Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Wayne County, Ind.) 1831-1837, 1836-11-19
LOSS OF THE STEAMBOAT ROYAL TAR

I The Boston papers of the 29th ult. hav
; the following particulars of the loss of I'll
: British steamboat Royal Tar, by fire. whe
r on her way to Portland, by which acciden
!, thirty lives were destroyed:
r The steamer Royal Tar, Thomas Reee
master, Of and from ST. Johns. N. B. f.
Portland, left on Friday, 2lst inst. with abou
80 to 100 passengers, including the crew
On deck were an elephant, two camels. sew
eral horses, and a number Of Gagged animal.
composing a travelling caravan. On Tues
day, 25th, when crossing Penobscot Bay. an
within about two miles of the entrance O
Fox Island Thoroughfare, it was found tina
! the water was out Of the boilers, and as tn
wind was blowing a heavy gale from tn,
northwest ut the time. the boat was anchored
for the purpose of filing the boilers, and II
about half IN hour after (about two p. M.
she was discovered to be on fire.
I The engineer, with fifteen other persons
Immediately jumped into the largest boat
and made for the nearest land to leeward
which they reached in about four hours
Captain Reed promptly took possession o
the only boat remaining, and took a posiiioI
10 windward. Three gentlemen passengers
good swimmers. committed themselves to thu
water and were taken up by Captain Reed
The cable was slipped and sail made on thu
boat with the hope Of reaching the shore, bu|
ward. that her mainsaii was consumed in (
few minutes, and her tiller ropes being burn
away. she drifted broadside to the wind d1
rectly out to sea.
signal of distress had been made, and b
was fortunately discovered by the Rcvenu(
Cutter stationed at CASTING, then about foul
or five miles to wirdward, and she promptly
bore up to their relief Capt. Reed put Oh
board of her the persons in his boat. and the I
Immediately compenced taking off the perI
sons remaining cd board the Royal Tar. Al
this time she VS. a mass Of flames nearlJ !
from stem to stern, small space forward
which had not yet taken fire, with the bow
spirit, bobstay, &c. were crowded with tn I
survivors Those on the quarterback wer
driven overheard by the flames, and such 4!
survived were hanging to the davit tackles
chains and ropes attached to the rudder
Many were suspended by ropes secured o.
deck, but as the fire reached them were pre-
into the and drowned. Th@
cutter unfortunately had no boat of sufficient
size to render any assistance in taking off tn
sufferers, and having sunpowder on board
Lieut.. Dyer in command, did not deem it pru
dent to approach very near the wrecks
that the work of rescue was unavoidable
very tedious. Captain Reed, however, firml
and resolutely persevered with his boat
though it was with some difficulty that h
could obtain an efficient boats crew to apY
proach the wreck, fearing the elephant would
90 overheard and destroy the boat The
last boat left the wreck little before sunset
with one solitary frantic female, whose sister
and child persisted before her eyes. The loss
of life is estimated at from 25 to 80, there
being several small children on board which
had not been inserted on Captain Reeds pas
scnger list: the precise number cannot be as
ger no W
decisi N of Capt. Reed in securing the boat
was the only means by which the life of an
individual could have been saved. The Gle
plant, camcls, and horses jumped overheard
and all the animals in the cages were burnt
None Of the baggage Of the passengers o.
crew was saved. Many of TIE trunks, &c
were thrown overheard in the hope they
might be picked up.
The cutter landed the survivors about
O'Clock, p. M. at the Isle of Hunt. ASHORE
they received the most hospitable treatmen
I from the inhabitants. We learn there WIS
large amount Of specie ON board the Roya
| Tar.
/ The Salem Register states that one or tw'
of the steamers boats had been left ut ST
Johns, to make room upon the deck Tor tn
caravan. The passengers were :h,;s deprived
of part of the usual means of escape II
case Of disaster. An effort was made to pu
overheard large omnibus, upon which t
escape; but its great weight (being nearl.
two tons) prevented It's being done. Gu
informant then, with several other passen
gers, took the only remaining boat. TIL
remaining passengers, among whom were
number Of women and children, were drive
overheard by the flames. The scene at tina
time. it need hardly be said. was truly terri
lie. Women threw their little ones ove1
board and leaped after them. Other passer
gers, both male and female, secured ropes t
, the vessel, and lowered themselves over tn
Il side. This precaution was rendered I'm;
sai!ing to many of them by the ropes bein
bu rnt off. One man having secured a quar-
J tity Of silver dollars to his person, lowere
himself to the waters edge, with the inter