Monmouth weekly herald. [volume] (Freehold, N.J.) 1854-1860, 1855-02-14
WRECK OF THE ARGYLE ON
SnuAN REACH.

there was also q passenger on board
making eleven persons altogether only
one Of whom escaped On the 9th of
January they came within sight Of the
American coast, and the weather being
tolerablT-fair for this season of tile year,
they expected to make port in day orI
two at the utmost.~ On the afternoon of
the 28th, Sunday the wind freshened
and they were obliged to put the vessel
under single reefed topsails. AT this
time she was going at the rate OF five
knots
About IL o'clock the cry of breakers
ahead reused the crewsfor the first time
to a senscvof the danger, and every effort
was made to alter her course. 1t was
useless, however; for three or four minutes
after the alarm given she struck, and be-
came utterly manageable. So sudden
was the shock that the crew were unable
to get out the boats, and were obliged to
leave the deck and seek safety in the rig
ging. The waves now began to break
over her With terrific force, tearing away
the boats from their fastenings.
They Old see the shore indistinctly,
about dGSE1 hundred yards bf, but as
they could not venture on deck for the
purpose Of forming a raft they were com
PEELED to remain in the rigging, hoping
that the long wished for morning might
bring them some assistance. The passen-
ger, who was Scotchman, and one of the
hands, a boy of about sixteen years old,
were swept overheard with the same wave
which carried away the boats. The sur
viyors, with one exception, dashed them
selves to the masts, and he was the only
person Of the whole crew who was saved.
This man, whose statement we give below,
held on by his hands in the fortop; and
after an exposure of fourteen hours on the
wreck succeeded in reaching the land by
swimming.
Atlength after six terrible hours of ago
ny and suffering, during which they were
drenched with spray and exposed to the
piercing winter wind, the day began to
break, and they saw vessel about half
mile from them. They made signals and
were answered, but whatever hope they
might have entertained when they first OBJ
served her vanished, as she proceeded on
her course without taking any further no
tice Of them. 1t was in fact impossible to
give them any assistance, situated as they
were in the midst of the breakers. No at
tempt, however, was made, and they now
watched the shore with the most intense
anxiety, as their last hope.
They were soon gratiied with the sight
of man; and in less than half an hour
after there were some twenty or thirty on
the beach. They had been observed by
some person connected with the lighthouse
who obtained all the assistance he could.
At this time there were nine men on the
wreck, and it was believed that if rope
communication could be made between it
and the shore, that they could be made
The mortar was accordingly brought out
and a ball. with rope attached, fired
over the vessel. One Of the crew succeed
ed in Selling it, and was proceeding to
make it fast to one of the masts, when,
from song oa4se, it gave way, and all sub
sequent attempts to establish communi-
cation failed.
It is said that this failure was attribu-
table to some defect in the mortar or the
other apparatus. Asst was impossible to
save them by this means, one Of the per-
sons on the shore volunteered to go if any
others would accompany him; but there
were none daring enough to venture their
lives. All but this brave fellow consider
ed it impossible to get through the surf,
which was thrown to the height of ten or
twelve feeton the beach, and he. was ac-
cordingly forced to remain a passive spec
tator to the terrible scene before him.
About Il o'clock one Of the sailors fell
from his placeson the foretop. and, striking
on the deck, was killed. He was after
wards found on the beach with the front
part of his skull broken in. The man who
was saved vas observed several times in
the act of undressing and dressing again,
but did notEenture to leave the vessel till
about 2 O'Clock, after fourteen hours ex-
posure. TAen, without any article of
dress upon him, except a pair Of cotton
drawers, he leaped into the sea and made
for the beach which he succeeded in reach
ing after struggle of twenty minutes with
the waves, during which he frequently
disappeared from the sight of those on
shore.
AS he was lcompletely exhausted, how
ever, he would doubtless have been swept
away by thesreceding waters had not one
Of the spectators gone into the surf, with
a rope fasteRd round his waist, and helped
him out. He was taken Immediately to
the house of Mrs. Betsy Chapman, about
half mile distant, where he received
proper care and attention. An hour or
so after, the captain, evidently emboldened
by the success that attended the first at
tempt, was seen making preparation to
leave the wreck. Deliberately taking off
his coat and boots, he descended the rig
cling, and running along the side Of the
vessel ;uanssA1 into the sea as far as he
was able.
AS he appeared to be powerful man it
was thought that he would succeeded in
reaching the shore safely; and this thought
was confirmed, as they saw him about half
way from the vessel struggling with una
bated vigor. Their hopes were soon dis
PEELED, however, as they saw him over
whelmed by huge wave, after which he
was seen no more till his body was thrown
up by the sea upon the beach amid the
fragments Of the wreck.
The vessel now began to break up, and
the poor sufferers, exhausted by cold and
long exposure, fell off one by one, until
only five were left. There they were with
in three hundred yards Of the shore; but
those who saw them dare not venture to-
their assistance, as the waves continued
to run high, and it was impossible for any
boat to clear the surf. Before night closed