The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-03-17


INTERESTING NARRATIVE BY CAPTAIN POND SAIL
ING FROM gYDNEY-UNPLEAsANr wEArHER-A
vIGILANT wArcH-sTRIxIN0 ON TRR CORAL
RKEF-TBE SCENE ON B0ARD-sAvINS or THE
PEoPLE-fIvE SWEPT OFF--THE VESSEL GONE TO
PIECBs-wANr OF FOOD AND wArER-LANDISG
ON AN IsLAND-AANAGEMENr OF THE cOMxIs
sARIAr-w0REIN0 AT BOAT FOR ESQ APE-DIS
APPOINTMENT LAUNCH AND LANDING AT BORA
BORA VOYAGE TO TAHITI AND FINAL SAFETY OF
THE PAssENGERS-CAPrANP POND At CALLAO. q
The following thriliog narrative Of the loss Of the
American bark julia Aan, from the pen OF Captain Pond
her Is contained letter addressed to his
ather, Doctor James O. Pond, Of this city II will be
found TO contain AL the melancholy incidents attending
the catastrophe which have been carefully noted and
ably described -
LIMA, PERU, Feb. 0, 1856.
Doubtless this you have experienced very great
anxiety At the arrival of the Jahs Ann, and am
happy to be enabled by the mercy of God, to relieve
your apprehension
We sailed from Sydney Friday, the TIL Of September
last with 6fty-sx souls board men, and chill
dren. The day seemed very unproptious and gloomy,
and before anchor weighed It commenced
blowing and raining and In getting out of the harbor
met with very many annoying accidents.
TIE first two weeks at altogether exceedingly
unpleasant, head winds. accompanied with much rain
We however, entered the southeast trades and every
thing again Frightened promising speedy and pleasant
voyage.
Twenty days out, October 8, WAS the Look
out fer low land ali day and carried press Of sail in
der up and pass certain dangerous islands before
night At SHUTDOWN no coald be from the royal
yard and Judged y self at least thirty mi past them
(and after my arrival at Bora Bora fad that was
corrsct). However, in compliance with my usual GUS
tom of prscaution when In the vicinity Of reefs
islands at O'Clock charged Captain Coffin to have
good Lookout kept and went below to get rest.
had been in the cabin no. half hour when
the alarming cry of lizard down the he, - was heard
sprang to my ieet, but my heart failed me, ~ was
nearly threwn upon the floor of The cabin BY the violent
striking the ship aud before could reach the deck she
was humping hard
On deck the scene terrific, II blowing trade
gale high running, the vessel was in toe
breakers of coral reel, and no land in sight. ia
stsnty there no hope for the ship and very
little rr the lives Of those board however, kept
sail he vessel to her high up possible
the reef and then cut away the nsts to relieve her
frcm the immense strain.
Aao the lives of those on board we're nay first
care and the prospect gloomy enough assure You.
The was making complete breach over the snip.
she had ahen on her beamends seAwarc and htsatan
ed TO break up instantly. Tiers Was TO land IN sight,
and dry rock visible upon the reef One OF our
quarter boats store when she first struck en-
deavored to only remaining boat but soon
broke adrif The davits and plunged heedlong
the The second rate and thrse or four OF the
sailors noby plunged after her, The b,a stove and
reef together, Mr. OweDs the second officer very bad
ly injured anc disabled f,om further exsrtons.
by swimming with small lie. One Of the sailors
nsar stripped the log line was attached to hts BODY
and he succeeded in SWIMMING to the reef under the lee
formed by the vessel. By this means larger line
hauled to the reef and made last to the rocks.
small ftr hauling line also rcve, and COM
meDoed the arduors of placing tbs and emil
Dire uOn
took woman or chid in his Arms and was hauled 10
the reef BY thote sre,dy there ard then hauled bsck
iDgJy arduous ore and attended vita much peril; bit
boats had they BOT been destroyed woud have been
useless in such surf among the rocks, and il was the
only mems left for u.s.
