Litchfield enquirer., 1831-10-20

heavy se6 was rolling. Itwas beautiful day, and the majority Ofthe passengers were en- braced in pleasure parties, full of hilarity and happiness. When the Rothsay Castle arriv- ed opposite the floating light, which is fifteen miles from Liverpool, the passengers became alarmed at the roughness Of the sea, and urg- ed the Captain to put back to Liverpool, which he refused to do. He had been to din ner, end was intoricated. He was unmoved by the entreaties 0f husbands and wives, of parents and children, but pursued his own head-strOng course and run the steamer a. ground, on what is termed the Dutchman's bank, about five miles from Beaumaris. We can afford but little space for extracts from the very long description of the scenes which followed. It was about twelve o'clock at night, and a few were saved by hanging to pieces of the wreck. They who went : in the full strength of years,' met the same fate with beauty of it's smiles and innocent age cut off'-all found a common grave. The next day. the bodies floated on shore-wives clasped in the last embrace Of their husbands sisters bound together in the strong bands of death-and mothers with their little fnnOcents folded to their cold, maternal bosoms. We subj"in one O. two extracts :-
 "The vessel, according to the statement of two of the seamen and one of the firemen sa
 
 of the Dutchman's Bank, and had proceeded
 up the river as far as the tower on Pulfin Isl- and; when suddenly the steam got so low that the engine would not keep her on her
 proper coursc. When asked, why there was
 not steam on, the Bremen said, that deal of
 water had been fn6ing it's way into the vts-
 sel all day, and that sometime before she got
 into the strait, the bilge pumps were choaked. The water in the hold then overAowed the
 cOals; so that in renewing the ires deal of
 water went in with the coals, slackened the
 fires, and made it impossible to keep the steam uP. The vessel which had evidently come Fair into the channel, though there was no 'lght on the coast to guide her, now drifted, with the ebb tide and northwest wind. to- wards the Dutchman's Bank, on the north point of which she struck, her bows sticking fast in the sand. The captain ordered the passengers first to run aft, in the hope, by re- moving the pressure from the vessels stem, to
 make her float; this failing to produce the desired effect, he then ordered them to run forward. All the exertiOns of the captain, the crew, and the passengers united were unavail- ing. The ill-fatcd vessel stuck still faster in the sands, and all gave themselves up for lost. The terror of the passengers became excess siye. Some of them urged the Captain to hoist lights, and make other signals of dis tress; but tits stated that he positively refus- ed to do so, assuring the passengers that there was no danger, and telling them, seve- ral times, that the packet was afloat, and do- ing well, and on her way; when the passen. gers knew perfectly well that she was sticking fast in the sand. and her cabins rapidly flling with water. Doubtless the unfortunate man was perfecrIy aware of the imminence of the danger; but we may charitably suppose, that he held such language for the purpose of pre- venting alarm which might be fatal. The a. larm-bell was now rung with 50 much violence that the clapper broke. and some nf the pas sengers continued to strike it for some time with stone. The bell was heard, it is said, at Beaumaris. but as there was no light hoist ed on the mast Of the steamer-a fatal neglect -those who heard the signal were, of course, ignorant whence it proceeded. The weather, at this awful moment, was boisterous, but per- fectly clear. The moon, though slightly overcast. threw considerable light on the snr- rounding objects. But strong breeze blew from the northwest, the tide began to set in With greatstrength, and heavy sea beat over the bank on which the steampacket was now firmly and ilnmoveably fixed. We cannot describe the scene which followed. Certain death seemed now to present itself to all on board, and the most affecting scenes were ex- ..'"'cu' AHe ieInaies, ln partlcular, uttered inc most piercing shrieks; some locked themselves in each others arms, while others, losing all selfcomnland. tore of their caps and bonnets. in the wildness of despair. A Liverpool pilot, who happened to be in the packet, now raised his voice and exclaimed, "lt IS all over--we are all lost!" At these words there was universal despairing shrek. The women and children collected in a knot together and kept embracing each other, keeP'ng up, all the time, the most dismal lamentations. When tired with crying they ia,y against each other. with their heads re- cioed. like inanimate bodies. The Steward or the vessel and his wife, who Was bn board, lasned themselves to the mast. dettftnined to spend their last moments in each 0tIsE's arms Se. .eral husbands and wives met Their fate locked In each others arms; whilst parents ciung to their beloved chidren--severai moth. CTS It IS said, having perished with their dear. llltle ones firmly clasped in their arms. A party "t the passengers, about fifteen or twen- ", lowered the boat and crowded into it. It. was impossible tor any open boat to live in sncn sea, even though not overloaded, and sne immediately swamped and went to the o0.tom, with all who had made this hopeless enorI Tor self preservation.
 For sometime the vessel, though now ir- rsvocaoly lost, continued to resist the action - me waves, and the despairing souls on