The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-04-17

Terrible sanexang ~ the Omcers and Grow
~ the Ship VIVA Laytin-etatsmhn or Cap


Terrible sunsring ef the Omcers and Grew
az the ship WIN. Laytin-stassmhnt OF Cap
tain Tucker, &C.,
One Of the most remarkable instances Of preservation
from shpwreck ct has just happened in the loss Of
the ship VIM Laytin. This vesssone of the stsunch-
and best that sails from this porput to see ON the
10th Of February last eighted with rich and assorted
cargo, bound for Antwerp On the Goth Of February
severe gale, which lasted for days. completely
wrecked the vessel and dashed her floating and help
less hull the captain and crew passed six days and
nights without single drop Of fresh water and without
. mouthful to eat, excepting single rat that
found swimming about the wreck, and which for
tunatsly caught and shared among the sufferers.
The following statement Of this disastrous wreck and
wonderful preservation Of most Of the crew, has been
furnished Ms by Mr.. Tucker, the commander Of the
ship -
STATEMENT OF CAPTAIN TUCKER.
The ship William Laytn sailed from this port, bound
to Antwerp, under my command, the 18th Of Febru
airy last. She was loaded with rsh cargo, consisting
Of cotton -four and provisions At the time Of sailing
there board twenty two persons including off,
and crew. The ship William Laytin q
sell having been built and launched In Williamsburg not
much over year ago. She was well built, and as
staunch vessel sails out of the port Of New York.
Our voyage fair and for four days after
departure, but the Goth Of February we
tered Of the severest gales that sweeps the
We at the time Of this gale In latitude 80 north and
longitude 80 west Preceding the gale calm which
lasted for hours and during which ship made
but little, II any Roadway This the morning o.
the goth Of February. Following this calm the
hurricane, which dismantled my ship making her per-
feet wreck, and entailing upon myself and my crew
period ofsuerng hardly equaed in the most disastrous
and perous stories Of the The wind from the
north. east, and with it came heavy dangerous sea.
The order at given to take in SAIL which order
promptly complied with. The ship was hove to un-
der her main spencer and the head Of reef spanker In
this condition she remained Houndering and rolling In
the sea- which making at times clean breach over
her decks and threatening sweep away everything on
board. We all kept up our sprts relying upon the
of all safe at last. In these expectations all
doomed to the most painful disappointment.
Of the tempest, the ship suddenly and unexpectedly
sunk forward until her decks about level with the
upon her beam ends Our last and only resort at
this most trying unctnre Of affairs was to cut away the
Is as S M three
clearing the hull it righted again. much the relief Of
AL The cause Of the ship pitching forward in the
up again. after losing her masts still in con-
dtion truly perous and apparently hopeless Deprived
head to the wind and sea, she aoated helpless hull
swept fore and aft with almost every wave In about
five minutes after the ship from her beam ends she
deck midshp house. all our boats and four OF shps
company being three Of the and the stewardess
Coster and William Brown the two lost men.
NotbiIg now remained above the matches but the
took shelter each one feeling that he might be Gem
PEELED to follow those already gene For better
security each Of us dashed ourselves to tine wreck
with whatever Of the rigging ships ropes could
get hold Of This alone from being swept away
In this condition, tied to the wreck and constantly
drenched and almost smohered with preaching seas we
remained six long and nights each minute OF which
was almost an eternity Of agony We unable to
loosen ourselves stir about the ship fear being
carried overheard. We waited but waited in vain for
lull in the sea or tempest. The Hrst day past at
i..snss and nd we were weak with hunger The second
sufIerirgs Insignificant in comparison. The third
day, and our thirst and hunger together
held in tortuHs but little short of pains Of hell
itself. Death at this time would hsve been relief In
the meantime the matches of the ship had burst open
and the cargo was floating around but none of the
provisions within our reach
The knowledge that our shp'e hold full of prov
sadss w ans % ON
pains the potash in the ship dssovng and making
ley that was eating into our flesh. Having water,
We each took piece Of cold lead into mouths and
chewing this kept mouths moist and found to
be great relief At this period Of suerings rat
Of the sailors, It was captured Never did hunter
secure his with greater satisfaction than did the
seaman secure this drowning rat The rat was shared
With better relish. All that had in addition to this
rat were the boots and shoes upon our which
mostly used of the time Of On the third
day Of our sueringon the 25th of February vessel
hove in sight and all elated with the prospects
Of relief In this, however, again disappointed.
This vessel the rame of which do not remember,
within hailng distance of us, and speaking the
captain assed HIM to send boat. The reply was,
he could do nothing for us; and leaving to fate
We were compelled to see this vessel sail away from
The running very high at the time this vessel
spoke but to have laid to and waited for calm,
to have made thow of disposition to help u.s.
thought not too much to expect When this vessel
was beyond sight all hope seemed surely gone. Still
all the kept up their spirits indeed they did
remarks able degree during the whole period OF taeir
suffering. During all this time the weather cold
enough to make ice What was most remarkable after
the third cay our hunger seemed to abate.
On the 9th and sixth days OF the said they
did not feel much the want Of food they did the
third day. This the feeling of most not all OF us.
came The 9th day came and with it succor-ou this
day hailed by the bark Sylph, Capt. Hellox,
from Guadaoupe, bound to st Peters, Newfoundland.
This vessel spoke and learning situatiou proms-
cd to lay BY till the storm abatee 1t still blew gale,
and the very heavy. This promise revived US.
During the night of the fifth day Of sueriugs-the
9th of February-the Sylph drifed away from and
orr feelings when the next morning dawred up, and
again sho we'd nothing within but the tenn
pestuous ocean. Capt. Helox however, upon ascer
tanning, on the morning OF the 2sth that he had |
carry and the search for u.s. He was
full and found after few hours Search and at 10
O'Clock on the mernng OF the 2sth taken from
our lashDgs and taken on board the Sylph. When
still famed One Vf the crew, when taken
from bis prison Of ropes, lost his toes which dropped
from him as he was lifted from the ship. The potash
I've had the feet Of the sufferer to this effect
cannot speak highly Of the coaduct of Capt Helox
and his when received board his Every
attention was soown and every comfort at hand
freely extended We lett the huh of the wm. lay
tin floating in the ocean, with her decks about level
with the water