In the meantime the vessel was lsbo.iDg and thurnp
ing in most fearful aud Il almost mpossi
bie to ctrg to the iron rafting upon 'he quarter deck
One two persons had already been hurled far seward
by the awful thrces of the ship Tie passengers
collected in tbs after cabin, VIII they compelled 70
remaip though TIE sea breaches in aud naE filled it,
presented themselves their names were called to be
passed shore upon the rope.
There was 10 confusion; up to the last all wee sub
servient my orders But the scene rapidly drew to
crisis
The vessel had ALLEN off the reef than doubs
her distance the rope attached to the strsch
to its utmost tension the hauling line hld parted for
Il third time; the ali the reef, excepting
the rst officer ard yss and after repeated efforts to
join TIE attempt abandoned. At every surge Of
the expesed the vessel would turn bottom up
large families still remained her. wi h Captain C,in
ana myself five hsd been drowned two washed off the
Geek and three out Of the csbn the had broken in
the forward part and was vita the utmost difficulty
these remaining to try ard get to the resi- the rope
lore 1t partedt desperate but only, chance for
life. The women aud children could not, and the men
shcupk back from the "a wing gulf as IRON certain
death. Captain Coffin and determined to take 1t, how
ever We threw ourselves upon the rope, Toe vessel
broke u !os'uI,tey y !, psovse-seat We al
querce most proyidentialy saved
When she broke in two the cargo (of eoaD must havs
cargo and fore part hsrgpg seawsrd, righed and was
thrown high up the reef and the remaining passen
gers easily escaped on fos ing spars.
0u- situation the reef can be better imagined than
described It about eleven O'Clock at night WI ea all
landed up to waists in water, and the
toe rising Seated upon spars and broken pieces Q, the
wreck, We patie atty awaited the momentous future.
Wrapped in wet blanket picked up among the floating
spsrs seated myself 10 the BOAT the water reaching to
bruised by the coral. Though death threatened
mornings dawn exhausted nature could bear up NJ
orger, and slept soundiy. sas near morning. WHEN
aw.ke. The up and shed her faint light ever
the crmal the sulen Of the breakers sent an
ADDITIONAL chin through ny already beaumbed frame
The bell At the wheel with every surge Of the sea- sl
toled kpe to the departed and naught else but the
rspgs bereaved mother broke t,e stiffness of the
night, indicated life among that thrcng OF human
during the long hours Of that weary nignt the
iron had entered their souls and the awful solemnity OF
their situate n wae broode1 over 10 silence,
Al mornings dawn low islands discovered, DIS
tsnt about ten miles Again all WAS activity. imne
dstely Sc. about patching up the bat whilst Others
col eced spars and Drift stuff 10 form a RAFT ~h,cn to
place the women and children. little after
started for the land, though bcat would scarcely
doat.
The first is and on which we landed presented q very
barren appearance. II covered with the bau'ant
tree; hirts seemed plentiful and very tame but afer
dgent search, water fruit or vegetables could De
found.
We proceeded to another and nothing Blu. disappont
ment awaited ua water madly sought tor il vain
and late in the afternoon returned disappointed and
unsuccessful, TO companens on the roef
placed the women and cnIldren the boat and sent
them charge of Captain Coffin to the Land, while the
rest Of aimed the reef for the second night
small raft had been formed but not large enough tor all
sit upon Gray hairs plenufuily tprnkied upon my
head attest the misery Of these two nights spent ups
that lal rect.
Early the morning of the second day Capt. Coffin
turned with the boat i'm iarely dispatched
him again in search of water, for the Of which
early Vanishing; while the rest Of commenced
In earnest preparing couple OF rat wnch placed
what provisions and clothing couli be collected. We
PICKED UP several bags of -four barrel Of bread
beans and peas, abont ten O'Clock male attempt
reach the island by wading along the reel rats In