, 1855-03-03
POAr TOWNSEND, Feb. goth, '55.

words. giving a slight account of the un
fortunate accident, by which the communi
ty is for time (may it be but short one, J
deprived Of q steamer on the Sound.
The Major Tompkins was wrecked on
Sunday morning at about one O'Clock; she
left Port Townsend at two o'clock P. NJ
Saturday, about midway the Straits, the
wind freshened into gale; but, confident
Of Capt Hunts skill, and the sea-worth
ness Of the vessel, no one on board felt the
slightest apprehension. Aswe approached
Victoria harbor, it grew so dark that the
Captain was unable to distinguish the en-,
trance. Convinced Of the fruitlessness OF
the attempt to enter, he bore away for Es.
qumalt, about two miles to the westward
1t was soon apparent that the ship could
not make head-yay against the storm and
tide, Notwithstanding all the steam was
raised that the boilers could bear; we were
fast surging towards lee-shore, and that
lee-shore, the oneNof all the most dreaded
"A mass of rocks, 6Yer which the sea was
breaking, with sound~t that told naught
human could live moment in its\waves-
never saw set of men behave better
than the passengers and crew,--ho inter
rupting the Captain or officers with hurried
exclamations or vain suggestions, but oil
stood quiet and calm on deck, ready to fol-
low out any directions that might be given,
assured that Capt. Hunt would do oil that
human hand could do, TO save both ship
and all on board. Both anchors were
cleared, aud let go as soon as We struck
soundings, under full head Of steam, in
tie hopes, by this means, she could be kept
I'D to her anchors, and ride out the gale
ill morning. 1t was soon evident that the
anchors were dragging, and go ashore we
must. We struck the breakers: the seas
commenced boarding her; the first took
the boat from of the davits, and dashed it
with demon howl against the rocks, into
thousand fragments. The next threw
the vessel on rock, with violence that
knocked every one off their feet. And now
commenced the test Of the vessels strength
on that alone depended every mans life
on board. The carpenter who built the
Tompkins did bis work thoroughly, for GER
tainly wood and iron never went through
stronger test. do not believe that any
ship that ever came into the Sound, except
nOucoAuy mah-Oi-WdAI VI uCCu duu blICllBIu-
ened as they are, could have stood more
than one such shock Imagine for mo-
ment vessel laying in among the breakers,
the spray dashing mast high, wetting every
one, even on the upper deck, clear fore and
oft, with every surge striking the vessel
against q rock, right under her center, and
ask yourself, how long could we expect it
to be before she would break in hall, and
60 TO pieces under US 7
Capt Hunt, as last hope, went forward,
at the risk Of being swept overheard, and
veered away the chain Of the portanchor,
90 that she might swing sufficiently round
to strike the large rocks just astern, that
we might get ashore by that means. 1t was
our last hope, and, slim as it seemed, il for
'unately was successful He gave us or
ders to stand by and watch the chance;- =
the next sea swept her stern: it struck
with q crash on ledge of rocks, which
held her for few moments, when we all
got ashore by means Of ropes and planks,
though some had very narrow escape
A few minutes after we had been ashore,
the vessel slid back again into deep water,
and broached to; the first sea that struck
her then swept the upper and lower cabin,
tho whole deck, clear to the bulwsrks,
was washed overheard. So you see how
barely we saved ourselves.
OF course, all baggage was lost, though
next morning some were so fortunate aSto
regain part Of theirs, by its being wash
ed ashore, or fished up from the wreck
We found, after we had been about an
hour ashore, that we had gone ashore on
McAuley's point, just at the entrance Of
Esquimelt. Two hundred yards further up
would have saved the ship, could she have
only made head-way for that distance
Mr.. McAuley and his wife did every
thing in their power to make us comforta.
bic, and scarcely know how to express
the feelings Of all Of our party towards him
for his extreme kindness and unbounded
hospitality. can only assure him that il
is appreciated as it ought to be. Singular
to say, we had just been reading the wreck
Of the Southerner, and reminded Capt. H
Of the statement Of some Of those attach
ed to her, in acknowledgment of his kind
ness, that if he ever got ship-wrecked, they
= trusted he would receive the same retnrn
Strange that the rescuer should be the next
one lostl Capt. Hunt replied that the
wish had been more than fulfilled. have
already made this much longer than in
tended. Mr.. Fuller will give you the 9th
er particulars.
Gov. Douglass kindly placed the steam
er Beaver at our disposal, and to him and
Capt. Dodd we are under obligations
Capt. d. sent the engineer, Mr. Johnstone
down to the wreck the next morning, where
he worked for three days in saving the ma
chinery.
And now, one word about Capt. Hum
and have done, and 1 only say this much
more, because fair, even-handed justice, de
mands it.
No human foresight could have anticipa
ted this disaster. Capt. Hunts active en-
erpv and nntirinU nerseverance in the on