Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1853-05-26
Ship William & Mary

|
city, off The Great Isaacs, which are of inter-
est. As all the papers belonging 10 the ship
were LOST, a list Of the lost, Numbering about
one hundred and seventy persons,) can never
be obtained.
Capt Stnson has published a more par
tlcular statement, correcting some inaccura>
cies, as foIIows:-
81 The William and Mary sailed from Liv>
erpool for New Orleans on the 24th of March,
with an assorted cargo and 208 passengers,
including the cook and steward. Nothing OF
particular moment occurred during the pas
sage, save the deaths of fourteen persons,
aud one birth, until after passing the Hole IN
the wall on the morning of The 3D. Of May.
The wind was blowing fresh from east south
east, and the weather partially cloudy /
found It necessary to carry heavy press of
sail in order to make the [saacs before dark.
Up 10 II NJ, Srirrup Key bore south ten
miles. | then shaped my course west by
north for the point of soundings north of the
Great lsaacs, when the wea her became still
more cloudy and unfavorable, with a heavy
sea. Owing 10 these circumstances it was
impossible 10 get the suns altitude, that we
might determine how far we were to the
westward. AT sunset, about o'clock, The
weather became very thick and the wind in
creased in squalls, changing 10 the southeast.
At s P. NJ, Judging ourselves 20 the north.
ward and westward of Great Isaacs, kept the
ship west by south, and commenced heaving
The lead at found no bottom in twenty
faIhoms; at S.15 the same; at s 80 struck
upon sunken rock. and hung about midship,
with ten fathoms water all around.
After pounding heavily about fifteen min
utes, she went off and struck on ano her rock,
within few rods of the first, when she
pounded few times and ent off. We then
let GO the anchors, ard commenced getting
out the boats--the passengers at the pumps,
but could not keep her free. Al IL, midnight,
found A feet wafer in the hold A A. NJ,
weather black and squaly, with heavy sea,
eight feet water in the hold both pumps go
ing; 7 A. NJ :, ten feet water, and the ship going
down mates and crew in the boals, together
with as many passengers as could be slowed
in the Iongboat and lifeboat, the other two
boats having been stove after launching
At that time the passengers abandoned the
pumps in despair, and finding it utterly i'm
possible to save the whole of them il was
with the greatest difficulty that could in
duce them 10 launch The longboat so great
was their fear of being swamped.
should state that at this time (7 A. NJ,
4h ofMay,) the Great Isaacs bore east south
east six or seven miles, the wind blowing
heavy from the southeast in squalls, so that il
was impossible for US 10 have reached them
against the wind and sea, unless we ran the
risk of losing the lives of those we had been
so fortunate in saving from the sinking yes
sci. The only resort now left US was to keep
our boats before the wind and the sea, in the
hope Of reaching The Florida coast. Half an
hour after we left the ship she disappeared,
and we supposed she had gone down, togeth-
er with probably one hundred and seventy
passengers, and one or TWO of the crew, and
the ships steward. AT IL NJ, barque hove
in sight, bound up the Gulf which proved to
be an English vessel. The lifeboat in which
| was, was too far to leeward TO be seen by
the barque, but she fortunately fell in with
the longboat containing The passengers and
some of the crew, and picked them up. The
number of the passengers and crew in the
longboat was, as near as could judge, about
twenty"
One OF the crew makes statement in the
Nel0 York Herald, portions of which we
, copy
1.-The two life boats were launched first
: and four men got into the starbOard boat ia
king with them two cans of water com.
pass, and some bread. They remained ia
the boat all night, and with the greatest diff
ficulty kept her from being stove. The lar
board boat was safely launched, and but
about half an hour after was stove under the
quarter. This was caused by the decks be-
ing so crowded aft that the boat could not be
dropped astern. The boat at the cranes was
so filled by the passengers that they bent the
cranes down TO the water. This boa; was
stove also. The longboat was still remain
ing on the after house, unfit to be launched
without caulking. Part OF the crew were or.
dered, however, TO get that ready, and the
remainder TO lay forward and get ready to
cut away the mast. The ship was now roll
ing very heavily the sea breaking over her
every few minutes during the squalls. Some
of the head-stays were cut aud everything
got ready 10 let the foremost 90 overheard
but the Captaia gave orders not to cut il, as
the sails kept the ship from rolling. We
were then ordered TO lay aft, and do what
we could TO gel the Iong-boat ready to launch,
after which we commenced caulking, tearing
up our quilts for the cotton to caulk With
We had been here but few minutes when
she went off The rock all expected she
would sink Immediately. Her anchors were
| let 90 as soon Us pOSSlDle, anu dIler drifting
few rods she struck again so heavily that
it Frustrated MANY on The deck, and il was
| evident 10 all that the ship could possibly
stand but a few more such shocks. The
scene was now dreadful beyond descrip-
ton.
Men who before this had acted their part
nobly now ceased to make any effort TO save
themselves or others. Some went TO cask
of liquor that was between decks and there
forgot their dangers and troubles The mate
and ysef went below about twelve, TO as
certain, if we could, the amount of water in
the ship. Ii was then but little above The
keelson, much less than we expected. We
informed them on deck Immediately, which
seemed TO encourage the hope that The ship
might be kept afloat until some assistance
could be procured They labored more earn
estly at the pumps, and all who were will
ing to work were kept caulking the ongboat
Ii was almost impossible, in fact, to get them
10 work, as they despaired of saving them
selves. The mate and myself again went 10
the hold TO find out whether the water was
gaining, and found that there were seven or
eight feet Of water. We still endeavored to
I encourage the passengers 10 work at the
pumps, hoping that she might be kept afloat
till daylight. At daylight we looked after
the boats, and found that the quarter boat
was stove. The mate, not being aware of
its condition, got into il and attempted to
bail il. but making no progress, he was final
ly compelled to give it up. He then got into
a r.