The Sun.
London, England, 1857-11-16 00:00:00

WRECK OF THE DUNBAR.

LOSS OF ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY LIVES.
We gather from the Sydney Morning Herald of
Sept. 10, the following particulars respecting the
wreck of the Dunbar, which has already been an-
nounced :
The Dunbar, the property of Messrs. Dunbar,
of London, was built at Sunderland by Laing, for
her owners, who are celebrated for the extent of
their mercantile marine. Sha was launched on the
30th Sept. 1853 ; she was of 1,980 tons burthen,
and her registered tonnage 1,321 ; her dimensions
were—length of keel per measurement, 201 feet 9
inches ; extreme breadth, 35 feet ; depth of hold,
22 feet 7 inch's ; height between decks, 7 feet 3
inches ; her timbers were British oak, and she was
planked and decked with East India teak. Her
masts, also of teak, were of enormous strength, the
mainmast weighing 9 tons, the foremast 8 tons,
and the mizen in proportion. The poop was 82 feet
in length, and 7in height. Her cost when fitted
for the sea was 30,0001. ; all that remained of her
was sold, although within so short a distance from
the city, for 182/. 10s, The Dunbaa was uninsured.
The cargo of the Dunbar was estimat?d at 72,0001.
She sailed from Plymouth on the 31st of May. Her
officers and crew were 59 in number, and she car-
ried 6:3 passengers. Every one on board, with the
exception of one of the crew, perished in the waves.
She had had up to the moment of the citastrophe a
prospsrous -voyage. There had been no deaths, no
sickness or disasters. She had not lost a spar or a
rope. There were no hands on deck except the
watch ; there was no alarm among the passengers or
crew.

On August 20th she sighted Botany Bay. John-
son, the sole survivor of the wreck, gives the fol-
lowing account of the subsequent working of the
ship :
" We carried the same sail throughout until we
made the land at Botany. This was on the Thurs-
day evening. All hands saw the land distinctly.
After the captain ordered us to close reef the top-
sails, and we were close hauled to the wired. The
wind was then about E. and by S. We were close
to the wind and lying about N.E. and by N., and
lying along the coast. At the time we made this
land to the best of my opinion we were about 10 or
12 miles off, and the ship had her starboard tacks
aboard. We were under easy sail, sails having
been shortened after we saw the land. We had on
topgallant-sails, and we had three reefs in the main
and four reefs in the fore-top'ail. The mizen-top-
sail was stowed, and the spanker was brailed up.
The inner jib, and the mainteptuast-staysail, were
taken in. The weather was squally with thick
rain. When we made the land at Botany, we kept
on our course. This was between 6 and 7 o'clock,
and when night came on we still kept our course,
and shortly afterwards we saw the Sydney light.
I saw it about 7 o'clock, shortly after getting sup-
per. It was known to be the Sydney Heal light.
The vessel was then lying her 13111 SO about N.E.
and by N. She was lying her course in that sort
of manner that we had no difficulty—we had plenty
of room. She was not at all labouring with the sail
she hod on. I know that she was making heel y lee-
way. It is my impression that she had notgot enough
sail on her to prevent her making this leeway. This
was not said ou board ship, but I think se. Captain
Green was on the deck. They ware not shaking the
ship up into the wind, but keeping clear full. The
captain was not conning the ship. The chief officer
was on the poop likewise. The watch on deck went
below according to orders, and were releeved at 8
o'clock. It was raini ig hard. The light was only
seen at intervals, but distinctly. It is a revolving
light. I was on deck at 8 o'clock, as I belonged
to Vie chief officers' wa•ch. The cAptain remained
on deck when the watch was relievei, and gave or.
ders the same as usual. Everything was attended
to, and his orders were punctually obeyed. Every-
thing went straightforward, and there was no an-
noyance of any kind. All the men were quite cor-
rect and obeyed orders. We stood along the coast
till we fetched the light up to the lee mizen Jig-
ging. The vessel was nut labouring ; she came to
her hehn. willingly. One man was only at the wheel
until we began to square yards, when two men
were sent there. The lee ni'zen living was on the
port side of the *ship. The captain was on the wea-
ther side of the deck. He had no night. glass, bet
the se.:oud mate had a case of what we e opera
leseese When t e lige t tees brougi tt) bear upon
tie lee mizen rieeine all h ends wt re piped up by
the boatswain. The hands turned up. The boa,-
swain sung out for "all hands to wear ship."
Thee were the words that were passed a'ung. The
usual orders were given. When we came on deck
orders were given to square away the yards. We got
the orders to square away. After a short time the
captain gave orders to haul up the foresail ; it was
then reefed. The ship then kept before the wind.
The light was clearly visible at times. When the
words were given to square the yards the light had
previously been seen. The vessel was running in
on a heavy sea. It was blowing very frese in
squalls, with thick small rain. It was about 11
o'clock when the hands were called up. There were
two men on the fereeastle, with the third mate, on

