New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-12-26
Wreck ofthe Mnyf,owrr.


The following letter from Capt. Van Al
len, Of ihis splendid steamer. viii be read With
interest particularly by those who have had the
good fortune 10 ENJOY trip on the Lakes under
the protection Of Capt V 4 We mar remark
that II was the Mayflower that took the Prea-
den, and Cablne, iron DuUkirk to Buffalo on tho
occasion Of opening the Erie Railroad
LAST TRir oF STEAMBOAT MAYFLowxR -weiee
Detroit Tor Buffalo via Cleveland on the nlgn OF me
18Th INST at II O'Clock. Wind west. severely cod,
thermometer - above zero. with 100 tuns freight ga
Geek Arrived At Cleveland at AN. wind :. w.
showing Took on fuel and LETT for Buffalo a, II n.
Stow continued heavy all day and until l2 O'Clock
Sunday nfht. when II cleared away. Made
Buhs light dead shead about ave miles of-this
beng the hrSt object We had seen during the IL
hours out Arrived safely. discharged our freight,
ard took on coal With all dispstc possible Win
OF returning Immediately. " lthouI sny gard
20 passengers or freight Ia the early part OF the
evening Of Monday, received telegraph from
Mr. Brooks TO say We must hurry home, for II wss
doubtful even then whether We could get up tae
rVer Sailed at 10 O'Clock, 2 Nj, wind w n. w,
with ell the appearance OF its hauling more north
erly. calculating 10 have rather smooth passage up
the north Sherebut extremely cold. Two hours
out, VIII q backed around w ; w. with heavy squalls
OF snow wind. and snow increasing vessel
labonng and making ice rapidly on our deck.
We bore Nd FOR Buffalo after being three and half
hours cut stood this length OF time.
intending 10 have daylight to make port. We ran
OF before the wind -four hours, Judging IN that time
to have made about the same distance Daylight
came, but no cessation of the storm Not knowing
our position, we were more liable 10 60 shore
than any other place consequently 'oous ship. and
stood up the lake storm increasing la about 40
hours We parted our rudder chains, and the vessel
fell of IN the tToushS OF the sea, which made clear
breach through our eangwaNs carrying with Il what
little was IN the way. In this position we lay two
hours. endeayorng 10 repair. At last succeeded In
hnclng blocks and lmeS 10 reeve through them. Sc
cured the ttr with tackle from each quarter he'd
10 work them with six men, three to each In this
way brought her head 70 the Wind very soon amer
gothetier chains and repaired The tackle was still
used 10 relieve the strain the tller chains The
At the tackle and the wheels had 90 be relieved
every twenty minutes but cold a. It was, that mas
Of iron my first mate, stood thirteen hours, beiag
only twice relieved second mate attending 20 other
duties Quite as Important. and equally exposed -
Durngthe time occupied IN repairing the storm broke
away for moment. If 10 OF our perilous SIT
usiion. Land ahead Close into the breakers, Was
called out by the % mate Without thinking Of
other consequences than the loss OF my beautiful
vessel backed OF easily taking every sea over our
tafral men standing ait holding on To the fall OF
each tackle, up 10 their middle in water brought
head TO wind and stood up the lake Very soon AZ
ter this, our Stafboard hog chains forward parted
this of course weakened our vessel which began TO
work her upper cabin on that side very much.
Storm increasing. vessel lahoring heavily the
braces to our starboard chimney gave way. and the
chimney went adTin We were now IN danger Of
staIboard furnace, and we were now left with the
one chimney ana half steam. The attempt TO STAN
the elements with half steam was doubtful, and we
tempted to ware ship-in the mean time gettnE
up all the steam could, for this only do
pondence for the little head sail We had was COW
cred by this time with SiN inches OF ice. We fell on
in the troughs OF the sea and could make no head
way. We made three attempts during Tuesday, ths
10th, but gave itup. Our only object was to keep
her head 10 wind and sea
With the steam we made we were able TO keep
steerage way on, and her head to the The wind
backing round 10 the southwark, We crawled over
toward the south shore, hoping 10 make lee when
we reached there. We smoothed our water abOutI
O'Clock Tuesday evening, and hauled OF, steering
west 10 keep clear OF the land-tsatisfed ourselves
since that we were under Erie Peninsula) Stood 70
sea 80 minutes then hauled up southwest sea heavy
expecting soon again to smooth our water we OK
pected to keep her of sufficient to clear the land.
In this calculation We were unfortunate, for the
sea v as running more from the ward than We
had supposed, Consequently in our great anxiety TO
reach the hmthest point up the lake, with the fact
We had hug ged the shore TO got smooth water and
save ourselves in case any further accident hap
,es on she Was se p n hab sf Asd a s5Ss
forward every seam in ber main deck was working
the oakum ont. and the upper cabin weaving forward
and ait 10 90 inches and falling to pieces In this
condition went ashore about IL miles above Erie,
at 10 O'Clock Tuesday night, 10Th inst, thermometer
ranging from : ~ 10 degrees below zero. Weather
thick all day with snow and dense fog, SO that one
could lot thirty feet. When we went ashore
our bow within $50 feet Of land, but we cosd
not see II
We waited patiently for daylight, and when IL
came II Was apparent that II the continued our
beaui ul May flo yer would be a total loss. BIS
O'Clock, by ringing our bell had brought some Of
the inhabitants TO our assistance mean while We
had made three attempts to run a line to the shore,
and JAILED by which we lost our first boat, ant sftor
attempting with the second were compelled 10 hoist
II on board 20 our men Several persons had
collected on shore. and young man threw stone,
with IA twlnc attached, on board. Attached to the
twine we sent small heayng line ashore, and 70
that "A large one, which secured 10 tree and
the slack hauled on board When this was ACCOM-
pisheo our third boat large one, 10 be cleared
aw ay and lowered.
This boat on the weather side, and had 10 be
got on the lee side. To do this cut away two
state rooms on each side, hauled her the
cabin. Before putting her IN the water, passed the
painter the line which 10 the shore and back
10 the ring bolt made line fast At the same place,
to be used Shore and another on land 10 haul her
back ward and forward In this manner the boat was
kept head to the sea Notwithstanding all this care,
large boat capable OF carrying fifty persons In
binary weather nearly 6lled three or four times.
By O'Clock L NJ we had all on shore safe, though
many were frozen.
Those frozen were Captain, feet, ear and hands
slightly Mate feet and face second Mate, both
hands badly one wbeelsman. hands. slightly, and
three fremen slightly. One wheelsLnan considerably
injured by being thrown over the wheel The crew
a be haved and did their duty like men, except 40
deck hands, Irshmen, who skulked and hid Ia the
coal bunkers until the vessel struck
II. VAN ALLEN,
Late Master ofthe Steamboat MsyAower.