Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1851-12-30
WRECK OF THE MAYFLOWER.

tempt at New ear 5 ADDRESS.
WRECK OF THE MAYFLOWER.
At a meeting Of the passengers on board the
May Flower, after her wreck, the following res
outions were adopted
RESOLVED, That through Providence we have
escaped from sudden and fearful death; that we
feel in the grateful emotions Of our hearts, that
simple statement of facts is due from us: that
justice may be rendered to those by whose ex-
ertions we were rescued. We left Buffalo at
lO1 o'clock Monday evening. The night was
clear, though cold, and wind from Northward.
About IL it changed to Southwest, and, at
one, we met the full force of the gale, and such
gale as was never witnessed on this, or other
waters The cold was most intense, and the
water being warmer than the air, steam rose
from it so thick, that we were shut in with the
mist; we ran up the Lake till half past o'clock
when the storm became so serious, ard the ice
was collecting in such quantities forward, that
it was no longer safe to breast it.
He then turned, and ran down the Lake before
the gale till o'clock, when the Captain, being
fearful of getting too far down, again turned,
and stood up the Lake under easy steam, hoping
that it would soon clear up, and give us some
landmark. But the mist packed more closely
upon us, while the storm of hail and snow in
creased. Then commenced, as it were, the ar
duous duties of the Captain and his crew.
Throughout all that dreadful day and night,
Capt. Van Allen and his Mates kept the deck.
Neither the storm nor the intense cold drove
them an instant from their posts. Covered with
ice, with hands and feet frozen, yet undaunted,
they met every emergency with that GOODNESS,
courage, and skill, to which, in the end we owed
our lives An instants indecision, at times,
vould hova burrind ne into atornitv
About s o'clock Tuesday morning, q heavy
sea struck the Mayhower, and she parted her
rudder chains, and preached to, and lay at the
mercy Of the waves, which seemed to strike
with the force of rocks hurled against her. The
second sea parted her larboard log chain, and
for five hours, we lay pounding in the trough
Of the sea, making clean breach through her
gangway-we deeming every sea would break
in her lower works.
Her guard, under the baggage room, now gave
way then under her store-room; then under
her saloon.
Finally, her crew got tackle to her rudder aft.
which, owing to the ice, which covered the ropes
as soon as they were exposed, was a work of
time and severe suffering. The mates and crew
froze their fingers. Now, we were only able to
work the rudder about two and half feet
Her first mate, Mr. Cavelry, took his stand at
the stern tackle and working it with the chains
from above, remained there till we went ashore.
She was now brought against the storm, work.
ing to the southwark, it was now one o'clock,
and the gale had increased to hurricane
Still shut in by an impenetrable mist, heavy
sea now struck the boat and carried away her
starboard smoke pipe, and nearly all the fasten-
ings Of her larboard one. The Captain was
prompt to meet this new misfortune A man
t,y;n zal hnen -, L
tached to the engine, ready TO play on the first
appearance of fire; and there he stood till we
needed him no longer The Engineer, than
whom cooler or drawer man does not exist,
now put out all fire, except in two furnaces, and
worked her at that. The boat was now virtual
ly wreck. Her upper cabin had started, and
she was worked two feet forward and aft with
the sea.
Capt. Van Allen made up his mind to beach
her, as she could not live out, and endeavored
to get her before the wind for that purpose but
she was SO loaded with ice forward, and with
the scant use of the rudder, and little steam,
that it was found useless. We now held our
course S. W.; wind s. S. W.; at 7 O'Clock she
struck field of ice, which stove in her wheel
house, and started her decks forward.
She was now kept on her course, as was sup
posed, for Cleveland. She worked about three
miles an hour.
At half-past 10, the Captain had the lead cast
No bottom was reached; and at IL o'clock she
struck, and soon, though she was at once back
ed, was hard and fast
She proceeded badly, and was Immediately
scuttled. She came ashore one-half mile above
Elk Creek, l8 miles above Erie.
AT daylight, with assistance from the shore,
some 200 feet distant, life line was got out,
and made fast to tree, and we were taken a.
shore by that.
Our hearty thanks are due to Judge Miles,
for his timely aid in getting us ashore, in build
ing fires upon the bank, and for rendering us ev-
cry assistance in his power.
To the steward, w. G. Gobett, our grateful
thanks are due for his continued exertions for
our comfort
To Capt. Van Allen; his mates, VIM. Caval-
ry and Robert Mclean and his engineer, Frank
Farrar, under Providence, we owe our lives, and
as such preservers, shall always regard them.
Girard, Dec. 1871 p. M.
Captain Van Allen has just returned from the
boat.
He found her in better condition than was ex-
pected.
There was some prospect of saving her, tho
slight. She is loaded with tons Of ice on the
weather side. The cabins are racked badly.
We shall land her mails, which are frozen, to-.
Il - g.