Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1854-10-31
LOSS OF THE ARCTIC.

banks in latitude 46:45 with long SO west, steer.
ing by the compass. Generally distance of Is
to 34 of a mile could be seen, but at intervals OF
few minutes, very dense fog followed by
being sufficiently clear to see one or two miles.
| At noon left the deck for the purpose OF
working out the position of the ship. In about
| fifteen minutes heard cry of ''hard a star
board" from the officer of the deck. l rushed
on deck and had just got out when l felt crash
| forward, at the same moment saw steamer un-
der the starbOard boat, and the next moment she
struck against our guards and passed astcrn of
us. The bows of the strange vessel seemed to be
literally cut crashed off, for full ten feet, and
it seemed that she must sink in few minutes, and
taking hasty glance at our own ship, and be-
lieving that we were comparatively uninjured, my
first impulse was to endeavOr to save the lives of
those on board the sinking vessel.
The boats were cleared, and the first officer and
six men left with one boat, when it was found
our own ship was leaking fearfully. The engn-
ecrs were set to work, instructed to put on the
steam pumps, and the four deck pumps were
worked bv the passengers and crew. The ship
was headed for land, which judged to be about
fifty miles distant. WAS compelled to leave my
boat and crew with the first officer to take care
of themselves.
Several Intellectual attempts were made to stop
the leak by getting sails over the bows, and find
ing tho leak gaining very fast, nOtwithstand-
ing all our very powerful efforts to keep her free,
| resolved to get the boats ready, and as many
ladies and children placed in them possible
but no sooner had the attempt been made than
the firemen and others rushed into them in spite
of opposition.
Seeing this state of things, ordered the boats
astern to be kept in readiness until order should
be restored, when, to my dismay, saw them cut
the rope in the bow, and disappear astern in the
fog. Another boat was broken down by persons
rushing at the davits, and many persons precipi-
tated into the sea and drowned. This occurred
while had been engaged in getting the starboard
guard boat ready, and placed the Cd officer in
charge, when the same fearful scene as with the
first boat was enacted men leaping from the top
Of the rail 20 feet; pushing and manning those
who were in the boat.
then gave orders to the Cd officer to let 90
and row after the ship under near the stern, to
be ready and take on board woman and children
as soon as the fires out and the eng ines stop
ped. Ny attention was then directed to the
other quarter boat which found broken down
but hanging by the tackle A rush was made for
her also, and some dozen or fifteen got in and
cut the tackle. 1t was soon out of sight.
In the mean time | found that not a seaman
was left on board, nor a carpentcr and without
any tools to assist us, built raft as our only
hope and the only officer left was Mr. Doran, the
Sd officer, who aided me, with the assistance of
many of the passengers, who also deserve great
praise for their GOODNESS and energy in doing all
they could, up to the very moment before the ves-
sci sunk.
The chief engineer, with part of his assistants
had taken our smallest deck boat, and before the
ship went down pulled away with about fifteen
persons. We had succeeded in getting the fall
and mainyard and two top-gallant yards over
board, and such other small spars and materials
as we could collect, when | was fully convinced
that the ship must 30 down in very short time.
Not moment was to be lost in getting the spars
lashed together to form a raft--to do which it be-
came necessary to get the lifcbOat-our only re-
mining boat-intO the water.
This being accomplished, saw Mr.. Doran, chief
engineer of the boat, taking to keep the oars
on board to prevent them from leaving the ship,
hoping still to get most of the women and child
reg in this boat, at least They had I'm .de consd-
cradle progress in collecting the spars, when an
alarm was given that the ship was sinking, and
the boat was showed off without oars or anything
to help themselves with, and when the ship sank
the boat lad got probably an Sth of mile to
lccward, and in an instant, about quarter to five
p. NJ, the ship went down, carryingcvery soul on
board with her. | soon found myself on the sur
face, after brief struggle, with my own helpless
child in my arms.
| soon found myself impelled downward to a
great depth, and before reached the surface, had
nearly perishcd, and lost hold of my child. AS
| struggled to the surface of the water, most
my view, Over 2O) men, women and children.
struggling together amid pieces of wreck of every
kind, calling on each other for help, and mplor-
ing Gcd to help them. Such an appalling scene
may God preserve me from witnessing again.
l was in the act of trying TO save my child,
when portion of the paddle box came rushing up
cdgways, just grazing my head, and falling its
whole weight upon the head of my darling child
In another moment bched him life.ess on the
the water.
Succeeded in getting on to the top of the pad
die box in company with eleven others. One,
however, soon left for another piece, finding that
it could not support so many. Others remained
till they were one by one relieved by death. We
stood in water at the temperature Of 45, up to
oar knees, and frequently the sea broke directly
over us.
We separated from our friends on the
other parts of the wreck, and passed the night
each one of us expecting every hour would be Oul
last. At last the wished for morning came, sur
rounded with dense fog; not living soul to be
seen but our own party, seven being now left.
In the course of the morning, we saw some
water casks and other things belonging to oul
ship, but nothing that we could get, or afford us
any relief. Our raft was steadily settling, as it
| absorbed water. About noon Mr.. S. NJ. Wood.
| ruff, of New York, was relieved by death. AL
the others now began to suffer very severely fol
want Of water, except Mr.. George F. Allen anG
nNSeu. III tlaG reSpeCG we Wcre very mucH
vored, although we had not drop on the raft
The day continued foggy, except just at noon, a;
near as we could judge. We had a clear horizon
for about half an hour, and nothing could be
seen but water and sky. Night came on, thick
and dreary, with our minds made up that neither
of us would live to see the light of another day
for very soon three more of our suffering part,
were relieved by death, leaving Mr.. Allen, youne
man and myself.
Feeling myself getting exhausted, l now sal
down for the first time about O'Clock in the eve
ming on trunk, which provdentially had beer
found on the wreck. In this way l slept little
throughout the night, and became somewhat re
freshed. About an hour before daylight, nov
Friday the Doth, we saw vessels light, near t
US. We all three exerted ourselves with the ut
most of our strength in hailing, until we became
quite exhausted. In about quarter of an hou
the light disappeared to the east of US.
Soon after daylight barque hove in sight tt
the n. w., as the fog having lightened a little
steering apparently for US, but in a short tm'
she seemed to have changed her course, and agail
we were doomed to disappointment. Yet fee
hopes that some of our fellow sufferers have beeI
seen and saved by them.
Shortly after we had given up all hopes of be
ing rescued by the barque, ship was discovered
to the east of us, steering directly for US. W.
now watched her with the most intense anxiety a
she approached; the wind varying, caused her Il
change her course several points. About moor
they fortunately discovered man on raf
near them and succeeded in saving him by the q
mates jumping over the side and making rop'
fast around him, by which he was got on boart