The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-11-28
STATEMENT OF THE THIRD NATE.

M
lFrom the Boston Traveller, Nov. 26l
Nr. James Bjggan, third mate of the steamer Indian,
arrived at this port last evening in the schooner Wave,
Captain Mcdonald, from Charlottctown, having been
picked up by her al with four Others from of
the beats OF the steamer Indian Mr. Bggan says that
steamer experienced westerly gales the most Of
the Iasssge, but sustained damage worth reporting
She Cape Race, and from thence took fresh de-
pa re but the next day the horizon was so cloudy that
observation could be obtained, but the Captain feeling
confident Of his departure, kept on under full head Of
stcam.
Captain was on deck occasionally; the duties of
the ship were conducted in the usual style
that is, one watch was below, and the other
on deck; danger was apprehended. About five
o'clock however, going at the rate of ten miles
hour she upon suuken reef about two miles from
the shore She steering west at the time by com
pass; the chief and third mates the officers Of the
watch the sea outside Of the reef smooth and the
wind moderate. All hands were Immediately deck,
and the captain assumed command. lie ordered the
helm sarboard, and the engines stopped but the ship
was immoveable. She had run nearly her whole length
aground.
Orders were then Issued to clear away the boats Of
which she had seven, but in lowering them three
stove alongside and rendered useless The third officer
Mr. Bggan, two seamen, John Bennett and John Furs-
land, assistant steward, Charles Barlow, and butcher
James Cuttings, got nso boat No A. and kept her along
eide. though half fur Of water, to receive passengers
She supplied with oars, and there four buckets
in her for bang but while clearing her of water the
line by which she was fast parted, and she drcd
ward.
In vain they tried to return to the ship their boat was
half full Of water, and was only kept aoat by the air
compartments III HcT ElgHn bAlu NC saw TWO OOatS
land but knew nothing of the fate Of the third Borne
seaward by the current and SWELL those in tho boa.
could still the steamer, several hours and though
have later accounts by telegraph stating she had
broken in two Mr. Biggan her mzzen mast standing
four hours after she struck.
Considering the suddcnness Of the accident and that
watch rushed on deck, Mr. Biggan says there was
very little confusion. Every order promptly obeyed
The stationed to tho boats were hand, and the
passengers gave way to no fears II was the broken
swell which swept the reef that destroyed the boats
moro than any miscalculaton in lowering them.
She had thirty eight passengers In all, among whom
thirteen females three in the after cabin and ten in
After remaining in the boat five hours the schooner
Wave, as already stated picked Mr. Bggan and his
panons up All hands board treated them very kindly
and upon their arrival here the British Consul with his
accustomed prompness, supplied them with clothing,
lodging and everything else they required and will send
them home In the steamer Canada, which sails next
Wednesday.
The Indian fine iron vessel OF $50 TONS with five
tight bulk heads and had she not broken in wo
would not have sunk, unless all her compartments had
been first stove.
The OF her loss may in part be attributed TO her
compasses. She had made the land tho stecred
considered correct by the distance run, and
confidently believed up to the time che struck that she
was at least forty miles clear of the land.
This apparent by the facts that she kept going
full speed that extra watch ordered to look out
for land and that the engines not stopped 10 sound
The captain felt Of his position, and must have been
mscd by an error in hts compasses.
Another boat, with six and two men, drifted 10
the southwark ont Of sight, in few hours, but was not
seen from the schooner Wave when the other boat was
picked up These arc doubt the boats reported
as missing by the telegraph.
The sailors who have arrived here say that they only
saw man drowned.