The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1851-01-17
Loss of the Ship Toronto.

The following is taken from the Charleston Cou-
rier ofthe 10th:
The brig Vandalia, Capt. Pendleton, from New
Orleans, arrived here yesterday brought in the Off
GERS, crew and passengers of the ship Toronto,
Capt Parker, from New Orleans, bound to New
| York, which vessel ashore Matanilla Reef
| on the I'd inst. When taken from the wreck they
had been exposed for forty hours to the severity of
| the weather. At the time the ship went on the
reef the weather thick and the wind blowing
| heavy from the S. W.
| Capt. Parker has obllgingly furnished us with
the following authentic account OF the loss of his
ship:
"At 10 o'clock, (noon) I was in lat. 25 deg. 80
min., lon. 70 deg as min. had fresh breeze from
S. 5. W., and clear weather. At 3 P. M. the
| wind hauled around to the S. w, and increased
| accompanied with rain. At P. M. all the light
sails were in. At 8 furled mainsail and jib, and
double reefed mzen topsail, cewed the fore topsa
down, and were in the act Of hauling out the geer,
when the ship struck very hard but did not bring
| up. The helm was instantly put to starboard, the
yards braced up and the ship brought to the wind.
The ship went along through the water at the rate
of five knots for about five minutes, when she struck
again very heavy, and brought up all standing.
There was very heavy sea on, and the ship
tinued rolling and striking heavy that conclu-
ded that it was best to cut away the masts, which
was done possible. Finding that she
was driving farther on the reef at every heave of
pumps, and found IS inches of water in her hold.
Got the boats all ready with bread and water in
| them to leave the wreck as soon she broke up.
She continued striking very heavy until daylight,
| when the pumps were sounded again, and Is feet
| of water found in her. We stuck by the wreck all
day, hoping that some wrecker would come to our
assistance, but night again shut upon us, and
nothing like a sail appeared in sight We conclu-
ded to stay by the wreck another night, if she held
together so long, and to leave in the boats early
Saturday morning, for the Bahama Islands. At S
o'clock Saturday, the boats were both launched,
and we were getting into them to leave, when we
saw sail to wndwarG. Signals of distress were
| etand we soon had the satisfaction of seeing her
| keep away for us. She down to within one
| half mile of us, when finding the water very
| shoal, they dared not come any nearer. The mate
and four men jumped into the boat and pulled for
her. AS soon as Capt. Pendleton of the brig Van
| daa, found that there was water enough for him
| on the bank, he kept off and came down under our
stern, and let go his anchor. We got the crew and
passengers on board the brig as soon as possible,
| and left the wreck.
| w hen We left there were two feet of water on
the forward part of the deck, and nothing above
water aft but the houses.
"PAssENGERs.-Nath Ravtsch lady and
child, N. Y; Samuel Fellheimer, do; Albert
Shmeds, do; A. l.. Pacht, do. Philip Dorman,
do; James Murphy, do; Hugh Candron do
Catherine J. Nelson, do
| E. J. PARKER Master of ship Toronto"
| We requested by Captain Parker, on behalf
| of himself, crew and passengers to return his
thanks to Captain Pendeton for his kind and gem
tlemanly treatment to them while board his
vessel.