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


ANN
INTERESTING NARRATIVE BY CAPTAIN POND SAIL
INC IRON Observation-Disclosures wEArHER-A
vTGILANr wArCH-srRIKrN0 ON THE CORAL
PE0PLE-FIvE SWEPT 0FF-THB VESSEL GONE TO
PIECBs-wANr OF FOOD AND wArER-LANDING
ON AN IsLAND-MANAGEMENT OF THE cOAAIs
sARIAT-WORKIN0 At BOAT FOR ESQ APE-DIs.
APPOINTMENT LAUNCH AND LANDING AT BORA
BORA VOYAGE TO TAHITI AND FINAL SAFETY OF
THE PAssEN0ERs-CAPTAM POND AT CALLAO. g
The following thrilling narrative of the loss Of the
American bark Julia Am, from the pen OF Captain Pond
her ID contained letter addressed to his
father, Doctor James o. Pond Of this city It will be
found TO contain all the melancholy incidents attending
the catastrophe which have been carefully noted and
are ably described -
LIMA, PERU, Feb. 0, 1856.
Doubtless ere this you have experienced very great
anxiety at the arrival Of the Julia Ann, and am
happy to DO enabled by the mercy Of God, to relieve
your apprehension.
We sailed from Sydney Friday the 7h Of September
last with ffysx souls board, men, women and chill
dren. The day seemed very unproptious and gloomy,
and before our anchor was weighed 1t commenced
blowing and raining and in getting out Of the harbor
met with very many annoying secidents.
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 on the laok
for low land ali day. and carried press Of sail in
der up and pass certain dangerous islands before
night At shutdown land could be nom the royal
yard and Judged y self at least thirty mi past them
(and after my arrival at Bora Bora And that was
correctly. However, In compliance with my usual GUS
tom Of precaution when In the vicinity Of reefs
Islands, at O'Clock charged Captain Coffin to have
good lookout kept and went below to get rest.
i had been in the cabin not over half hour, whom
the alarming cry Of Hard down the helm % heard
sprang to my eet, but my heart failed me, As WAS
nearly thrown upon the floor of the cebn by the violent
striking ship and before could reach the deck abe
was thnm ping hard
On deck the scene wss critic. 1t blowing trade
gale high sea was running, the vessel was in the
breakers Of e coral reef, and land in sight. in
stsntly saw there hope for the ship and very
little fer the lives Of those board however, kept
sail he vessel to forse her high up possible
the reef and then cut away the nsts to relieve her
And now the lives of those board nay first
care, and the prospect gloomy enough assure yon
The sea was making complete breach over tbs ship.
ed to break up instantly. There no land IN sight,
dry rock visible upon the rect. One of our
deavored TO only remaining boat, out soon
broke adr from the davits and plunged headong into
the sea- The second uate and thrae or 1our OF the
sailors noby plunged after her The boat was stove and
turned DO up, and they were all thrown upon the
reef together, Mr. oweus the second officer, very bad
ly injured anc disabled from further exsrtons.
nov called for q volunteer to attempt to reach the
by swimming with small lice. One of the sailors
instantly stripped the log line attsched to his BODY
and he succeeded in swimming to the reef the lee
formed by the vessel. By this means larger line
hauled to the reef and made fast to the rocks
small one ftr hauling line also rove, and COM
mepoed the arduors Of placing the and chill
dIen upon the reef sailor in . sling upon the rope
the BY thoee s,e,dy there and then hauled bsck
again by myself and Others The process exceed
iDgy arduous ore, ana attended VITA Hnsh pera bit
boats bad they BOT been destroyed would have been
useless in such surf among the rocks and it was the
only mems left for u.s.
In the meantime the vessel was lsbo,ipg and thump-
ing in most fearful and l. almost mpossi
bic 10 chg to the iron railing upon the quarter deck.
One two persons had already been hurled far seward
by the awful thrces OF the snip TIE passengers
collected in the after cabin VIII they compelled to
remain though the tes preached in and halt filled it, and
themselves az their names we're called to be
passed sshore upon the rope.
There was confusion; up to the last all were sub
servient to my ders But the scene rapidly drew to
crisis.
The vessel had fallen off the reef to than double
her dstsHce the rope attached to the stretch
to its utmost tension the hauling line hid parted for
Il third time the ali the reef, excepting
the first officer and myss and after repested efforts to
join u.s. TIE attempt was abandoned AT every surge Of
large families still remained her, wi h Captain Coin
ana myself i've hsd been drowned 1.-TWO washed OF the
:
the forward part and 1t vita the utmost difficulty
shat any one could ieep from being washed away urged
these remaining to try get to the reef the rope
fore 1t partedit was desperate, but only chance for
life. The women aud children could not, and the men
shrunk back from the yasnog gulf as from certain
DEATH Captain Coffin and dstermine1 to take it, how.
ever. We threw ourselves upon the rope Tae vessel
broke ID twe-fostunatey ~ proved-befose We re 81
ed the reef and the lives Of those board were in
quence most proyaentally saved.
When she broke in two the cargo (of coA must have
slid out and the stern relieved from the pressure OF tine
cargo and fore part hanging seward rgh,ed and was
thrown high up the reef and the remaining passsn
gers easily escaped on fos ing spars
Our situation the reef can be batter imagined than
described was about eleven O'Clock at night wren all
landed up to waists in water aud the
TIDE rising Seated upon spars and broken pieces o. the
wreck, We patiently awaited the momentous future
spsrs seated myself in the boat the water reaching to
my srm-pis; my legs and arms were badly cut aud
bruised BY the coral. Though des'n threatened ere
lorger and slept soundy. y sss near morning. when
aw.ke The moon was up and shed her faint light ever
the cisma the tuen Of the breakers sent
additional chin through my already beoumbed frame
The bell at the wheel with every surge Of the sea, still
toed knell to the Departed and naught else but the
wapgs bereaved mother broke tle stiffness of the
night, indicated life among tina. thrcng OF human
auoata during the long hours Of that weary night the
ira had entered their souls and the awful soemntty OF
their situation broodei over 10 silence.
Al mornings dawn low islands were discovered, DIS
tant about ten miles Again all WAS activity. imne
datey Sc. about patching up the bat, whist others
col ecfed spars and Drift stuff form RAFT ~hica
place the and children. little after sunrise
started for the land, though boat would scarcely
Goat.
The first island which landed presented . very
barren appearance. IL covered with the bAu'ana
tree; bircs seemed plentiful and very tame but after
dgent Search no water fruit or vegetables could be
found.
We proceeded to another and nothing but disappont
ment awaited us wser was madly sought for 10 vain
and late In the Afternoon returned, disappointed and
unsuccessful, 70 our companions on the roef.
placed the Won and children in 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 beon formed but not large enough tor ali
sit upon. Gray hairs plenuully tprnkled upon my
head attest the misery OF these two nights spent upo
that coral rect.
Early the morning Of the c,nd day Capt. Coffin
turned 70 with the boat i'm nediately despatched
him again in search Of water, for the Of which
early Vanishing; while the rest of commenced
in earnest preparing couple Of raj whch placed
what prov isions aud clothing couli bs collected We
picked up several bags of four barrel of bread,
beans and peas, about ten O'Clock made attempt
to reach the island BY wadns along the reef rats In