, 1859-03-28
Fcnrlul ShiPsEFeck--.Ehree Weeks Of
Hunger md Expohnre

Fearful ShipWreck--.Fhree Weeks Of
Hunger and Exposure.
The ship Centurion from Glasgow, January
Sd, arrived ut New York, March Esd, bringing
two Of the crew Of the British bark Dromhair,
which vessel was waterloggcd at sea. From the
wreck were taken the survivors Of the crew,
seycn in number, the other six forming the crew
having been drowned or starved to death. The
Dromhair WAS from Quebec, bound to Sligo, in
ireland, with d cargo Of timber One of the
rescued men gives the following account Of the
disaster:
0n Saturday, December 18th, about noon, q
very heavy northwest gale sprung m. with &C.
caS1onal showers Of hail. About ) o'clock the
shipped 2 tremendous seu, which capsized the
shlp was hove to. About scren in the evening she
long boat, md were obliged to break it in pieces
to savc the small boat from destruction. The shin
then sprung leak, and a1l hands were mt at
the pumps, where they continued to labor until
about o'clock Sunday morning, tue sea running
higher and the leak increasing.
At that time they shipped another tremendous
able, carried away the bulsarks and stanchiops.
split the covering board, took away the cook
house,. stovc the compnnlon;way. aud swept
away tho wheel, together with the man at tie
lrc'sa, named George Macintosh, who has not
again seen.
The little boat hangings at the starboard d.
wits were also swept away, with large portion
Of the standing aud running rigging: Ill tho
sails were ut this time blown from The Yards
At the time the wave struck. all the men were
ut the pumps. They jumped for their lives and
when tue water cleared Of, they found them
selves janlned into corners about the deck
Ono man found himself in the rigging, The
waves sswcpt rs high as the maintop. The vater
ran into the cabin, stove the bukheads, aud
flowed into the bread room, DESTROYING ali the
bread in it. They had only one barrel ofbrcad.
after this calamity, which happened to be stow.
Cd away in spare locker.
From this time the weather began to modcr
ate, and the men worked at the pumps as much
Us. they could, dodging into the cabin to prevent
being washed away by heavy seas.
About O'clock, Sunday night, the pump gave
tim again until o'clock Monday morning, at
which time there were thirteen feet of water in
thc ho!d. Humping was then resumed, and br
Monday noon, alt the water was worked out
They cleared the wreck and attempted to get on
eanrass,which occupied them until eight o'clock.
Monday night, when another furious galc arosc' %
ami the men were compelled to abandon the
pumps. The storm continued all night: and
about six o'clock OH Tuesday morning tIle water
had risen above the floor and the sufferers were
compelled to abandon it and take their chances
m -. = sma'! ST house on deck, which had been so
The ship was now waterlogged, and nothing
mere could be done. There were thirty or fortv
pounds Of bread. but no water. The house on
deck stood well until the bu!kheads Of tic cabin
were washed Away. After that the men were
Liable TO be dcluged at every lurch Of the vessel.
About the lst Of January. John McInnis died |
Of hunger and exposure. The same night IIar-
r. Frost became deranged, and went over tie |
side. hanging only BY lis hands. Some Of the |
men tried to pull linn in, but he was soon wash |
I'd away.
Next day james Mc('rail was washed into the
cabin and drowned Samuel CofFren and John
Murray, boy, died on the 9Th just as the ship
Centurion bore down to take off the survivors.
John Hutchinson, the captain, John Elliott
and Hector McNaughten, were alone able to
stand when rescued. The namcs Of the others
saved arr: Hector Monroe, William Henderson,
All but Elliott md McNnughten we're placcd
on the Magellan, bound for Wales,