Litchfield enquirer., 1837-01-12
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Anotker Horrible ShiplDneck+One haadrsd and mine iues IOst.-Knowing from our reports below, during the cold and alarming weather in the early part of the week. that there were many vessels of the coast wItn no fliots 70 l take them in. we have received the returns of onr news boat every day with fear and trem- 1 hI;nO. exDectine to hear of some dreadful ca | Ian1;fv--not sl1ch even as happened to the | Bristol. and certainly not such as we have to record-the loss of over ONE HUNDRED HUMAN RETNcs.-the wholesale destruction of men in masses, hurriedly and frightfully overwhelm- ed in a watery grave! The barquc Mexico, 69 days out from Liverpool, has run ashore on Hemstead Beach, and of 1l6 persons on board, only seven have been saved. There were 1O4 passengers, three of whom were saved: 12 seamen,of whom three were saved, including the Captain, Winslow.
 Thus far the Express-we copy the follow ing from the Courier of the same date:- :-
 The Barque MericO, Capt. Winston, sailed from Liverpool on the 25th October last, hav- ing on board crew consisting of twelve men and lO4 passengers, in all 1l6 souls. She made the highland lights on Saturday night last at II o'clock, and on Sunday morning was off the bar, with thirty or more square rigged vessels, all having signals flying for pilots, but not pilot was there in sight The Mexico continued standing off and on the Hook till midnight, and at dark she and the whole fleet of ships displayed Lanterns from their yards for pilots. Still no pilot came. At midnight the wind increased to a gale from the northwest, the Barque was no longer able to hold to windward and was blown off dis tance of some 50 miles. At this time six of the crew were badly frost-bitten and the cap- tain, mate, and two seamcn were all that were left able to hand and reef the sails. On Mon- day morning at II o'clock standing in shore, they made the southern end of the woodlands, when she was wore round and headed to the north under close reefed main top sail. At four o'clock the next morning, the mate took a cast of lead and reported to Capt. Winslow sing from the soundings, as laid down on the chart, that with this depth of water, he could still stand on two hours longer with safety the Captain gave orders to that effect, and was the more induced to do it, as the crew were in so disabled state and the weather so intensely cold, that it was impossible for any one to remain on deck longer than half an hour at time. The event has shown that the information given by the mate, as to the depth of water was incorrect, his error proba- blY arose from his lead line being frozen stiff at the time it was cast. Fifteen minutes afterwards the ship struck the bottom, twen- ty-six miles east of Sandy Hook at Hemstead beach, and not more than a cables length from the shore. The scene that ensued on board, we leave to the readers imagination. For one hour and three quarters she continu- ed humping heavily without making any water, the sea however breaking continually over her. Her rudder was now knocked off, and the Captain ordered the mainmast to be cut away. The boats were then cleared, the 1o,,r hoo< hoSctod ont and xyooro1 l1ndor her bows with stout hawser, for the purpose of filling it with passengers, letting it drift within the reach of the people who crowded the beach, then hauling her back again, and thus saving the unfortunate people on board. but this intention was frustrated by the par ting of the hawser, which snapped like a thread as soon as the boat was exposed to the heaving surf. The yawl was next got along side, and stove to pieces almost instantly: At ' o'clock tho suIiie morning, the ship bllged, and filled with water. Orders followed from the Captain to cut away the foremast; and that every soul on board should come on deck. In inexpressible agony they thus remained until four o'clock in the afternoon, when a boat was launched from the beach, and suc- ceedcd in getting under the bowsprit of the wreck. This boat took off Capt. Winslow and 7 men, and succeeded in reaching the shore with them in safety. The attempt however was attended with such imminent danger that none could be induced to repeat it. And now the horrors of the scene were indcscribable
 Already had the sufferings of the unhappy beings been such as to surpaSs belief. From the moment of the disaster, they had hung round the Captain, covered with their blank cts thick set with ice, imploring his assist. ance, and asking if hope was still left to them
 When they perceived that no further helI came from the land, the piercing shrieks were distinctly heard at considerable distance and continued through the night until one by one all perished. The next morning the bod
 ies of many of the unhappy creatures were seen lashed to different parts of the wreck embedded in ice. None, it is believed, were drowned but all frozen to death.
 Of the one hundred and four passengers two thirds were women and children.
 tis but justice to the people on shore to say that every thing that human beings could ac- complish to save the unfortunatcs was done that their means permitted. The only boat which boarded the vessel was hauled a dis tancc of ten miles and was manned by an old man and six others, four or five of whom were the old mans sons and grandsons. For thirty-tive years has he been living on the sea-shore, during which time he has rendered assistance to numerous wrecks,and never be.
 fore have he or his comrades shrunk from the surf; but in addition to its violence on tho
 present occasion, such was the extreme cold
 that second attempt to rescue was more thar
 they dared venture; it would have inevitably
 proved fatal to them.
 The Mexico was substantial eastern bull vessel of 26O tons, II years old, owned by
 MT. Samuel Broom of this city. She is in. surcd by the commonwealth office of Boston for $sO0O The freight is insured by the State Marine of this city. The Atlantic office is