The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-11-28
THE WRECKED STEAMSHIP INDIAN.
Return Of the Gladiator with the Sur
vivOrs to Halifax.
FULL PARTICULARS OF THE DISASTER.
Not a Vestige Of the Indian
Remaining.
STATEMENTS OF THE OFFICERS,
Sc, &C., sc.

As has already been announced, the steamer Indian
Captain Smith, OF the Canadian lne which left Liverpool
the 9th inst for Portland totally wrecked at Marie
Joseph, fishing village about seventy miles from Hail.
fax.
The Indian had eight cabin and thirty STORAGE passcn
gers, with that made the total number Of souls On
board one hundred and 6teen. Of this number twenty
four, or may be twenty seven, including two
the stewardcss and another-were drowned
Little or nothing of the cargo has been saved.
The mails through the deck and have been
forwarded
All that remains Of the wreck portion Of the star
board bow above.
The passengers were mostly Of the aborng class many
OF them Germans and Hungarians.
On Tuesday, the 22d, the schooner Victoria, Captain
Dixon, from Prince Edwards Island, into aax
and reported that on the proceeding afternoon they had
seen large ship broken in two, On the rocks OF Seal
Ledge, of Marie Joseph, the Of Nova Scotia
Captain Dixon 1t was steamer but thought
it was from the general appearance Of
the hull having sharp bow and elliptic stern, wit
gilt ornaments. Her mzenmast only standing
She had flag, afterwards ii said to be British
ensgn) flying, but blackened be easily re-
cognized The wreck had white rail- and was yellow
inside Of the bulwarks. Her bows submerged and
the stern upright.
Several boats were near her; also schooner ashore
and another schooner lying of, which proved to be the
Shellnut, bound to Halifax.
The Victoria passed within six hundred yards Of the
wreck, but could not stop.
The above descriptions answered for the royal mail
steamer Delta which sailed the Saturday preceding
for Newfoundland to touch at Sydney, Cape Breton Our
agent Immediately teegraphcd to Sydney, to inquire if
the Delta had arrived also to New York, Newfoundland
Sackvie, &C., TO inquire what might
off the coast and what had been heard OF them TO
an agent in Guysborough, to learn and transmit any
information that had reached that place the wrecked
steamer at Marie Joseph.
The Nova Scotia telegraph lines worked badly and IL
was night before any reply to the teegraphc dispatches
was received. The replies unsatisfactory. Nothing
was known anywhere Of any wrecked steamer Opinion
in Halifax meantime settled il that II the Delta.
Messrs. Cunard Co. thereupon got the steamship o.
prey ready for sea, but postponed her sailing hour by
hour until the telegraph should bring reply sgd
TO whether not the Delta had arrived there It
miserable weather all this time, blowing hard, with
sleet and snow, varied only by dense driving rain
On Wednesday morning the schooner Wright came in
and reported that Monday forenoon she screw
steamer of about 800 tons the rocks. The steamer
fred three guns Fifty sixty persons the for
ward part Of the ship The ship had black hull red
bottom and white yellow decks, and only the mizen-
persons were seen on the beach,
Tho schooner Wright could render assistance, and
therefore passed This additional description further
suited the Delta, which, pretty generally agreed
that il was.
The Osprey the point OF sailing, when despatch
arrived stating that the Delta safe at Sydney, Cape
Breton.
After anxious delay, the lrst correct information re-
ccived at Halifax by telegraph from Mr. D. H.
Craig to the agent OF the Associated Press, that
the wrecked vessel was the steamship Indian, Of
the Canadian ine that she ashore the 21st inst
had lost three men, and that two of the boats
missing. This information made public through the
Merchants Exchange Rooms
Or tho intelligence being confirmed much interest
exhibited by tho Governor Lord Mugrave, and the Ad-
miral, Sir Houston Stewart
The only steamship in port was the war steamship
Gladiator and she rehtting from damages sustained
in recent hurricane Orders were, however, given her
by Admiral Stewart that she should depart in the morn
ing for the OF the wreck. BY dint Of by
night, she got ready and put to early in the
morning.
Marie Joseph settlement of a few houses at the head
Of small bay, andlockcd by low rocky shores and
islands The waters around full OF reefs,
rendering the navigation difficult at all times
and in thick weather impossible. larger island
than the rest, named Barren Island, and having
| on ii Hshermans hut lies of the entrance to
the harbor reef Of ledge from that extremity of
| the island considerable distance scaward.
II on this reef the Indian went ashore
According to accounts received from Captain Smith
and his ocers they had been able take but one obser
vaton on the passage out.
On Saturday they sighted Cape Race The weather was
cold and sleey. When they had run such distance as
indicated they approaching the Shore Captain Smith
had recourse to soundngs and kept the lead constantly
going He states that he msled by his soundngs,
which corresponded closely with all those laid down on
the chart for the locality in which he imagined he was-
namely Sable Island
The shock not violent; the ship was going about
eight knots at the time No breakers were seen before
the ship struck The morning dark, with slcct and
hail driving from the land
Immediately after the vessel struck Il became apparent
that she working much that she would 60 pieces
Preparations accordingly made to lower the boats
and Notwithstanding the remonsranccs Of the captain,
many Of the forward passengers crowded into them
The cabin passengerscight in number, including three
young married adcswcre calm and self possessed The
ladies Mrs. Street. Mrs. Patterson and Mrs. Mel
bruno; they accompanied by their husbands and
saved.
Their boat of the land and they we're exposed for
nine hours TO the cold, with gale blowing and heavy
sea-
About half IN hour after the vessel struck heavy roll
came in and lifting the ship about six feet let her fail
the rocks when she broke the paddoboxes into
two parts; the bow fell sideways, while the after
part remained entire.
Several persons on tho bow but rescued by
passing rope the chasm and hauling them aft
A singular incident occurred here. An aged Irshman,
who bad considerable Of money with him. had been
insane for week previous from fear of being wrecked
He would frequently pack up his apparel and offer any
one money to put him ashore pophesying that the ship
would never reach Portland After the bow fell over he
was seen sitting the orecastle deck ladder with his
saiche in Ms hand apparently unconscious unable
take advantage of the attempts made to save him. In
little time he fell from his place. and slid across tho deck
into the sea- where he drowned he had forctod
week before.
Most Of the loss Of life occurred the time the ship
broke across.
Strange to say not Of the dead bodies has yet