Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1836-12-01
MELANCHOLY sIiIpwRECK.

The packet-ship Bristol, "A. McKown, which
sailed from Liverpool on the 18th Of October
for New York, went ashore at Rockaway, at
o'clock Oh Monday morning Of last week,
NOV. 2lst.) within five miles Of her port Of
deslination-and shocking to relate, between
sixty and seventy lives we're lost. The fol-
lowing particulars We copy from the N. Y
Courier Of Thursday last,
| After prosperous voyage, the bristol made
the Highland lights, bearing N. N. w. at a
quarter before eight o'clock last Sunday eve-
ming, and at halt past ten she was rounded to,
with lights hoisted for pilot. At one O'clock,
Capt. McKown ordered the ship brought to
the wind, then blowing fresh from the South
I East,and stood off shore under her three top
sails, fore and main spencer and jib. At
quarter before four on Monday morning, she
brought up on Rockaway Shoals, five miles
west of the Pavilion, it being extremely dark
and thick. The shock was SO light, that it
occasioned bu. little alarm on board. The
wind now gradually increased till it blew a
gale, and the sea break NJ vi. lent'y over the
vessel, her officers advised the passengers to
20 below, as u place Of greater safety. About
an hour afterward treinen ndous wave struck
her, sweeping boats, bulwarks and every
thing movable from the decks, carrying a.
way the hatches which had been secured
down, and in an instant filing the ship with
water. OF eighty-two steerage passengers,'
who were all below at the time, scarce a
quarter Of them, and those were close to the
hatchways, had time to reach the deck; the
rest all perished without moan from them
being heard. Tho survivors lashed them
selves to the rigging, the railing around the
masts, aud every spot which afforded them
Il shelter from the raging sea. At daylight
the mainmast was cut away by the crew, in
hopes that the ship would lie easier, and at
least hold together till the crew and remain
ing passengers could be saved.
From the shore, about quarter Of mile
distant, the wreck had been seen at break of
day, but the surf ran too high to afford her
any assistance. Toward noOn,'it being low
water, the surf had naturally subsded, and a
boat, manned by four men, put off from the
beach, and succeeded in reaching the ship
This boat was able to make the trip twice,
and brought safely on shore all the females
aud children that were alive. The surf then
again became so high, that no farther assist
ance could be given until the following mid
night. In the meantime the ship broke in
two, and shortly after, the foremost went by
the board, carrying with it Mr.. Donnelly and
the two Messrs. Carlton, and several others
who were lashed to it. Mr.. Burtsall had also
secured himself to this spar, but caught one
ofihe bob stays as he was talling,an by that
reached the bowsprit,iro which he was res
cued by the boat. The mizen mast was
shortly after carried away; but those who
were cIinging to it, had time to leave it, ard
k.ak 81 Al A.
those lashed to the weather quarter, they re-
niained till relieved-the sea all the while
breaking over them.
On shore all supposed that not soul re
mained alive on the wreck, broken up as it
was. Some faint sound Of cries Of distress,
however, occasionally reached them through
the bellowings OF the storm, and at midnight,
the surf having again subsidized, the boat once
morc yenturcd to the ship, srom which, In
three or four trips, she brought on shore all
who now live to tell this sad story of disaster.
Capt. Mckown was the last to leave the
wreck. He had been urged by the boatmen
to go on shore before, but resolutely refused
He is now i'll from fatigue and exposure, at
the house of the wreck master, about seven
miles from the scene of his misfortune. He |
has saved nothing, not even the ships pa.
Pers, and cune OH land with only his vest and
pantaloons. Mr.. Donnelly had been urged
to leave the vessel in the first boat, but de-
clined taking the room Of any of the females.
For seven miles the beach is strewed with
fragments OF the wreck. Last night about
twenty bodies had drfted ashore, which had
been inferred by order of the Coroner, who
remained in the vicinity. In the pockets of
one OF them seventy sovereigns were found
and are now IN possession of the Coroner
we would, however, it were in our pOwer,to
add that the property of others was also re-
spected. From the great length of the beach
on which the bodies are washed, it is impOs.
slble to keep any guard, and consequently
the corpses are immediately stripped OF every
thing valuable about them. The beach is
filled with Wagons coming from q distance
OF twenty or thirty miles, and the people who
came in them, are watching like cormorants
for their prey. Our Reporter, in riding a.
long, saw body come ashore, and the first
thing on which these harpies placed their
hands, were the pockets.
The names Of the cabin passengers are
Mrs. Hogan, widow of the late Michael Ho-
gan, Esq. fthls city, and her daughters, Mrs.
Donnelly and Miss Hogan, and the husband
Of The former, whose fate we have already
mentioned. Two Messrs. Charlton of Bris-
tol, England, who likewise perished, and Mr..
Burtsal.
The number of steerage passengers saved
cannot be exactly ascertained, as many Of
them wandered away in different directions
as soon as they landed. Captain McKown'
estimates, however, the number who have
perlshed at between sixty aud seventy.
OF the crew, two sailors, two stewards,
and one cabin boy were drowned. One of
the stewards jumped overheard and attempted
to swim ashore but faed in the attempt.
The following are the names of all the
steerage passengers, who it is positively
known are drowned-Mrs. Andrews. son and