the look-out for land. The third mate was on the
foresastlewith the two men, and the secon d mate was
afterwards sent there also. The captain sang out,
`De you see anything of the North Head ?" and the
mate said 'No ; I see nothing of it.' I was on the
poop at this time standingby the braces. She had the
light a bit on her port bow when I saw it at this
time. Then the captain sung out to the man at the
wheel to keep his luff ; the yards were about a yard
or so to port. I heard these words—it was done.
The course of the ship was changed a small bit by
this. Shortly after this the second mate sang out,
" Breakers ahead." This was a few minutes after.
The captain sang out to the man at the wheel to
port his helm. We were all at the braces. He told
us to haul in the port braces, and brace the yards
sharp up. It was done, and done quickly, without
delay. There wore 13 able seamen in each watch.
There was no want cf hands. Wewere well manned,
and we could see the light ; it appeared right over
us. I heard no further orders given. A few minutes
after we hauled the yards round—about two minutes
after—she went side on to the rock. She was try-
ing to stretch out to the eastward, her head lying
along the land to the north ; then we struck."
On Friday, the 21st of August, at half-past seven
in the morning, a pilot first discovered that a vessel
had been wrecked near the lighthouse. Capt. Wise-
man, of the steam-ship Grafton, entered the Heads
at half-past nine o'clock the same morning, and
front the floating fragments about the Heads saw
that a vessel had gone ashore and had been wrecked,
and brought to Sydney the alerming tidings at 10
o'clock. The state of the weather prevented the
signals from the Masts being seen at the Sydney'
station, and thus no information of the disaster had
reached the city at that hour. Without delay many
persons proceeded to the wreck. Public vehicles
wera engaged, and hundreds, notwithstanding the
state of the weather, went on foot to the scene of
the disaster, six miles from Sydney. An awful
spectacle presented itself before their eyes. The
waves, agitated with the fury of storm, throw the
mutilated bodes of the dead upon the rocks—now
bearing them back into the deep, and now hurling
hem back again on the crest of the wave. A steamer
proceeded down the harbour shortly after the re-
port of the wreck, and obtained complete evidence
that the lost vessel was the Dunbar (a mail-bag and
a cask both marked "Dunbar"), and not, as sup-
posed by some, a North American vessel, or by
others, the Vocalist, an emigrant ship then due, and
since safely arrived.
The agents of Government, Capt. Pockley of the
harbour department, the police, and the members
of the pilot establishment, commenced an active
search to rescue and guard whatever might be floated
to the shore; Capt. Denham, and several officers of
the Royal Navy, assisted in this task. The violence
of the surf prevented their approaching the scene
of the wreck. The weather continued boisterous
and waves rolled with unabated force, and deafen-
ing noises continued to dash against the cliffs. Seve-
rid bodies were carried by the current into Middle
and North Harbours.
Johnson has given a clear account of his own
preservation. He states that the inizenmast went
first, and then the mainmast • that he was on the
poop when the vessel struck, and was thrown down.
He then caught hold of a stanchion ; when that
gave way he made for the cabin, but the rushing iu
of the water prevented his passing through, as he
intended. He then went below, and got out of the
skylight to leeward, and up the side of the chain-
plates of the fore-rieging. These being broken, he
was thrown over, holding by the chain-plates which
held some of the fore-planks together. Jchuson re-
members that several seamen were near him ; one
(the old boatswain) who said to him, " We shall
have a watery grave."
Johnson having found himself on a shelf of the
rock, was enabled to obtain some shelter behind a
projection, and there he slept. When the morning
broke, he saw the wreck and the bodies of his late
companions. He endeavoured to make signals, but
Was undiscovered. He uttered cries, but the boil-
ing ocean prevented them being heard. A careful
search was, however, making. Every spot was oc-
cupied by spectators where there was a chance of
seeing any object below. At last a cry was. heard—
" There is a man upon the rocks." A rope was
lowered without delay. After some failures it was
brought within his reach. There was danger from
the projection of the rocks, but having entwined
the rope with seaman's skill around him, he gave
the signal, and he was drawn up some 200 feet, and
was received by the crowd with cries of gratulation
and joy. He had passed about 30 hours upon the
rocks. Johnson is a native of Drogheda, Ireland ;
he is about 23 years of age.
After his rescue an incident occurred such as
always excites the enthusiasm of an English people.
It was reported that there were, other persons up to
the rocks. It was impossible to approach them by
sea. An adventurous Icelander, Antoine Wollier,
an apprentice to a jeweller in Sydney, offered to
descend. He was lowered by a rope from that dread-
ful height, and continued more than half an hour in
his search. Nothing was discovered, and Welber
was drawn up in s Ilety, amidst th© shouts of the
crowd. The mayor of Sydney, at the suggestion of
Captain Loring, of her Majesty's ship Iris, opened
a subscription on the spot, and presented him with
101. as an acknowledgment of his intrepidity. In
answer to the congratulations of the mayor, he said,
"he did not go down for money, but for the feel-
ings of his heart." A considerable sum has been
added by the merchantsto this subscription.
A large quantity of goods, broken and shattered,
were cast upon the shore. Some were articles of
dress. There was also a piece of crotchet work,
with the needle and reel of cotton attached, a num-
ber of children's toys, and a small hat with a feather
in it, recognised by
Johnson as having been worn
by a child on board the Dunbar in the tropics. There
wore also found a few fragments of dress, marked
with the names of the owners.

