Weekly North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1858, 1854-10-25
STATEMENT OF CAPT. LUCE.

STATEMENT OF CAPT. LUCE.
Particulars Of his Iiraculous Escape!!!
The following is the substance of Captain Luce's
statement as telegraphed from Quebec to Mr.. Col
Inns:
Capt. Luce, at the time of the collision, was below
working out the position of the steamer. He i'm
mediately on deck, and saw the iron steamer
der the starboard bow, and passing astern, grazing
and tearing the guards in her progress The bows
of the strange vessel seemed to be literally cut
crushed Oft for ten feet, and seeing that she must
probably sink in ten minutes, and taking glance
| at our own ship, and believing that We were COM
paratively uninjured, the boats cleared, and
the first officer and six men left with boat to board
the stranger and ascertain the extent Of her damage
The engineers were Immediately instructed to put
on the steam pumps, and the four deck pumps were
worked by the passengers and crew. The ship was
at once headed for land and several Intellectual at
tcmpts were made to stop the leak by getting sails
over the bows.
| Finding that the leak was gaining on them very
fast, notwithstanding the very powerful efforts to
keep her free, the captain resolved to get the boats
ready, and have many ladies and children placed
| in them as possible No sooner, however, had an
attempt been made to do this, than the tiremen and
others rushed into the boat in spite of all opposition
Seeing this state of things ordered the boat astcrn
to be kept in readiness until order could be resor
ed, when to my disnay | saw them cut the rope in
the bow and soon disappear astern in the fog.
Another boat was broken down by persons rush.
ing in at the davtS, and many were precpitated in
| to the and drowned. This occurred while had
| been engaged in getting the starboard guard boat
ready. had placed the second officer in charge,
| when the same scene was enacted as with the first
boat then gave orders to the second officer to let
go and row after the ship, keeping near the stern,
to be ready to take the women and children as soon
as the fires were out and the engine should stop.
My attention was then drawn to the other quar-
| ter boat which found broken down, but hanging
by one tackle rush was made for her ALSO and
md cnff fhn tack Lla and
out Of sight. Not seaman was left on board, or q
carpenter and we without too to assist us in
building raft, only hope, and the only officer
left us was Mr. Dorian, the third mate, who worked
noblv for the succor Of all.
Many of the passengers, who deserve great praise
for their coolness and energy did all in their power
until the latest moment before the ship sunk Mr..
Rogers the chief engineer with part of his asss-
| tants had taken of the small deck boats, and
before the ship went down, pulled away with about
| 1S persons.
To form raft it became necessary to get the only
remaining boat the life boat, into the water. This
being accomplished, Mr.. Dorian, the chief officer Of
the boat taking to keep the oars on board the
steamer, to prevent those in the boat from leaving
the ship pi occeded to work. still hoping to be able
to get the women and children board his boat at
last They had made considerable progress in col
| lectng spars, when the alarm was given that the
ship was sinking, and the boat was showed off with
out oars anything to hold themselves.
|
clock, P. NJ, the ship went down, carrying every
soul on board with her. l soon found myself on the
surface after brief struggle, with my own helpless
child in my arms, when again found myself impel.
ed downward to a great depth, and before reached
the surface q second time l had nearly perished
and lost the hold of my child as l struggled up
wards.
When got upon the surface of the water the
most awful and heart rending presented itsel
to my view. Over two hundred men, women and
children struggling together amid pieces OF the
wreck calling upon each other for help, and impor
ing God to assist them. Such appalling scene
may God preserve Inc from witnessing again.
Amid the struggling mass of human beings dis
covered my child, and was in the act of trying te
save him when portion Of the paddle box came
rushing up edgewards, just grazing my head, and
falling with all its weight upon the head OF my dar
ling child
then succeeded in getting on top of the paddle
box in company with eleven others. One, however
soon left for another piece, and others remained un
til relieved by DEATH We stood in water up to ouI
knees, the sea frequently breaking over US. We Sc
parated from our friends of the wreck and passed
the night each expecting every hour to be his last
The morning came, but not living soul could ot
seen but our own party, consisting of seven men
;. About noon, Mr. NJ Woodruff, of New York, wa
relieved by DEATH and all the others now began tt
suffer severely from the want of water except Geo
E. Allen and myself Night at last came on, thick
and dreary, with our minds made up that neither o
US would see the light of another day. Very soor
three more of our suffering party were relieved y
death, and Mr.. Allen, young man and myself wer'
4 all that were now left, and we were much exhaust
ed. We slept for while during the night, and be
! came somewhat refreshed.
About an hour before daylight on Friday. the 18th
we saw vessels light near us. We oil ezertet