Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1860-01-28
THE yvreck OF tha Flora Temple.
Hightal Loss Of Llt-Neorly Ih0"-
sand Human ReingS Lost.

Loss O| LlF-Ne0Tfy H0"-
sand Human Reing8 Lost.
The New York Herald Of yesterday
contains a graphic report Of the terrible
wreck of the American clipper ship Flora
Temple, of Baltimore, in the China S~a,
on the S;h Of October, with The loss OF
$50 coolies and ls EorS Speans. Ii is writ
ten by DR.. A. F, Chlds, F. K. Z. s.
who was passenger on board, and en-,
sequenlly an eyewitness TO the fearful
scenes he decribes so wildly. We take
from the letter the following extracts !:
Striking on the Rocks IS struck,
first slightly, and then, very soon af'eF-
wards, several times with tremendous
crash, the breakers running very high
alongside. Such was the position, from
which it was fourd impossible 10 extrl-
cate her. Pieces Of the timbers and plank
ing foatetl up on the port side, and alter
some more very heavy thumps she at
last remained almost imnovabe. Having
a list sport, the water had rapidly inciess-
ed from two and a half feet till 1t had
reached the between decks, where the
coolies were. There was no longer a
shadow of ground for hope that the Ves-
sci could be preserved.
While this was going on-indeed, al
most Immediately after the ship first struck
"a fear that the coolies would rise d mur'
der I'll on board seemed TO have possessed
itself Of The minds of the and 10 such
a height did this rise that the captain (haV-
ing al the time however, no intention OF
aband doning the ship had the two quarter
boats lowered, and placed an officer and
five men in each, with orders to remain
near the ship, so that refuge might be had
al hand, if by any chance they should be-
come needruI. The crew were thorough
ly unnamed; their only anxiety seemed
TO be TO leave the ship, no matter how,and
had it not been for the captain, his lnde-
fatigable brother, and one or two others
on board, the boats would have left the
ship absolutely unprovided with the me-
rest necessaries of lile-lhe men could be
got to do nothing.
abandoning the Ship.-The boats
were lowered about ten o'clock. About
twelve The other small boats were got out
safely, and there now remained only the
long boat, Which she panic-sirlcSen men
declared it was impossible 10 get out.
Fifteen, with the captain, remained Oh
board. The labor and difficulty of getting
this boat out was immense. The captain
had TO climb the mainstay 10 hook on the
tackle; but at last il was got out at about
4 A. NJ, and with its crew passed safely
over the breakers. Immediately before
leaving the ship the lead was hove, and
four falhoms were found under her bows
and stern. and three fathoms amidships;
Just through the breakers there was no
bottom at fourteen fathoms. The earliest
lights Of morning were now showing
themselves in the east, and soon after the
day broke the coolies were all collected on
the upper decks.
The ship then appeared 10 remain al
most,withoul motion; all her masls were
standing; she had strong list aporl; her
back was broken, and the main and mon
key rails and waterways were also bro
ken amidships, the sea making a clean
breach over her starboard quarter. Hav'
ing passed round the northern extremity
OF The line of breakers, the captain in the
longboal Joined the quarter boat, with the
smaller boats in company, the port quar-
Ter boa, with the second mate in charge
having deserted us during the night, alarm
ed probably at the firing Of guns, which,
to their terrified ears, seemed 10 denote
another outbreak of the coolies. The
captain had all transferred from the din
gies 10 the longboat and quarter boat, and
about nine A. NJ, sail was made 10 the
westward. and all the coolies lefI behind.
Separation of the Boats in q Storm.
The boals parted company in tremendous
storm. and henceforth can only speak Of
The one in which, by the providence of
God. after fourteen days and nights Of ex-
posure. we arrived safely at Toursn, in
Cochin China. During Saturday, the
5th, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wed
nesday, Thursday and Friday, The gale
continued without abatement. and we hove
TO under a close reefed mainsaii, with
a bucket veered out TO 90 lalhoms. The
boat was an open one and we were drench-
ed with the seas ihs, broke over US and
with The rain. which right and day con-
linued slmos! without iniermission, as IL
seemed TO US.
We were covered with salt water boils;
OR fee, were terribly swollen and pain
full we had saved nothing bOl what we
STOOD in. and had 90 change: wet bis
cuil and half pint of water day was sll
We dared 10 venture on; sleep was almost
Impossible; the men sal moody, wretcbed
4 Il.