The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1856-11-25
AWFUL CALAMITY AT SEA.
One hundred and thirty Tires supposed
In he list

| to be lost.
Another terrible calamity at sea, not I'M
ike that of the iIl-fatcd steamship Arctic,
took place on the I'd inst. The steamer
LIE Lyonnais, Capt. De Walk, sailed from
New York on the LIST inst, with thirty mine
cabin passengers, a number of storage
passengers, and a crew numbering alto
gether about 154 souls. She also had on
board $4,000 in specie. The New York
Herald of Saturday has the following ac-
count of her less :
On the night of Sunday the Cd inst, while
in a dense fogsthe ship run into by
an unknown vessel, and her stern cut clean
off. Nothing more was seen of the I'M
known vessel, and it is probable that she
went down Immediately.
Not so with LIE Lyonnais, she remained
with her after part full of water and her
bow high out of the water. All hands staid
by the wreck until the next day, when it
was abandoned. The ship was provided
with six boats, only one of which was a
life boat. That boat only has been heard
from.
On the morning of Monday, after it was
resolved to abandon the wreck, q raft was
constructed, and about forty persons. in
Guiding passengers, probably the storage
passengers took refuge upon it. 1t is the
opinion of the second officer that this raft
could not have lived through the rough
weather that succeeded this day-that it
| I L hot
all the persons on board were lost. There
is room for hope that some friendly sail
might have rescued them.
In another boat was the commander with
some of the passengers. The boat was we'll
provided with provisions, compasses, &c.
1t was the intention of the captain to pull
for Montauk Point. This boat has not been
| heard from.
Another boat contained the second mate,
Laynirc, and the second engineer, Desfour
several of the crew and passengers. This
is the only boat heard from so far.
The list then, is, saved sixteen missing
and probably lost, one hundred and thirty.
| We have no account of the other five
boats, and the raft, save that which is given
above.
STATEMENT OF MR. LAGUAIRE SECOND
MATE OF THE LYONNAIs.
We left New York Saturday, Nov. 1, at
I2 o'clock. All went on pleasantly until
II o'clock on Tuesday night, Nov. 4, So
miles to be northward of light on Nan
| tucket Shoals, when, just Immediately after
the passengers and many of the crew had
retired, leaving the watch on deck, three
masted vessel was observed bearing down
upon us.
We did all in our power to avoid q col
lision with her, by ringing our bells and
blowing our steam whistle to warn her of
our vicinity; but before we could head off
she struck us amidships, tearing out an
entire square of the plate iron-The water
rushed in with great force; and although
every effort was made to stop the hole by
plugging it with mattresses, quilts, pillows,
&C., it was discovered that the water was
| gaining upon US very rapidly.
Half an hour had hardly elapsed ere the
fires in the furnaces were quenched. The
steam pumps having previously become
choked with coal, were of little service in
freeing the ship. All on board were seized
with panic, and it was with difficulty that
the captain could calm the fears of the pas
sengers, and induce the crew to bail the
ship. He finally succeeded in mastering
the crew together, and with the aid of the
passengers, who formed in bailing parties,
rugged a cable in the hold, and by this means
was able to reach the water.
The passengers and crew worked hero
ically, until worn out, and finding the wa
ter gaining on them rapidly, at an early
hour the following morning (Monday) they
commenced constructing raft, and by
O'Clock, P. NJ. it was finished.
At this time the vessel was sinking rapid
ly, and at 5 o'clock, five boats, (the ships
complment) were launched and quickly
filled with passengers. The Captain gave
direction to those in the boats to steer north
ward. The boats, however, were unpro-
vided with compasses, and badly provision
ed the water in the ship having spoiled
the bread and other provisions could not be
obtained from the storeroom on account of
the storm. Hardly had two of the boats
left the steamship than they went down, and
those who were on board endeavored to
reach the raft, which was crowded with
about fifty persons. Many, in their efforts
to preserve their lives in this death struggle,
sank to rise no more. Of the forty-fve or
fifty persons in these boats, at least two
| thirds were drowned.
had proceeded some little distance to-
wards these unfortunate sufferers, and with
my boat tried to reach them, but not having
any oars or even any thing that would serve
as paddle, was obliged to leave them to
fate. Night coming, lost sight of the
other two boats and the raft. By the dim
| light the night afforded 1 saw the steamship
some distance off, but gradually lost sight
of her. left the captain on board the YES