britain.
[ADVERTISEMENT.]—Holloway's Pills and Ointment—.
and easterly winds generally set in about the early spring,
continue many weeks. They are dry, irritating an very
injurious to weak lungs ; causing cough at first, followed by
inflammation throughout the pulmonary tubes. To allay
this morbid sensibility and soothe the irritable chest, no-
thing yet discovered is so efficient as Holloway's remedies.
The Pills taken internally, while the Ointment is rubbed
upon the back and chest, ensure the purification of the
blood in the lungs, prevent congestion or stagnation, re-
lieve respiration, remove cough, with which disappear
the many dangers ever hovering round a disordered chest.
likewise, fortify- the lungs against the
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