The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1857-09-21
STATEMENT OF JAMES N. FRAZER,
FIRST OFFICER

STATEMENT OF JAMES N. FRAZER,
FIRST OFFICER
Az / recoiect We left Havana sepA g. ss
q26 M aud proceede. 70 vteersg for Cape Florida
with nne weather, moderate brcexss and head SEA
snrT o. Begins with fresh breezs and hssd see; s.bac
A. n, Cape Florida bore west, distance is miles seen
from soft; IL N had fresh breezs and head sea bad
meridian observation, bat don't recoleot what latitude
longitude Az near - can remember, the nrsa
twenty SIX and half lous 2so miles, steering about ~
4 W., folio utng the GuB sTeAm
snrr 10 Begins with strong breeze and head sea.
Wind from the nrth ward and eastward and inclined 70
haul 70 the eastward. Had observation this lay, but
do recollec the latitude lsnde but the stan 20
up I, the time OF eb,ervatpn n mcridisn was 2i6
miles, still steering north, nearly So by 3am.
ASP. n, or thereabous Mr. Van Rensselaer,, the ars,
officer, handed me alp Of paper with the
for the nisht-s usual prscuce when the course bas
TO be altered often through the night The 70
70 be seered wore " ". E. NJ E. u ~, and N. r. n E.,
a' different hoI OF the sight nut the tine for cash
10 be taken d. not rco,ect bat tho saip that
time was In The bend OF the Gulf Stream The wind con-
tnued to blow heavy all night
sKPT IL, ruesdsy came deck at four O'Clock A. Y.
II was blowing fresh, With N NJ E aud wind; the
running high, ~i.h heavy rain Az o'dooE A.
n relieved oy the .hIra ofnoer. stu blew.
Ing very heavy, but rain then At about 10 o. Ilook A.
The third officer set the storm spencer spaakt and
kept her Until the Ill blew 10 pe,es. He also sent
down tue fore yard. The gale and incyeas-
Ing. He also spread canvas, bolts sails 49, In The main
and zzen rigging but 10 purpose - the ship vas 70
high out Of he thst would not head he wind
and Al IL O'Clock N came deck and relieved
the third officer; st continued to blow heavily bat
there was much in the forsu had been
the captain came forv ard and spoke 70 him about
trying to bring Tho ship head 70 wind. he re
piled that was to try, - he bad
LED all The forenoon and could not edecs u.
then proposed keep of before the Wind ana he M ne
do what could In keeping her away. Mr. Van Rens-
seiacr then came forward and told 10 rig The forward
and after deck bge pumps, which wss done. We then
started 10 the sayss with the helm hard 70 port
before the s,ays hoisted and the sheet hauled
an the sayssil blow away, We then manned The down.
haul and hauled down the remaining canvass and bot
roper then Mr. Van Rensselaer, proposed shifting the no
and bending 70 the fore stay for staysaiL tho
captain sail, wo win Try tho foresal BY reenrg aud
lasbing the cews the dock and heave up tho yard win
the lard tackle and fore irs SO got ws,Ared
up tire sail blow 10 pis,es The captain thsn ssid thu
there must Re DRAG put overheard to try and bras Nc
ship wind We went st immsd diatey and riGged
the fore yard with heavy hedge anchor hanging 10 H.
The f,re yard had . nnc nch fast 70
and payed out about forty ratboms a nrst u va
then about sac NJ tho ship s, in The trough II the
The captain then ordered TO away smass
and that would help 10 right tho ship Che then
B,sd the sewSd, 90 that people could vah NE
deck
CUTTING AWAY ronnur uGGryo Ym rlAsn,
may say that she almost on her beam end
Myself the bosts vain and cspt Bafger passenger, euS
away the rigging, and Yet he foremas 90 The side.
10 going The rigging caught foul Of he cahesd and
anchor, which caused the foremas 70 ahoct under tho
ships bottom, forward OF where the foremst had been
standing do not doubt Thai when the fremNsi went
under the ships bottom, ahe rIned BY II, and probe
bly, tho leak Increased thereby. DOM know such 70 bc
the fact but she thu nped ,here time All mis- time
ripee O'CLOCK tho passengers and no no4
employed about the decks busiy engaged In bre
water OF the ihps hold Aer the foremast cut
away paid out ine navrer hat ssss,hed 70 tha
drag TO about ninety fsihoms In all, giving turn
ABOUT the stump OF the foremast This had no ensn %
the ship. Al about 7 fP NJ all hands-passeussp asd
TO work bsps and pumping the ~ssev out o.
Tho ship, The water gaining Aesu, between and 10
p NJ tue . stand not gaining any; bn Afer
ual appeared gain fastsr iaan ever ras wind
hen about north vest, blowing heavily. Al IL O'Clock
The bswser attached 10 tho drag ehsfed and parted ana
our drag vas therefore gone.
sb1r IL, Saturday Tho day began with . very
heavy gale and hszy hozon. with rain, bu, no %
much Tho dAy previous, the people sul halns
aid pumping wehoissed signal Of distress II day light,
wind vet Ats ocr, or dsynght, rsged several beef
and PORK barrels and commenced bsnns with them BY
hos,ins them up -ilh tackle AIS UA n. out the s1.
bond chain and let The asrbosrd anchor 20 which sp
pesred for vhne 70 The shlp rns Wind -a' sun
blowing heavy, In SQUALLS and hauling 10 the south ward
and westward; the water In Inc ship Increasing rp'dy.
The captain oil this time uspg unos exert, and cheer
ing the people to their work We oontinued on bnliug
and pumping Al the wssiher had moderated very
much-,hs wind south vest shortly amer yards sav o
brig standing down 70 she came under our ce, ana
ine captain said ke wsuld rem ain By @ vas the brig
Marine OF posicr. AT O'Clock p n lowered away asd
arnched the shps boss and commenced transferring he
women and children the brig. rne boa., manned
by The boats quariermaster and Others OF The crew
e,rr.y amxpo-'s DETERMINATION 70 m rm lAsr rc
sn rstksR-
bheud have gone charge Of OF the bcan had nos
the captain told he wanted .o aop On bosrd iso
.hp un he wen, rom her which he Intended 70 do saer
all The passengers and creS transferred 70 the brig
We then vtn 70 work and cut away the forward par OF
the hurricane deck and made rars Al about one hour
before SUNSET schooner hove n sight sud ran down as
The captain said he would lay BY all nisni. All the
men and children gone board Of NE brig By
this tine saw AMI conversed with Captain HerndJs
and hr Van Rensselaer, after This, and the captain od me
70 send up rocket which did and 81 The tame lime say
boat she starboArd bow. We haI,d the bcs,, and
told them 70 under the asbovd quarter bot o7nld
not hcs ths answer. pose that be - NE shp sets
ulns down very fast and kept svsy for safety sfssy.
wards proved 70 be the sostswsns boat resnrnsd rom
the brig Captain Herndou sent word 70 me, by hr.
Estou 70 stop near ME rocket eos and send up srocs
every half hour thinking no doubt, hat the shs would
no. 20 down before morning Al 7'as n, or here.
sbou,s the people sul sep. on bslns. Al sP. NJ, ~s
rev minute. ser The ship began 70 take water deck
rneu ever remaining passenger and s the remaining
,essued themselves 70 their fate. fleoked ne side
inward and an and The water spcsssd -isa people,
,vmr,ns over 10 get clear a tho shlp before sne
vu submerged. saw . rcctes 20 OF 70
-ndrrd from The port paddle boz. 1t went horn pn,ay
ana vas said be the captain Who bad up, bail
had hardly time 70 look around when wm Hfted by NE