Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1856-12-04
Vivid and Thrilling Narrative
OF The
Loss of the Ship Iyonnaise'
STATEMENT OF Mr.. LAGuiERE: eEC'
MAZE OF LIE LYoNNAisE-

We lef, New York Saturday, November
1. at l2 O'Clock. All went on Pieasah'H
uutil n O'Clock Oh Tuesday night, Nov. 4
So miles to the northward OF the ilsh' o"
Nantucket Shoals. when, just Immeaia'eiy
after the passengers AMI many oi uif ere"
had retired, leaving the watch on Deck
hrao-nas,ed vessel was observed bearing
down upon US.
wo 5;d all in our power 20 avoid col
li.ion with her, by ringing our oehs aho
blowing our stea m-whistie to warn her oI
our vicinity; but before we could head o"
she struck us amidships. tearing out an en-
tire square of the plate-iron- lhe water
rushed in with great force; and although
every effort was made TO stop the hole' Oy
plugging il with mattresses, q ITS: P''io"S'
&c !, was discovered that the water was
raining upon US very rapidly.
Half an hour had hardly elapsed ere the
fros in the furnaces were quenched. Ihe
steam pumps having previ'usly become
cboLod with coal, were of little use in freeing
the ship. All on board were selzed win
manic. and il was with difficulty that ire
csptain could calm the fears OF the passeh-
rer,. and induce the crew to bale the snip.
He finally succeeded in mastering the ere"
,ogethe,. and with the aid Of the passengers
who formed in bailing parties, rugged a
cable in the hold, and by 'his Inc rs was
able 10 reach the water.
The passengers ard crew worked netoi-
c,lIy. until worn out, ard finding the water
gaining on them rapidly, at an early hour
the following morning (WednesdHy) they
commenced constructing ratt' ana oy
o'clock, ?. n, it was finished.
A. this time the vessel was sinking rap
idly. BY O'Clock, five boats ('he ships
eomp,ementl were launched and quickly
filled with passengers. The captain gave
5;,ect;ons 10 those in the boats to steer TO
tbe Northward. The boats, however, were
upproyided with compass and badly proVis-
Toned. the water in the ship having spolled;
tie bread and other provisions could not be
sbtsined from the store-room on account ol
the storm. Hardly had two of the boats
left The steamship, than they went down.
and those who were on board endeaVofed
20 reach the raft, which was crowded with
ebout Fifty persons. Many in their efforts
10 preserve their lives in this death strug-
Gle. sank to rise no more. OF the forty
or fifty persons in these boats, at least two
thirds were drowned.
T had proceeded some little distance to-
wards these unfortunate sufferers, and with
NV boat tried t. reach them, but not having
.ny oars or even pny thing that would serve
as paddle, | was obliged TO leave them tt
their fate. Night coming on, | lost sight
of the other two boats and the raft. by
the dim light the moon afforded, saw the
Steamship some distance of, but gradually
lost sight Of her. | left the captain or
board the vessel, and as to his :ste L have
no knowledge. A few of the crew remalnr'
by him. :
forgot to mention that the vessel tha
came in collision with US, although aPpnr
emily uniniured. made no effort to render
assistance, or even TO ascertain what lnJur,
we sustained, but steered away. Little d
know, however, but she, too, has SUM
into the depths of the mighty deep, and a
on board perished
On Thursday morning the weather bega
TO show unfavorable signs, and st mid-da
it commenced showing, hailing and ralnln
violently. Judge of our pitIabie conditlor
in an open boat, leaking at the rate OF eigf
barrels per hour, keeping Us constantly oal
inp. We suffered severely, the storm ir
creasing in violence, and next day dawne
upon us no better off than tho day before
Our scanty supply of eatables. which cor
sisted only of preserves, were greatly dlmlr
isbed. We had no water, and ii was Plii
BILE to hear the cries of my poor companion:
tbey were such as would make the stoute:
heart quail. The next day our suffering
were augmented by the renewal OF III
storm, which peted upon vs. piteously.
That day Will long be remembered D
chose in the boat To imagine the agon
of an old gentleman of sixty years situggIn
with destf in it's most narrowing asPe'
will fail to realize its scene. He died b.
fore uiehtfall. Many began to think th'
they would soon follow him to eternity =
During the night seaman and myself ionr
it difficult TO keep our companions alive
Bv dint of much exertion, however, we SUI
ceeded. Several, however, including N.
self, were severely frost-btten.
We were row entirely oct OF provision
starvation staring US in the face. Want
water compelled US to drink sea water, b
this, of course, only increased our thirst
We now made up our minds that we wei
"a indeed lost. 1t is impossible TO descrii
our frightful condition; no water, foo
clothes frozen to our backs, feet wet al
frozen, and strength exhausted with baiiir
out the boat.
Saturday morning we discovered sal
oh! how glad were our hearts at this sigma
but many of my poor companions were tt
belnless to see even this Gaming succor.-
On making signals TO her by the raising
hands and handkerchief, she bore dow
for us. She proved to be the bark Eli,
Capt. Eordenholst, from Baltimore 'o7 bF
men, who took US on board, and i'll the KIN
e.tmsuner did all in his power to ailevla
our suferings and make us as cCmiortat
as he could under the Circumstances v
continued to suffer severely from the elie'
of our privations and exposure! Cap. N,
denholst found it incohvenient TO ace nm
date SO large number. and wished ~ fraf
fer us to some vessel bound 10 the Gn.t
States. He signalized an American sh
supposed to be bound to some eastern Po
but she paid no attention to the signal.
On Monday morning last, having be
tive DAYS on board the bark, we spoke I
Hamburg bark, Elise, Captain Neiis'
bound from Hamburg to New York, W
sent boat alongside.
Upon hearing of cur misfortunes, and
certaining our wish to proceed to New o
he kindly offered US passage in his vess
All but two of US went on board his hosp
able ship, where we experienced the ulm
kindness at his hands, aud that of the ?
senpers and crew. Mr.. Seeler and lady
cided to proceed to Bremen in the bark, 6