The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1859-11-24
The Late Terrible Gale--.Wreck of the
Royal Charter.-A Thrilling Narrative.

Inc wreck OF the Royal Charter, OF
which we have now full particulars,
proves to have been one of the most
appalling disasters on record. Mr..
John Bradbury, one of the survivors,
says, in his account:
We sailed from Melbourne on the
26th of August, and had on board, as
| know, about 500 passengers and crew.
The captain was Mr.. Thomas Taylor,
the chief officer, Mr.. Stephens, and the
second mate, Mr.. Cowie. The ship
ran almost entirely under canvas up to
the equinoctial line, when she encoun-
tered strong head winds; her screw
power was then brought into requisi-
ton. On the 10th of September, about
o'clock in the morning, the weather
being thick and dark, we ran close past
a large iceberg. Mr.. Cowie was on
watch, and had it not been for his able
maneuvring, the ship would have been
in imminent danger. The passengers
showed their appreciation of his ability
by presenting him with a testimonial
on the eve of the dreadful disaster.
We arrived at Queenstown on Mon
day forenoon, when twelve passengers
disembarked. We left Queeestown
about o'clock, under steam alone.
The ship was laid on her course for
Liverpool, but the storm had the effect
of diverting her to such an extent that
| saw the Great Eastern at Holyhead.
The wind was then blowing very hard.
We sighted the light on Point Lynas
about five o'clock in the afternoon.
The sea was running high, but not
equal to what we had experienced on
the passage, bnt the wind was stronger.
1t was found we could make no head
way and two anchors were dropped.
She dragged her anchors and the en-
gines were working, but understood
the screw was broken. About two
o'clock on Wednesday morning the
vessel struck. A great number oil
passengers were then in their berths;
but they suddenly rushed upon deck,
and many of them but partially dressed.
There was not much confusion at first,
but it increased as people became aware
OF the real danger. l believe the
captain was not sober; but Captain
Withers, who was passenger, and the
chief mate and officers, did all they
could to save the ship.
AT this point we take up the following
graphic narrative of another surviving
passenger:
On entering the saloon, Mr.. Allen,
the head steward of the second cabin,
came and told the passengers they had
better not go on deck, as it might cause
confusion. The order was implicitly
Obeyed. Time passed anxiously and
YEARLY; the storm stillraged. Suddenly
the vessel struck, not violently, not even
with sufficient force to throw the passen-
gers off their seats. Water then came
pouring down into the cabin. A voice
shouted for the second-class passengers
to go into the lower saloon, as the
mainmast was going to be cut away.
The passengers nearest to the entrance
doors attempted to open them (they
were hinged in the ceiling) and finding
some difficulty, they were Immediately
smashed. Still there was no hurrying
or crushing; all silently took their seats.
On deck, sailors and officers, stripped
to the waist, labored to cut away the
mainmast. The vessel rolled and
thumped SO heavily, that in delivering
their blows, the men were many times
thrown on to the deck, but the motion
of the vessel assisted the work; the
waves, too, lent their aid, and soon the
mast tottered, then fell with crash
overheard. Immediately afterwards
the raging sea threw the vessel still
higher up upon the rocks. The fore
mast was then cut away, and almost al
the same time the mizzenmast broke of
at the mizzen- masthead. Boats were
lowered, but the moment they touched
the waves they were carried with ire.
sistible force against the rocks, and
their inmates were either crushed or
drowned in the sea. No boat could
live in such a storm. There appeared
scarcely any need of boats, so close
upon the shore was the vessel. Having
struck, the vessel slowed round port
side to the rocks. When in the lower
saloon, about this time, an apprentice
boy, Charley, entered, telling the pas
sengers from the captain that they
were to keep up their hearts, all was
well, they were only on a sand bank
The passengers still remained ouietly