New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-05-18


stones throw. and was plain to be seen even In the
night
"A this time the Captain was on deck, and had con-
stany refused to change the course in the most dan
gerous moments he was asleep In the wheel house. in
different to what going on and apparently uncon'
scious, or az were subsequently convinced drunk
The first mate had not opposed tho Captain to the
course to be followed and whenever the second gave
the ship another direction, the Captain had always
changed it back again, that many first cabin pas
sengers thought he designed to wreck the vessel. In
the present the salvation of the ship aud passen-
gers was due to the second mate.
Now we were all in uncertainty, and no one could
tell where we were. We sailed now West, now South
in the evident invention of going back and forwards till
daylight, when position might be ascertained. At
dawn the black of rock, which we had
BEEN and which alternately the right and
left as we tackled appeared plainly naked ellis
OF varying hight and clearly the danger we had
escaped. Where were none of the officers
knew certainly; but of the passengers said cor
recty that we were the west coast of England, in
Bristol channel Meanwhile the day grew brighter at
O'Clock the rose, sails appeared and some little
schooners and fishing boats went by But American
pride forbade the American mail stea to inquire OF
an English fisherman ship passed, then second
and finally the Captain 1t seemed not able longer to
resist the urgent request of the mates, halloed,
where are we I" Bristol channel" "What Is the
nearest place I" milford :" How far lie it" About
- miles"
"The question now was, where should GOT To
Milford FIRST of course, to get fresh Goals ours were
nearly out The new course of the Captain d.
recy opposed this however, he sailed directly South
as he said toward Lands End. After he had spoken
the slip, he appeared to be in state of great excite
ment he threw himself a settee the quarter
deck leaned his head against the mizzenmast, and
manned long in that position. Then he went staggering
up and down the fore deck and it appeared tina.
he was actually drunk In that condition he remained
during the day, and for hours steered South Mean
while the four mates with the surgeon and engineer
had held consultation to how far the Goals would
last and what was to be DONE But few tuns were
manning. not than would last till midnight and 1t
decided get the Captain to put into the nearest
harbor. The Engineer and Doctor went to the Captain
represent to him the mpossibty of reaching Lands
End and to urge him to so to Milford They prevailed
and the ship put about again steered North aud
between l and o'clock P. NJ. we were at ANCHOR in
Milford Haven. Had this been done before, should
have saved six or eight hours useless sailing
There had been plenty of queer with the FIRST
cabin passengers who deck in the morning to
go ashore at Southampton All were naturally excited
against the Captain and the first cabin passengers
solved enteat the first mate to take the command and
thus render them secure; but he declined 1t was
said that the Captain must certainly lose his place, and
those who were friendly to him defended excused
his conduct by saying that the whole passage which had
been unfortunate from icefelds and head winds, had
had depressing influence, had also unhappy private
circumstances and that for the whole time he had been
unusually reserved-had spoken to no one, and had
drowned his feelings in champagne The whole OF
April IA, in fact, he lay intoxicated on the deck.
"At 10l2 o'clock, the morning of the 10Th, we left
Milford Haven, hoping to reach Cowes next evening.
As out of the harbor steered South.
west and kept that all the afternoon We had a
Southeas wind which favorable, all sails were set
Goals good the wheels had been repaired the
furnaces were clean-in short we made 1919 or IA
miles hour, and II revolutions minute. The sky
which at first cloudy cleared up and the sea which
had been rough became tranquil the Captain moro
on deck than usual Everything seemed to be going on
finely. Toward o'clock land on the left and
there hope that should make the rather danger
Gus passage between Lands End and the Sicily Isles
by daylight.
Just before sunset we reached Lands End; little
distance off from the water two pretty high
cliffs Longshp Rocks O in one of them lighthouse.
Our directly upon them. The Captain who
was walking back and forward, himself gave the orders
to the helmsman and the unchanged, though
every instant and nearer to the rocks
An agitation was soon apparent among the passengers
and among the officers as well. The first and second
mates the Doctor and Engineer conferred together.
The first mate went to the Captain again and again to
call his attention to dangerous nearness, and the
A. 90 Lnoxx, fha rop1v
and it was utterly impossible to prevail the Captain
10 give other orders. A German Captain, who was
among the passengers, and who had sailed ship for
l6 years. spoke to him; In vain Then the passengers
and even the Doctor the wheel and gave orders
to steer TO the West in order to avoid the constantly ap
preaching danger The helmsman at first unwillingly
yielded, but the Captain perceiyng it went up to the
wheel, commanding South Those standing near
begged him not do this repeating to him that he was
risking the lives of all his passenger The sole
was, you have nothing to do herer More vehement
orders were given by the passengers to the hemsman
to steer West and he obeyed them. The Captain re-
newed his csunter.order adding; I'll shoot you down
if you don't do what say. The hemsman anew re-
presented the danger and the certainty of losing the
Messengers lives Let them 60 to hell was the
reply.
"Hereupon the passengers and officers surrounded
! him, crowding him away from the wheel, the Doctor
declaring him out of bis mind. He reisted, but was
carried below his whence his pistols and
other weapons-which he sought fer that ne might
use them,-had been prudenty removed. We were
now free of him on deck, westerly direction was
taken and we avoided the rock by pistol shot Had
we kept the same course few minutes longer, the
passengers and ship would have been lost Tne inten-
ton of the Captain wreck US was plain alike from his
words and actions and how near was the danger was
,an from wi at said by of the sailors who len
the wheel excsiuing that we were going ashore in
| few minutes
Although in compliance with the urgent request OF
the passengers it had been sgreed that watch should