Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-05-21
TERRIFIC SCENE AT SEA.

One of the of the ship William and Mary, lately
wrecked on the Bahama rocks gives the following
rative of that distressing calamity:
3 1t being my lookout forward and relieved as
near as remember about half past (eight at mighty
When stepped the forecaste the mate order the lead
to be carried forward The had picked it up and
gpt forward with it when the ship Orders were
given Immediately to brace the yards round which was
dpne as soon as possible, but without effect By ths
time the passengers all deck, running and
stretching :" We are lost are lost 20 and crowding
tie deck, that it almost impossible to get from one
part of the ship to the other.
g The captain ordered the boats to be cleared and
launched. The two ifeboats were launched first and
fur men got into the starboard boat taking with them
two cans OF water, compass, and some bread They
remained in the boat all night and with the greatest diff
Guilty kept her from being The larboard boat was
safely launched and in about half hour after stove
Under the quarter This caused by the decks being
crowded aft that the boat could not be dropped astern
The boat at the filled by the passengers that
they bent the down to the water This boat was
stove Also The long boat still remaining on the
aer-house, unfit to be launched without caulkng Part
the crew were however, to get that ready and
the remainder to lay forward and get ready cut away
the mast The ship rolling very heavily the sea
breaking her every few minutes during the squalls
Some OF the headstays cut, and every thing got
ready to let the foremost go overheard but the captain
gave orders not to cut it, the sails kept the ship from
rolling
.'We were then ordered to lay aft, and do what we
could to get the ongboat ready to aunch after which
cotton to caulk with.
eve had been here but few minutes when the ship
went off the rocks all expected she would sink imme
diately. Her anchors were let 60 as possible
and after drifting few rods she struck again so heavily
that Frustrated many the deck and it evident
to all that the ship could stand but few such
shocks Ihe scene dreadful beyond description
seemed evident to oil that the ship would 20 down i'm
mediately Men who before this had acted their part
nob now ceased to make any effort to themselves
or others Some went to cask of liquor that was be-
tween decks and there forgot their dangers and troubles
The mate and myself below about twelve to as
certain the amount of water in the ship 1t was then
but little above the keson much less than was expected
We informed them deck Immediately which seemed to
encourage the hope that the ship might be kept aoat
until some assistance could be procured They labored
more earnestly at the pumps, and all who willing
work were kept caulkng the long boat 1t was almost
In fact get them work rs they despair
ed OF saving themselves At daylight we looked after the
boats, and found that the quarter was stove The
mate not being of its condition got into il and
attempted to bail it, but making no progress he was final
y compelled to give it up. He then got into the life
boat not daring to return board the sinking Ship
which was at this time rapidly going down. got into
of the boats that stove and hauled myself along
by rope running from the ship to the fe-boat into
which got. was followed by John Best who jumped
overheard and swan to the boat, which about
full as it would hold The spray was breaking over it,
The captain the last who got into the fe-boat,
and then had to be urged very strongly before he
would consenvo leave the vessel When the
Jaw him leave the ship, they knew there longer
any hope, and became perfectly frantic with despair
screaming and calling wildly for that assistance which it
vas impossible to render them. AS the captain
left Elk of the crew. who still remained in the Ship got
ready the into which several the passengers
jumped unfortunately. never saw any thing in my
life so fearful Women and men jumped overheard from
The after part of the vessel where the boat lay and
many were drowned. One of the crew who was in the
bngboat was compelled, with Ratchet keep off the
passengers who were crowding into the boat and who
allowed to enter it, would undoubtedly have sunk it.
We cut boat loose from the vessel rugged sort of
sail, and ran before the wind The longboat followed
Immediately, and kept company for short distance,
when we separated but still kept in sight We the
bngboat picked up between and three hours after
she left the vessel About two hours later picked
up by the Reuben Carver"
There were on board the Inflated ship hundred and
nnetyfve passengers and twelve seamen including the
officers. Thirty-four only saved in the boats