The weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1858-1860, 1859-05-24
wreck of the Anne rican 9 in POmOna
FOUR HUNDRED LIVES LosT-TERRIBLE SUFFERING
AND DANGER

Wreck of the American in pomon n
| FOUR HUNDRED LIVES LosT-TERRIBLE sUFFERIN
| AND DANGER
LFrom the Wexford Consti ution of Saturday April 80
The weather during the past few DAYS ha
been OF the most boisterous character, the gale
of wind prevailing on Wednesday and Thurs
day being SO violent as to cause great appre
hension that serious shipping disasters Nigh
result thereirom. This view has been unfortr
nately borne out by the occurrences of Thur.
day and yesterday, and it now becomes our pain
full and melancholy duty to chronicle the tota
destruction of large emigrant snip, and th
loss of upwards Of three hundred and eight
human lives, in our own immediate neighbor
| hood. The splendid clipper ship Pomona, 100
| tons burden, of New York, left Live, pool OF
| Wednesday with crew of thirty.six sailors j,
addition to the captain, Charles Merryhew, an,
| with passengers for New York to the number O
about $50. She left the Mersey with fair an,
full breeze, and every thing seemed to be eoiDs
OIL well up to late hour, when almost in a m q
ment, the hopes of her living freight wer.
bhshted, the ship struck aud nothing but death
and desolation lay before them. MANY of the
passengers and portion of the crew had re
tired to their respective berths at an early hour
but large number, more cheeriully inclined
had congregated together in the saloons and
were singing and dancing up to a late hour,
there being both fiddler and piper on hoard
As the night advanced, however the wind fresh.
ened INTO strong gale, before which the gal.
liant ship flew as it were towards her destination.
and most of the remaining passengers turned
IN By some means, which at present we have
been unable to ascertain with accuracy. the
captain, when nearing Tuscan, seems to have
lost his reckoning and mistaken his position. for
little past midnight the ship WAS driven on to
sand bank, some seven miles off Bailycopi-
gar, near to Blackwater, the sea making clear
breach over her and sweeping her decks The
passengers rushed in crowds to the deck. most
OF them but partially essed, and MANY with
only their mis- hit clothes on. For short time a
wild scene OF terror and confusion ensued
which, however, gradually subsidized as the calm
orders OF the captain were obeyed by the crew.
and something like order was re established
The pumps were quickly manned, and It was
found that the vessel was fast making water.
out the captain was In hopes that if the weather
moderated he should be able in the morning To
land all his passengers by means OF his boats
In this, however, he was doomed to be disan-
pointed, as the gale continued with increased
fury during the whole Of the day,
In the morning an attempt was made tn
launch the lite boats, but they we're stove in and
their crews drowned. In this fearful state ~
suspense they remained till towards evening
when the ship, which had till then remained e. m
on the bank, slipped off by the stern into deem
water and commenced rapidly to Eli. The
whale-boat was then launched and A number
Of the crew and passengers rushed into her
The captain, in hopes of being again driven on
% the bank, let go the best bower anchor hn,
Ill his exertions were fruitess, and though more
han forty men were working at the pumns
he water gained upon them SO fast tina, in less
han an hour she sank. The heart rena;ns, |
Genes that must have occurred during thai |
'our are fearful to think Of, but are known only
0 God, for beyond those in the bort NOT
oul was saved The captain and first and
econd mates remained on the sinking ship. the
My officer in the boat being the third mate
tephen Kelley, who succeeded in reacbinr H.
bore IN company with eighteen others Of the
rev and pas. engers, five being washed out in
heir passage from the vessel
On visiting the shore in the neipbborhood orl
he wreck, at later hour yesterday. nothing
hatever was to be seen Of the vessel very III.
e of which was washed ashore. On the beach
Ballyconigar, however, were found the life.
So remains of several Of the unfortunate nss-
myers, which we're removed to the boathouse
,ar there to await an inquest.
We were informed on Saturday by 4 gentle.
an, Mr.. Allen, from Wexford, that when the .
ssel sank, the shrieks Of those on board could | ,
heard on the main land.