Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1836-09-23
THE EupHRATEs EXPEDITION.


at the India Board from Col Chesney, r. A.
dated
Euphrates Steamer Apna, May 20.
Silt is with feelings Of the deepest re-
greet that do myselfthe honor of informing
you that the Tigris steamer was totally lost
during hurricane OF indescribable violence,
which after short struggle of about eight
minutes, sent fine vessel TO the bottom in
five iathoms water, aud deprived his maies-
, ty OF fifteen. valuable men, with five natives
in addition
My reports up ito the 18th instant, at Deir
will have informed you that all was going
on as successfully as the most sanguine
could possibly desire. We found the Arabs
J well disposed, and quite ready 10 form depois
ffof Us OF wood, chorcoal. bitumcn and liR-
mite coal all met in abundance, and tried
with complete success. In addition to these
marked advantages the survey has been car
ried 500 miles down the Great River. which
seemed in all respects favorable; in short,
all was continued prosperity up to the after
noon OF tho 2lst instant. when it pleased
God to send the calamiious event Of which
il is my duty to give you a feeble sketch
A liue after one p. M. on that melancholy
day. the fiat boats being little ahead, and
the Tigris leading the Euphraies. a storm
appeared. bringing with il high in the air,
clouds OF sand from the west northwest
quarter. Atthis moment we were passing
over the rocks OF Is Geria deeply covered)
and Immediately after we made signal for
the Euphrates TO choose BERTH and make
fast; which was done more as a matter Of
lprecaulion, on account OF The difficulty OF
seeing our way through the sand than from
apprehension that the squall would be so
TERRIFIC. The Tigris was Immediately direc
ted toward the bank, against which she
struck without injury, but with so much vio-
lence as to recoil distance of about eight
yards, leaving two men on the bank. who
had jumped out TO make fast The wind
then suddenly veered round drove her bow
of, and thus rendered it quite impossible to
! secure the vessel 70 the bank, along which
she was blown rapidly by the heavy gusts,
her head falling off into the stream as she
passed close by the Euphraies. which vessel
had been backed opportupely to avoid the
conclusion.
The engines were working with full
power, and every endeavor made to turn the
vessels bow to the bank One anchor was
lei 30, but the heel of the vessel made il i'm.
possible TO get the other out, and she was
then nearly ready broadside 10 the wind
with the engines almost powerless, and The
waves, rising TO four or five feet, forcing
their way in at the windows Lieutenant
Cockburn, the Messrs. Staunton, and some
of the men made Intellectual attempts 10 KEEP
out Of the water, for the fate of the vesse
was already decided and the fore part 0
| the deck being under water, Lieut.. Lynch
came TO report that the Tigns was sinking
d and the word was Immediately passed fo
= all to save themselves. AT this very nstan
momentary CLEAN Of light family showed
( the bank at the apparent distance OF eight Of
y ten Yards; and, as there seemed every prob
ability that the stern would touch il beior,
D she went down. Lieutenant Lynch encour
}, aged the people TO remain steady until they
u reached the land All were on deck at thi:
y critical moment some clinging 10 the rope:
J. of the awning, the paddle boards, and fun
> mel; but the majority were close to the Ill
{ Ter, and all behaving with the most exem
! pary obedience, until the vessel went dowl
. all at once, and probably within halfa min
i ute, after we had seen the bank for an in
&c slant
IS Lieutenant Lynch, who was at my elbow
= Owed out underneath the starbourd ridg
5 rope, at the moment when there was abou
n four feet water on the deck, and | had tn
Q good fortune to get clear, in the same way
u through the larboard side, and also to take
7 direction which brought me TO the land with
j. out having seen any thing whatever 10 guild
= me through darkness worse than that @
:, might. When it cleared little, found a
q round me Lieutenant Lynch and Mr. L
= den. (both greatly exhausled) Mr. Thomr
Re son. the Messrs Staunlon, and several Of tn
% men. The hurricane was already abatini
..e rapidly, and as the distance from the vesse
Is to the shore was very short, we INDUCED tn
d hope that the rest of our brave companion
re had reached the bank lower down. For al
is instant saw the keel of the Tigrs upper
70 most, near the stern. She went down boy
l foremost and, having struck the bottom i
~ that position, she probably turned round O.
III the bow as a pivot, and thus showed part Q
her keel for an instant al the other extremity
but her paddle beams, floats, and part ofth
N sides were already broken up, and actual
| hoated ashore, so speedy and terrific ha
le been the work OF destruction.
OF From the moment of striking the ban
ASH until the Tigris went down it scarcely e'
I'd ceeded eight minutes while the operatio
IN ofsinking itself did not consume more tina
n. three; indeed, the gale was so very vloler
that-{ doubt whether the most powerful We!
sci, such as a friga,e, could have resisted !
ne unless she were already secured to the bank
OF and, for this there was, in our case, little @