Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1856-04-17
Loss of the CurieW.

A few day since a telegraphic dispatch
announced the loss of the steamer Curlew,
on the 18th of March, when near Bermuda.
The following is an extract from the state
ment of one of the passengers, when the
unfortunate disaster occurred:
We left Halifax at nine O'Clock on Friday
morning last, and had fine run, with mode
rate wind and sea, until early on Sunday
morning, when the wind and sea increased
considerably, and remained high until Mon
day morning, when they moderated, and I
believe that Captain Hunter was on deck
nearly the whole night. The weather con-
tinued fine all Monday, and at night we had
every prospect of being in about o'clock
the next morning, as Capt. Hunter expected
to make the light about one O'Clock. On re-
tiring for the night only partly undressed,
as intended to get up when the light was
made, and remain On deck until we got in
Captain Hunter lef: the cabin about 10 o.
clock to go on deck, and we retired. Early
next morning was awoke BY Mrs Howes,
who called me and said, "the steamer is on
the rocks" | rose up and heard the vessel
grating on the rocks, and told her to "keep
quiet-it was all right, we should soon be on
Shore" as from the splendid run we had and
the fineness of the night and the confidence
had in the captain, was under the i'm
preston that we had struck going in between
the Forts. Mrs. Howes said, ''but tell YOU
sha has struck on the North reef. Get up
we shall all be drowned"
Just then the steamer crashed on the rocks
got on deck as quickly as possible, and
heard the chief mate say, "Thc engine room
is full of water" and saw the sea breaking
on the deck amidships. | rushed into the
cabin and told Mrs. Howes and DR.. DSckey
to hurry on the deck, as the vessel was sink
ing under us, and the cabin would soon fill.
While was speaking to them | saw the
mate rush into the saloon to the Captains
room, and heard him shrek out, @Captain
Hunter! the vessel has struck on the rocks.@'
The Captain replied, sch, whatr' The mate
again said, "she is sinking. she is filing, the
engine-room is full ofwater." Hunter rush.
ed out, exclaiming "good God, what sort of
a lookout have you kept, what have you been
doing, where is she," and rushed on deck.
Immediately followed with Mrs. Howes &
DR.. Dickey. The cabin filed Immediately.
The captain ordered the boats out directly,
but two Of them were smashed in the at
tempt. The third was washed from the da-
wits, while Mrs. Howe and d.. Dickey were
getting out Of her. The Fourth was more
successful, and the captain ordered her to-
lay by us until he called to her to lay dong
side.
The sea was then makinga clear breach
over the stern, and we were obliged to get
into the main rigging, which we succeeded
in doing; we remained there about an hour,
and then gos into the boat and Law off. II
to me that the vessel broke in two
about the engine room, and the stern SINK
almost Immediately. After remaining some
time, and seeing no boats coming to us. the
captain called the boat alongside, and sent
all the people in her iexcept two-he with
the chief mate and second engineer remain.
ing en- board the vessel. The captain told
us to make the shore as quick as we could.
and send assistance to him; we landed at
the Naval Tanks between ten and eleven o.
clock N the morning.
The vessel appeared to have a full cargo,
and there were ten head of oxen. Itwasr
eou hah past ioW O'Clock whom she struck