The northern tribune. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1847-1855, 1847-12-11

helm was put a-port, and on coming round,
owing to the heavy sea then running, the ship
went ashore. In few minutes, out OF one
hundred and ten human beings, passengers
and crew, ninety-one persisted, among whom
were the captain and tho second mate. Inc
persons who were saved lost all their property,
and were left nearly naked. Every exertion
was made, but owing to the wild cliff on
which the vessel struck, and the darkness of
the night, it was impossible to make any eff
fort to save any part of the ship or cargo"
This document was signed by the mate,
two of the crew, and John Limerick ESQ, a
local magistrate.
A reporter from one of the Cork papers
visited the scene of the shipwreck, and thus
describes what took place preparatory to the
melancholy occurrence. To this fatal error,
which supposed the light on Rock Island,
near ookhaven, to be that of the Old Head.
the disastrous results that ensued would APP
pear to be, in considerable degree, attribute
Bile. The light on Rock Island, as have
been informed has been but very recently
cTeClcu, anu, lTOUl All Iildl COuiu uSCellulll,
the responsible persous on board appeared to
be ignorant of its existence. Whether such
ignorance involved a culpable neglect will
probably be matter for future investigation,
The ship was again hauled off the land, and,
believing she had sufficient ofing, a course
was steered in relation to the supposed posi-
ton of the Old Head, which under the cir
cumstances, was considered to be the correct
quarter to ten o'clock, when the land was
signaled Immediately ahead, and orders were
promptly given to bring her round but the
tremendous surf which beat upon the rocks
issued sterner command, and it was evident
the Inflated ship was doomed. A brief mo-
ment only ensucd, and one terrific crash fol-
lowed, which instantly consigned numbers to
eternity. This single encounter stove in the
entire side of the vessel; and in less than
hef an hour there was not two planks to-
gether, nor single article of any description
that could afford the means of escape to
either passenger of sailor. Unlike the greater
number of those disastrous occurrences,
where respite of even few hours affords
the unhappy sufferers some means of proba-
bility of escape the victims on this occasion
were instantly hurled into eternity, without
moments thought or preparation. In less
than ten minutes, out of one hundred and
ten h uman beings, full of life and hope, en-
joying the glad anticipation of meeting friends
relatives, and homes, ninety-two had ceased
to exist.
Through the mercy of Providence, eighteen
individuals were rescued from the destruction
which overwhelmed their associates-and, in
many instances, their escape was effected with
little assistance from their own strength or ac-
tivity. Such was the suddenness of the ca
lamity-such the fearful havoc which a few
minutes created-that almost all on board we're
supplied with horror and amazement, and rem
dered totally inactive by the appalling catas-
trophe. The survivors, bruised and naked,
without shoe or stocking jacket waistcoat,
scrambled up the rock, which ovcrhung the
sea to the height of nearly sixty feet, and, at.
ter searching about for some tine, arrived at
two miserable huts, the only human tenements
on the island. Here they learned for the first
time that they had struck on the western
point of West Calf Island, situated in the
channel between the village of Skull and Cape
Clear Island, and lying about four miles inside
the Cape The two families who reside upon
the isl and were totally ignorant of the melan
choly circumstance, until the distressed and
worn oct mariners entered their wretched
cabins for the purpose OF craving shelter for
tho