Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1849-1856, 1849-04-05

had not been Tor moro than an hour before
the ship broke in two amidships. The main
mast fell over the side with fearful crash,
and tremendous sea carried away the whole
quarter deck, with the mass of human beinrs
on it. frightful shrek filled the air, and
the next momeLt the unfortunate creatures
were seen struggling in the deep. BY great
efforts eight or ten were rescued by the men
who had securel themselves in the rigging
And alas as will be seen, only to meet with
a more horrible death The moment the
ship broke in two, her cargo, mostly mer
chandizc, foated out and intermngled with
the drowning sufferers. For some time, men,
women and children were seen floating about
on the packages ere night had set in, how
ever, all had disappeared, and it is sadly TO be
feared THAI not one escaped, The then sur
vlvors, about l2 IN number, continued in the
rigging of fi1c forcmast, which, with the fore
part OF the vessel, was all that remained Of
the wreck, the whole of the night, enduring
the greatest suffering. There was no moder-
alton in the violence of the weather. The
sea kept breaking over them, and the cold
being most intense, rendered their condition
the more painful
When Thursday morning broke, it was
discovered that six Of the poor fellows had
died in the course of the night. They had
been frozen 10 death, and their bodies were
dangling in the rigging. All that day the
same fearful weather existed, and not the
least aid could be rendered to those who still
existed in the rigging. They could see ves-
ses passing at a distance, but they were too
! far or for the crews to observe their situation
Thursday night and the greater portion of Fri
day passed away, yet no help came. Only
four now remained, three sailors and one pas
sengcr ; the other two were frozen to death
in the course of the preceding day and night,
The suaerings Of the surviving poor fellows
continued lrightful in The extreme, and their
feel ngs and horror may be readily imagined
when they found the third night setting in, and
d ah likely to oycr,akc them, as in the case
OF their wretchcd companions. About 7 O.
clock, however, great was their JOY at per-
ceiv ng the approach Of vessel, which prov
ed 10 be her Majcs'y's revenue cutter Peter
eL The crew b !ongng to her, by direction
Of the commanding officer, lowered their boat
and pushed of 10 the spot, the heavy surf
beating round the wreck in such manner as
to render the running Of the cutter alongside
extremely dangerous.
After considerable difficulty, the poor fell
, lows were got of and and taken on board the
revenue cruiser, when everything was done
for their comfort. They were in deplorable
state of exhaustion, and partly bereft OF thor
senses. Their hands and feet were severely
frost bitten, and how they escaped with their
lives appears most remarkable. The Peterel
made for this port with all sail, and arrived
about IL o'clock at ght
Mr. Billing-lay, Lloyd's agent, and vice
consul for the Belgian government, afforded
the poor fellows every attention that was pos
sible, by placing them in comfortable quarters
Il The names of the seamen saved are Henry
Hill, VIM Harry, and Swca,ic, name un-
known. The fourth is one of the cmgrants
apparently mechanic. lie has DecN derang-
ed ever since he has landed.
From accounts received from Brighilingsea,
a small fishing village near Wivenhoc, we
hear that Colchester vessel lost five hands
in a laudable attempt 10 rescue some of the
sufferers. The noble fellows saw the quarter
deck carried away with the emigrants on it
They Immediately pushed of in their boat,
with view of saving some of tho drowning
creatures, but had scarcely got few strokes,
when heavy sea caught their craft, upset IT.,
and The whole of the poor fellows met with a
watery grave.