Lynchburg daily Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1852-1861, 1856-01-28
rh,,.y.,w5 honrs on a Frozen Wreck


+ * Collins II Wv York. Of Fise .ifpa -
lat aud The loss 81 four iiyrs. The foii"~ihg l.
the thrilling statement of Jas. Rush. the catin
boy who was for thirty two hours on the frozen
wreck awe struck the shoal about 5 A. NJ.
on Thursday morning. II was bitterly cold, and
a thick mist. like cloud. rose from the water,
so that we could not SEQ The bouts length ahead.
On looking out saw dull light ahead. that look
ed like as if it shone from the jibboom OF large
ship. None Of Us thought 1T was the lighthouse,
as tho lamp off that point reyoIves every sixty
seconds and this seemed through the mist to be
stationary. We afterwards learned that the in
tense cold had covered the glass with frost. so
that it looked like isinglass, and the lamp ceased
revolving.
went below little before 5 o'clock, and Mr..
Murphy had charge Of the helm, at which time
the boat was lying tn, with a three reef mainsal
and iib On seeing the light Mr.. Murphy put
the helm about but the vessel would not obey
it, as the ice with which it was surrounded pro-
vented its doing so. We soon after struck and
the boat was thrown on her beam ends, with her
deck tilted toward the shore. The sen broke
over the boat heavily. and the lee yawl boat, the
largest we had, was swept away before we had
time to secure her. and it was with the utmost
difficulty we could clear the weather yawl. it
was so nncrusted with ice. | was in the cabin
when | was called upon to enter the boat, but
before had time TO get TO tho side of the vessel,
the sea raised so that Mr.. Murphy was compell-
cd to cut the lashings, and the yawl was swept
towards the shore, leaving me on board with
Mr. Robert b. Mitchell. the other boy, William
Williams, ind the colored cook, whose name
none Of us knew, as he had been but recently
shipped.
About half an hour after the boat left, (this
was abou, ten o'clock. near can remem
Der the cook died Wa all IN the com
panion way which leads TO the cabin, at this
time and the cook, when he died, seated on
the lowest step and fell over ON the floor. Billy
Williams died about half an hour afterwards, and
rolled over by the deads man side in doing so =
Mr. Mitchell, who was u large fat man, seat
ed on the same step with me, and did not die
for an hour AMI a half after the boat left. Dur
ing all this time scarcely any of W. spoke; indeed
we were so nulnbed with the cold that We lost
all sensihiliiy, and hardly cared what happened.
They all died easily first falling into quiet
sleep before expiring. had three flannel shirts
on and nm oilskin overcoat. which kept me dry
aud tolerably warm About eleven o'clock the
tide had fallen 80 that he cabin fit to enter.
crawled in and found my why to the bed. upon
which lay down. 1t was wet and epcrusted
with ice aud the floor was covered with frozen
water, in which were swimming the seats and
cabin utensils.
The next tide Ia the afternoon hoated the bed
and during the whole of Thursday night and Fri
day morning. | remained in the cabin up to my
nrinpits in the freezing water. did not suffer
grrnt deal considering, yet il seems to me now
like n fearful dream. ! wished for tho morning
to break and tho night seemed though it
would never end. But with the morning my po-
stion became much more dangerous. The tide
rose SO high in the cabin that there was not lett
room enough for me to breathe in and | came
near suiloca,ing-to prevent which | broke the
window of the stateroom to get fresh air. re-
manned in this way till the tide went down. and
about twelve O'Clock forced my way through
the stateroorn. N the cabin door SO blocked
up by ,mbcrs and floating wood rs to prevent its
opening.
| was much exhausted on renching the open
air. and the cold wind had the effect of increas-
Jug my sensibiIity | looked anxionsly ou thu
land, and towards the sea, bat could see nothing
stirring. At length towards two o'clock ! saw
schooner due east, bearing down towards me,and
eager to attract attention, ! climbed off the gait
te make signals, and in doing SO burst my fingers
which were frost b item, open, On reaching the
ealf, ] waved my hat but needed it on
deck. then took my coat and shook it violent
IS: but the schooner kept on her way. and not u
soul on board saw or knew of my condition.
returned 10 the deck, terrified at the prospect be-
fere me as night was approaching, and ] could
not huve survived the horrors of another night
like the last. | got some loose timbers with the
intention of making II raft, which the returning
tide would sweep towards shore and got o nut on
the sand to construct it. BY this time the peo-
pie ON the shore saw me ON the wreck and they
launched the life boat and took me oil, after hay
ing been ON board for thirty-two hours