Wisconsin herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1846-1849, 1846-12-19

twenty-five miles.
A tremendous sea threw her up to
the very top Of the ledge This was
the crisis in the disaster. In FIVE min
utes after she struck, she was in pieces.
In these five minutes, at least one
half OF those on board the Atlantic
were iaken from time to eternity
1 The screams, the crash, the roar of the
sea, were dreadful. There were six
females, four children and seven in
fants among the passengers. All the
females were drowned or crushed to
death.
Further parficularS.-The N. Y.
papers Of Saturday give US the melan-
choly particulars of the loss Of this
! Inflated steamer.
BY different statements there were
from forty to fifty passengers, and in-
Guiding crew, about seventy, an I'M
usually small number owing, doubtless,
partly to the fact that she sailed on the
great New England holiday and part
ny on the threatening aspect OF the
weather.
She went ashore on Fishers Island,
about halfpast four o'clock on Friday
morning, having been driving in tho
storm from IL O'Clock the preceding
night.
The coast was bold and rocky in
side Of shelving reef; had she broach-
ed to, the other way, so that her bow
would have touched the breakers,
perhaps not lie would have been
saved. The vessel went to pieces i'm.
mediatey: within five minutes Of her
striking, nothing was left of her en-
tire, but her engines. The freight had
mostly been thrown overheard, some
time previous.
Mr.. Stetson Cd Captain Of the boat,
has furnished the N. Y. papers with a
statement from which and other
sources we gather the following:
The boat had on board over a thous-
and life prcservcrs. Every person had
on two and three around their bodies;
and had it not been for these, not one
soul would have been saved.
Most Of the passengers were stand
ing aft, all the upper berths were swept
away, and it is believed that many
were killed BY the pieces Of plank and
timber. The boat hceled out, swing
ing the bottom towards the rocks.
Every person was compelled TO
Jump overheard. The boat after she
struck, heelcd so much that the dis
lance from the boat TO the water was
about eighteen feet. Many were
swept among the rocks and saved,
while others were carried under the
vessel by the waves and drowned.
There were two families on the isl
and, near the wreck, but they cold af-
ford no assistance. They however,
gave all the relief they could TO the
survivors.
Captain Crandall, the Second Pilot,
states that no earthly power could
have rendered them any assistance on
Thursday.
1t is related of Captain Dustan, who
took and kept his position over the up
er saloon, that to the repeated and
earnest solicitations of his companions
in peril, not to expose himself thus,
lie replied, 'If the Atlantic goes, 60
with her."
Captain Dustan lost his life by his
indomilablc courage. The last that
was heard Of him, he was standing on
the upper deck, near the wheel house,
giving directions. He was urged to
come down, but he refused. 1t is sup
posed that when the upper deck went
over, he went with it, and was dashed
against the rocks, or struck the boat,
as he has largo wound over the
eye. and one near his mouth.-De-
troit Daily Advertiser.