Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1854-03-16
Dreadful Disaster at Sea.
Wreck Of the Bdrgue Orline St. John.


The barque Saxonville, Capt. D. F. Hutch
ings, arrived at this port yesterday afternoon,
from Calcutta, with the Captain, mate, cook
and two seamen, whom she took off the wreck
of the barque Orlne st. John. on the LIST inst.
in state of great distress and suffering. The
particulars of this sad disaster, as we learn
them from the mate of the wrecked vessel, Jo-
.siah Townsend, of New Jersey, are as fol-
lows 800
On the 10th ult., the barque Orline St. John,
of Gardiner, Me-, Captain VIM. Rodbird,
sailed ftom Norfolk for Barbados, with an
assorted cargo, consisting of slaves, corn,
meal, flour, rice, &C., and having on board as
passenger, Mrs. Rodbird, the captains wife.
The wind was fresh from the southeast during
the next day, Monday, and towards night
blew very fresh
At about 10 o'clock the staysail was set
Soon after the captain gave the order to swing
the foresail, and while this was being done,
the barque shipped sea forward which stove
the fore scuttle off, and in less than twenty
minutes the vessel partly filled and came
down on her beam ends. She laid on her
beam ends about an hour, when the masts
went by the board, and the barque partly
righted. When she went over, a colored
seaman, named Martin. who was in the cabin,
was drowned. He belonged to Liverpool.
The captains wife was also in the cabin, in
her berth. AS soon as possible the captain
went to her assistance, and succeeded in res
CHING her from drowning by pulling her
through the cabin windows. " a a
Tuesday, the sea breaking over the vessel,
the crew dashed themselves 10 the main rig
ging for safety. The captain had his wife
dashed to the rigging with himself. Towards
afternoon she began to complain of being cold,
and the captain stripped off his jacket and
comforter, and put them around her. At four
o'clock that afternoon, she died in her husbands
arms, and her body was committed to the
deep. They were married in October last.
Mrs. Rodbird belonged to Bath, Me.
On Tuesday night, the second mate, a
Scotchman, who shipped at Norfolk, but
whose name neither the captain nor mate recol-
lect, released himself from the rigging, and
against the advice of his superior officers,
went in search of some water The last that
was seen of him he was standing in the scut-
tie, and it is supposed that he was washed
overheard. Atdaylight on Tuesday, they,saw
vessel in the distance, and she appeared to
be trying to get to them, but the wind baffied,
and at noon they saw no more of her. They
were then drifting to the eastward.
| Wednesday morning, the sea still making a
breach over her, a cOlured seaman named
Douglass, died in the rigging. The next
morning the mate cut a piece ont of his body,
and tasted of it. At this time the rest of the
crew refused to 2artake of it, although they
had been from Monday night without parli-
Gle of fuod They then tied string 10 the
piece of flesh and let il soak on deck until Sat
urday when they all ate Of it; when that was
gone they sustained themselves by eating piec-
es Of the green hide tiller ropes cut very fine.
They were subsisting on this when they were
taken off
\ From the time Of the disaster until Wednes-
day, the lsi of March, when they were taken
off, they had nothing TO drink but salt water.
They tried to quench their thirst by wetting
pieces Of canvas with salt water, aud laying
them upon their parched lips. ....-.
On Wednesday morning, March lst, Capt.
Hutchines, ufthe SaxonvilIe, being in about
lat. 6S 80, Ion. 81 80, saw what appeared 10
him to be a lighi-boat adrih. He could see no
man on board Of her, but still, with heart
worthy Of an American sea captain, he be-
leved il 10 be his duty 10 60 and ascertain tine
facts. lie was about STA miles To the wind
ward Of her, and beat up 10 her, and, as the
reward Of his roble conduct, he had the salts
faction of saving the lives of five OF his fellow
seamen. The rescued captain and mate both
state their belief that not one of them would
have survived through the night of the day on
which they were taken Off On being unlashed
from the rigging to which they had been fas-
tened for nine days, they were not able tn
stand, and had 10 be lifted on board the Sax
onsiIle. Every possible attention and kindness
was bestowed updn them by Capt. Hutchings,
mi rfahI no
expeci.d.-BOS. Jour, 9th.
I CAPT. Rodbird, and Thomas Grant, seaman,
we're taken 10 the Massachusetts General Hos
pitaI and three others Of the crew to the Ma
rne Hospital. Capt. r. was very weak and
deblitnied, and we regret to learn, died on
Sunday last. He has many friends in this vi
cniiy. His remains were brought to this city
on Monday, and inferred Wednesday afternoon.
Shocking Case of Destitution.