Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1846-02-26
A Shipwreck Scene.

The JomS MiNrURN.-We have the
particulars Of the melancholy loss Of the
ship John MiNurn and il is indeed an
affecting account. The details subjoin-
ed were communicated by Mr.. King,
who was one ofthe crew, to the editors
of the Courier.
The ship received pilot on board on
Saturday afternoon, and went ashore Oh
Sunday morning, between 9 and 10 o.
clock, in the very height Of the Storm
She struck with tremendous violence,
and as the waves raised her up the Sc
cond time, che broke in two, but did moi
entirely separate. The confusion ut the
moment OF striking was terrible, but
when the worst was known, every effort
was made 10 do whatever could be per-
formed under the circumstances, for the
pre- serva,ion of the lives of those on
board, numbering in all fity-one souls,
including five cabin and twenty steerage
passengers. The masts were cut away
to ease her, hut with very little effect, as
she continued to thump and grind terri
bly,. The yawl boat was then cut loose
from the stern davits, but the surf ran so
high, before she could DO got around,
she swamped and was rendered useless.
The Captain, with his wife, son,
daughter and servant, together with the
cabin passenger took refuge in the
poop cabin, the only place where they
could be sheltered from the violence OF
the sea, which was pouring over them.
BY grent exeriions, The long boat was
cast adriit, and launched over the bows,
all Of the head rigging having been pre-
viously cut away, so that It should not
interfere with getting her of. Five OF
the crew, and one ofthe steerage passen n
gers, Portuguese, sprang int" her, and
a long coil Of line was slowed in the
stern sheets, by which it was intended
to curry hawser to the shore, and she
showed off. When near the shore, the
under-tow was so strong il was found
impossible to carry the line farther,
and those in the boat were forced either
10 cut it, or return to the ill-lated ship
They chose the former course, and
landed in safety, having cut off the only
chance of saving those on board the
wreck. In this situation they remained
exposed 10 tho violence Of the sea and
the cold, which was intense, for ice
formed as soon as their clothes were
wet. Toward noon, all on board who
were alive, for some had already sunk
under their terrible suferings, went
forward TO The top gallant forecus,le 4,
where they lashed themselves as they
bes, could to prevent the sea from wash
ing them off. Capt. Stark and his mate,
together with the pilot, remained, it is
thought, in the poop cabin, and about
noon the vessel broke entirely in two,
a'nidships, the after part drifting away
and they were drowned.
All this time the vessel was SO near
the shore that had any effort whatever
been made, by procuring boat, every
soul on board might have been saved,
but il was not until eleven at night that
anv aitemp, WAS made to reach The ves-
sci by ibose on land. The topgnllant
foiecas,le was crowded with the pas
srngers and crew, among them Mrs.
Stark with her son, fine manly boy of
I2 or IA years of age, who had behaved
with cOOlness and courage
far beyond his years, her daughter, the
female servant, and Mrs. Forbes The
wife Of Mr.. Forbes, one oi,he cabin pas
sengers. In the early part Of the day,
while siruggli to get forward, Mrs.
Stark was thrown down by a water cask,
which had broken adriii, and one side Of
her face was enirel y laid open, but she Ut
tered no murmurs or complaint, seeming
anxious only for the safety Of her hus
band and beloved children. In the uf-
iernoon the lorecastle broke in two, fore
and aft, and about half of those lashed
TO it were prccipitated into the wreck
beneath, where they met an inst antane-
Gus death. or the remainder, no one
was saved alive, all having peIished
from the combined effects Of the cold
and the sea pouring over them.
Fifteen Of the unhappy sufferers, in
cuding the captains wife and children,
and female steerage passenger, with
an infant, were clustered around the
stump Of the ioremast, exposed for near
ly twelve hours TO all the fury of the
storm, and ten Of these died there be-
fore any attempt was made to rescue
them. AI,s. Stark, about five minutes
before she breahcd her last, turned to
King, the sailor, and begged him to save
her husband and children, but they had
all gone before her. The female steer
age passenger, who had an infant a, her
breast, died in Mr.. Kings arms ; and
when her body was found an Tuesday,
her infant was so closely clasped TO
her breast, it was found impossible to
separate them, and they were thus buri-
ed.
Between 10 and ! at night boat
came from the shore, and took of the
survivors, VIZ: the second mate, two Of
tho crew and four o! the sleerage pas
4 4 A .l A II