An inquest was held on the 24th, at which John-
son's evidence, part of which we have given above,
was taken ; and, the jury returned a verdict, in
which they say—"Thsre may have bean an error of
judgment in the vessel being so close to the shore at
night in such bad weather, but the jury do not at-
tach any blame to Capt. Green or his officers for the
loss of the Dunbar." At the same time they call
attention to the inadequacy of the pilot arrange-
ments of the port of Sydney.

A rather eager controversy as to the course
adopted by Captain Green seems to hare taken place
in Sydney. A Lumber of captains of vessels in the
port signed a circular to the effect that they consi-
dered his bearing up for the port quite judicious,
while other nautical authorities are of opinion that
lie should have stood out to sea. The Sydney
.Herald states that several plans had been suggested
since the wreck for the better lighting of the har-
bour.

The following is a list of the Dunbar's passengers
—Chief Cabin : Mr. and Mrs. A Meyer and six
children, Miss J. Wake, Mr. and Mrs. K. Waller
and six children, Miss S. Fothera°ill, Miss E. King,
Mr. C. Troughton, Mr. and Mrs. Mylne, Misses A.
and E. Mylne, Mr. A. D. James, Mr. F. Tindal,
Mr. C. Davidson, Mr. and Mrs. Cuhnac, Mrs.
Egan, sou and daughter, Mr. Simmons, Mr.
M'Qwiid, Mr. and Mrs. Peek, Mr. Downey, Misses
Hunt (2), Capt. Steaue, R.N., Mr. Severn, Mr.
Levein, Miss Logan and two Masters Logan, and
Mr. Cuthbart. Intermediate : Mrs. Debell, Mrs.
J. Berry, Miss Graham, Messrs. W. Byron, J.
8011, Wiesmer, E. Hill, W. Beach, Mr. and Mrs.
Clark and two children, Mr. and Mrs. Saint, Mrs.
Brown and child, Mrs. Annan and three children,
_ _

