The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1855-05-26
WRECK OF THE SHIP LIVING AGE.


The following account Of the loss of the clipper
ship Living Age, OF Boston, is from the Boston Al.
las, and is the substance of letter from Captain
Holmes to her owners.
"The ship Living Age sailed from Woosunp On
Thursday morning, the 28th December for New
York. We had thick rainy weather with strong
breezes from the northward and eastward, increa-
sing occasionally to fresh gales and were not able
to take any observations. At 5 O'clock on Monday
morning, the lst OF January, we Judged ourselves
in the latitude OF the Prata Shoals 25 miles to the
westward OF them, the chip Steering SSW., eoin.
III : knots, when she struck with tremendous
force on reef, and brought up Instantly, The sea
breaking over her stern, carried away the boats,
swept the decks of everything not Iashed down
and unshipped the rudder, tearing the tiller down
through the poop deck, where it tore away every
thing IL came in contact with, the rudder swung
from side to side. The stern was stove In by the
force of the sea- aud the ship filed away and fell on
her lsrboard side
When daylight appeared, ss the after part of the
ship was fast breaking up, 6ll hands were EMPLOYED
to tighten the ship forward, by throwing over
the chain cables, and everything we could get at
The fore rigging was cut away and the mast fell
over the side. This llghtened the forward part of
the ship 80 much that she was forced further on
the rect, SO that the bow was 10 9 feet of water
The heavy sea filling up over the stern, tore it TO
pieces and she settled down ait. For some days
the sea continued to make complete breach over
the ship tearing out the bulwarks and sweeping
away the cabin and house on deck.
On ednesday it cleared up, and q small island
was seen distant about miles All of US lived under
the topgailsnt forecaste and were employed by day
in building small Loaf from pieces of the buwsrks
and other materials; also raft of spars and planks
On Saturday, the weather having become more
derate, the boat and raft launched and loaded
with provisions; the mate and nine men succee ded
In getting them throuRh the breakers apd safely
landed on the island, They were unable to return
to the ship for three days They found well of
b.ackish water, but the island was barren and un-
inhabited The boat and raft gain loaded with
provision and got to the island the 18TH expect.
ing to return the next day, but the weather becom
ing boisteEous, prevented them from coming back
until the 9Th of February, more than three weeks
after. During that time we had built another boat
and raft, and the weather being moderate that dsy
sll hands, including Mrs Holmes, left the ship with
as nsoy provisions could carry, and landed the
next day on the island.
Before leaving the wreck. an glish ship was cast
away on the reef about nihe miles from u.s. and the
crew were seen to leave her in the long boat steer
ing towards the coast of China. This proved after
wards to be the ship TEN Bowlne. from Shanghai
to London. They landed on a small island not far
from Hong Kong, when they wsre attacked by ri
rates and the captain and murdered except two
men who had concealed themseives and afterwards
succeeded in getting to Hong Kong
Some few days after we land ed from the wreck
chip passed in sight and seeing the wreck and peo-
pie on the Island making signals Of distress attempt
ed to rescue Us, but received much injury in ap-
pToschlrg the island that abs obliged to aban-
don us and bear away towards Manila. The shores
Of the Island AtreWp with pieces of wreck and
no doubt many missng. vessels, bound to and from
China, have besn lost thsre, Finding a small Chi
boat, which had dEiftsd the island we fitted
it up in the best way couldi and on the 18th 0 f
February, tha mate with four men, embarked in il
for Hong Kong, whsre they arrived safely on the
l7th One OF her MajeBty's steamers was mediate
oiatey despatched to rescue, snd to search for
the crew OF the Tom Bowline But, in the mean
time the ship that had sndeavored to rescue US az
rived at Manila, whers the British steamer Shan
ghsi, Capt. Monroe, ready to depart for Hong Kong
edateiy proceeds TO sea- and kindly touched at
the Island on the 10Th February, to relieve us We
we're treated with the greatest kindness by Captain
Munroe and his officers in aiding to get the
steamer from the Island, and while We were on
bosrd of her, for which they will always have the
heartfelt gratitude of all of Before getting on
board the ohSnghal, enother steamer move IN sight,
which proved to be the man-of war steamer sent
from Hong Kong to relief As we passed the
wreck OF the Living A ga could see thst her
decks were broken and the packages of tea wash
ins out of her. We were safely landed at Hong
Kong the 10Th February, the 5lst day after
shipWTeck.