New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1850-07-24
THE WRECK ON FIRE ISLAND.
Appearance Of the Wreck-Aceeunt of the
Catastrephe-The Dead-The Beach ri.
rntes-The Pictures and statue, sc.
L. "a.


wrecked, at three o'clock this morning. The boat
in which set oat last light from Babylon, to cross
the bay. was seven hours making the passage. On
landing among the ssnd.hills, Mr.. Oskes admitted
me into bis house, and gave me place OF rest for
the remaining two or three hours Of the night
This morning l visited the wreck, trsversed the
beach for some extent on both sides and collected
all the particulars that are now likely to be OBJ
tanned, relative to the closing scenes Of this terri
bic disaster The sand is strewn for distance o.
three or four miles with fragments OF planks
spars, boxes ard the merchandise with which the
vessel was laden. With the exception OF piece OF
her broadside which foated to the shore intact, all
the tmbers have been 80 chopped and broken by
the sea- that scarcely stick OF ten feet in length
can be found. In front Of the wreck these hag
ments are piled up along high-water mark TO the
hight of several feet, while further in among the
sspdbils are scattered casks Of almonds stove In
and their contents mixed with the sand, sacks Of
Juniper berries, oil TASKS &c. About half the hull
remains under water, not more than hfsy yards
from the shore. The spss and rigging belonging
to the foremsst, with part Of the mast itsei, are
still attached to the ruins, surging over them at
every swell Mr.. Jonathan Smith, the Agent oil
the Underwriters, intended to have had the surf
boa. launched this morning, for the purpose Of cut
ting away the rigging and sscertsning how the
wreck lies but the sea is still too high.
From what can learn the loss Of the Elizabeth
is mainly to be attributed to the inexperience Of
the Mate, Mr.. II. P. Bangs, who acted as Captain
after leav pg Gibraltar. By bis own statement be
supposed he was somewhere between Cape May
and Barnegat, on Thursday evening. The vessel
was consequently running northward and struck
head on. At the second thump, hole was broken
in her side the seas poured through and over her
and .he began going to pieces. This happened at
10 minutes before o'clock The passengers were
reused from their sleep by the shock, and hurried
out of the cabin in their night clothes, to take
refuge on the forecastle, which was the least ex'
posed part of the vessel. They succeeded with
great difficulty; Mrs. Hasty, the widow OF the
late Captain, fell into a hatchwsy, from which she
was dragged by sailor who seized her oy the
hair.
The swells increased continually, snd the danger
Of the vessel giving way induced several Of the
sailors to commit themselves TO the waves. Pre-
yious to this they Invested themselves OF their
clothes, which they tied to pieces Of plank and sent
ashore. These were Immediately seized upon by
the beach pirates, and never afterwsrd recovered
Tbe carnenter cut loose some papks and spars, and
upon one of these Mad Ossoli was advised 10 trust
herself, the Captain promising to go in advance,
with her boy. She refused, saying that she had no
wish to live without the child, and would not, az
that hour, give the care of il to another. Mrs.
Hasty then took bold of a plank In company With
the second mate, Mr.. Davis, through whose assist
ance she landed safely, though terribly bruised by
the floating timber. The Captain chung to hatch,
and was washed ashore ihsensible, where he was
resuscitated by the efforts Of Mr. Cakes and sever.
al others, who were by this time collected on the
beach. Most Of the men were entirely destitute OF
clothing, and some, who were exhausted and ready
to let go their hold, were saved by the islanders,
Tho went into the surf with lines about their waists
and caught them.
The young Italian girl, Celesta Padena, who was
bound for New.York, where she had already lived
in the family Of Henry Peters Gray, the artist, was
at first greatly alarmed, and uttered the most
piercing screams By the exertions of the Ossolis
she was quoted, and apparently resigned to her
fate. The passengers reconciled themselves to the
idea Of death. At the proposal Of the Marquis Os
soil some time spent in prayer, after which all
sat down calmly to await the parting Of the yes
sci. The Marchioness Ossoli was entreated by
the sailorr to leave the vessel at least to trust
her child to them, but she steadily refused.
Early in the morning some men had been sent
to the Lighthouse for the life boat which Is kept
there. Although this is but two miles distant the
boat did not arrive till about one o'clock, by which
time the gale had 30 increased and the swells
were 90 high and terrific that it was impossible to
make any use Of it, A mortar was also brought
for the purpose of firing line over the vessel TO
stretch a hawser between il and the shore. The
mortar was stationed on the lee Of hilock ABOUT
$50 yards from the wreck, that the powder might
be KEEP, dry. Il was fred FIVE times, bat failed 70
csrry line more than half the necessary distance
Inst before the foremas. sank the remaining
sailors determined to leave.
The steward, to whom thechId had always been
great favorite, took it, almost by main force, and
plunged with it into the sea; neither reached the
shore alive. The Marquis Ossoi was soon alter
wards washed away, but his wife remained In ig-
porsnce of his fate. The cook, who was the last
person that reached the shore alive, said that the
last words he beard her speak, were: Il see no.
thing but death before mel shall never reach the
shore" twas between two and three O'Clock IN
the Afternoon, and after lingering for about ten
hours, exposed to the mountainous surf that swept
over the vessel, with the contemplation OF death
constantly forced upon her mind she was finally
overwhelmed as the fOremast fell. II is supposed
that her body and that of her husband are still
buried under the ruins Of the vessel. Mr. Henry
Sumner, who jumped overheard early in the morn
ing. was never seen afterwards
The dead bodies that were washed on shore
were terribly bruised and mangled. That OF the
yourg Italian girl was inclosed in rough box and
and tnanihar with fhnaa Of the al.