Mr. and Mrs. dealing and three children, and Mr.
and Mrs. Strange. We feel eartain that Messr,.
Devitt and Moore, brokers to this fine vessel, will
give every information that lies in their power to

iLe relatives or friends of any of the unfortunate

passengers.

- The following is the list of the crew :-Captain
James Green, of London, commander; Mr. James
Banks Shuthers, 26, of Aberdeen, first mate ; Mr.
James Spence, 24, of Orkney, second mate ; Mr.
John Pascoe, 18, Cornwall, third mate ; Mr. Alex-
ander Fraser Bayne, 28, of London, surgeon ;
George du Veenet, 16, Southampton, midshipman ;
William B. Williams, 16, Newport, midshipman ;
Thomas D. Kay, 14, Rayon,
midshipman ; A. D.
Heisch, 1.7, London, midshipman ; George Groom,
19, Walworth, midshipman ; James Ward, 30,
L-mdon steward ; Samuel Wood Simper, 23,
London, caddy servant • Robert Payne, 20, Nor-
folk, cuddy servairt ; Richard Lee, 24, Ireland,
cuddy servant ; William Snowdon, 37, York. car-
penter ; John King, 37, Loudon, boatswa'n ; John
Jack, 26, Edinburgh, cook ; Peter Addison, 24,
Musselboro.ugh, cook's mate ; James Parks, 34,
Linden, butcher ; Geo. Fish,
19, Kent, butcher's
mate ;
C. Hoppe-, 20, London, midshipman's
servant;. Robert Smith, 34, York, quartermaster and
A. 8.; 11. Dearmess, 31, Orkney, q
uartencaster and
A.B. ; J. Lewis, 37, Gibraltar, quirterrnaster and
A. 13. ; J. Alger, 23, London, sail maker ; T. Chap-
pell, 4), London, A.B. ; F. Smith, 23, London,
A. 13. ; A. M tnrow, 32, SwE-den, A. 13. ; R. Wood-
worth, 28, Sweden, A. 8.; W. Lob ', 30, Pl3m-nith,
A.B. ; B. B. Williams, 21, Kent, A.B. ; C. LIT-
p.,•I, 36, Kttht, A.B ; G. Lemar, 34, Kent, A.B.
J. Colston, 46, K'mt, A.B. ; I. Arnim, 24, Finland,
A.B. ; J. Mina, 24, London, A. 13. ; J. Prayer,
36, Arundel, A. 13.; A. 'Line, 24, Hamburg, A.B.
01u%.en.,,,)txe,r,40A.813!..in; kW. Dian
lot--ini,
Home, 23,
;o.lllk.
T. Bey, 31, Hamburg, A.B. ; J. M`Givereen, 2(',
Livepool, A.B. ; J. Dwugla,, 21, Limerick, A. 8.;
DGI
W. Aliller, 31, GI., euock, A. B. ; J. Auchterwind,
19, St.
O.S.nc!rews, 0.8. ; J. H. Ciimunin,l-6, Tor-
qu y, O ;J. Bruce, 25, carpenters' mat) ;W.
n Ge
.Orkney, a,
y. A. . 827. ' ;
Mackay, 25, ship's steward ; 0. S. Grant, London,
apprentice ; J. APGutlie, London, apprentice ; T.
Home, Plymouth, apprentice ; F. Watts, Sydney
(N. S. W.), apprentice; J. Allan, Plymouth, (1A.%