The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1859-01-21
Particulars Of; ;he Wreck OF the schoop-
pF susan.

! ef susan.
( The voyage of the Susan, aitc.
leaving Mobile Bay, was pleasant
enough, barring the disa sreeablc ct.
fccts Of the crowding of so many mer
on a small vessel. The weather
was, for the most part, clear and
pleasant, though just after leaving
Mobile Point a strong Norther came
up, which enabled the Susan ut once
to clear the coast, and carried hel
on towards her destination in fine
style. .......
On the morning of December 16
about threo o'clock, Captain Maury
came on deck aud immediately per.
ceived breakers ahead, which fact he
notified to the officers of the deck
who, however, thought that sucll
could not be tho case. But in few
moments Captain Manry's surn,ise
was proved to he correct, and it was
found that the vessel was running
directly on an immense reef. Cap
tain Maury Immediately ordered the
helmsman to put the helm hard up.
with y view to bringing the vessel
near the wind, and thus clearing the
reel. The man at the wheel, il an
pears, was now hand, and mistook
the order, or did not know how 20
execute it. Instead of putting the
helm hayd up, he put it hard down
80 that in moment all chance OF
clearing the lcei to windward was
lost. 1t was yet possible, however.
to weather it, aud, therefore, Captain
Alaury ordered the helm to he kept
hard down; but, unfortunately, the
hclnsman made another blnndcr
and immediately put it hard mp. thue
destroying the only chance of escape.
All that could be done now was to
keep all sail set, and hold the vessel
on her course, so that she might run
as far mp on the reef as possible. In
II lew seconds she struck, with go
mnch force as to cansc the impress.
ion that she was going to pieces i'm
mcdiatcly. In this awful morncn,
there was no sign Of trcpidat.on
among the gallant company ON board
that little vessel. Every man main
tanned his composurc, and every or
der given was executed with alacrity
When daylight appeared, tho siiu-
alton OF the vessel was disclosed. l.
was found that, although hard and
FAST on the roJf, there was no imme.
diate danger, tho weather being set.
breakers.
The Susan had struck on q coral
reef, about sixty mic5 from Balizo
and sixteen miles ;rom group oi lit
tie islands, the largest ui which. call
ed Middle Key, is inhabited by a
negro family namel Miller. Got.
onel Frank Anderson aud party OF
men went in a small boat to this
Key, for the purpose Of obtaining IA.
slstance, and in the meantime Il large
raft, capable Of floating the whole
party 10 shore, was constructed un.
der the supervision Of Captain Mau
ry. Atthc end Of twenty four hcure
u schooner was seen approaching,
which proved to be one Of the three
tolonging to the Miller family, aud
10 contain Colonel Anderson and
his companions. She took about
forty men from the wreck.
/ On the third morning she tool
another party, and on the filth morn
ing following tho disaster, all tn,
rest-Captain Maury being the las
man To leave the vesscl-were safsl,
landed on Middle Key. Captain
Maury had, in the meantime, gon,
down to the Balizc, with the in,
icntion OF procuring a vessel, il pos
'isibIc, to take the party to their des
,ination. lie found a suitable yes
sci, Zone which trades to this port,
and had arranged for her. with ia
owners, agreeing to pay thousan,
dollars.
The negotiation, however, was nj
ruptly terminated by tho subsequen
refusal ot the owners TO stick to tn
bargain in consequence Of represent
ations made by the commander G
, the vessel, Captain Goodspced, VIII
declared that he would not 90 on til
the voyage; that the men We're
party Of pirates; they had ran o
from Mobile with al United State
Revenue oilicor; and they wonl
steal the vessel a. soon as they =,
to sea. The consequence OF oil ,hj
was that the emigrants were i,
priv.d o! any means of reachin
their contemplated destination.
la the meantime the British Go'
= ernor, Mr.. Seymour, sent for Captai
. Many, who, when he entered Il
Governors room, found that gentl
man busily engaged in reading Il
y New Orleans Delta containing ii
details of the escape OF tho Susa
u from Mobile Bay. He said: 81 su
pose this is { Captain Mauryl" "Ye
< sir," captain Maury, OF the Susan
> The reply being in the aiiirmativ
J. the Governor asked what had bel
} done with Lieutenant White. b
: : ing satisfied on this point, he pr
J ceeded to say:
y 81 do not want to know anythiI
% ofyour business or that Of your col
l. panions; | do not see the motiv
which brought you to this part Of tl
"a world; with all that have no conce
It whatever; ! only know that fiji
8 yon shipwrecked men, and as sue
it entitled to assistance; besides whic
!, you are citizens of country wi
!. which my government is desirous
t cultivatipg the most friendly r
+. la,ions."