Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1860-09-22

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To Mr. J. Moore, DR.. S. S. Satchwell, and others.
NARROW ESCAPE OF THE STEAMSHIP
ARABIA FROM WRECK.
DR.. Smith, of Springfield, Mass, writes to the
Republican of that town the following graphic ac-
count of the narrow escape of the steamship Arabia
from sudden and terrible wreck on Fasnet Rock,
Cape Clear:
STEAMSHIP ARABIA-11 A. NJ,
Friday, August Sd, 1860.
Just half an hour ago, while standing on the
bows, the ship running IA knots an hour under
steam and sails, in thick fog heard loud shout
"land ahead" I turned towards the captain, or
rather had my eye on HIM at that moment. His
face could not have expressed more horror if he ha
seen helrs gates opened. Hesprang TO the engine
bell, at the same time shouting lizard port your
helm" counter order of " starboard" was given
The captain eaped from his footing shouting so
that his voice was heard above the escaping steam,
"hard port in Gods name" HIS order was obeyed
Then, turning forward among hubub of voices,
shouting ave are lostI" God have mercy on
usl" &c, &c, / saw the rocks not twenty feet
from the ships bows. On their top was light
house. As We swung around, it seemed as If We
should, every moment, feel the shock of striking
The huge swell of the Atlantic was reverberating,
and the spray flying all round US. The sails took
aback heeling so that the deck stood up like
a roof of d house. Women were screaming running
to and fro; and, above ALL the captain and epten-
ants shouting so as to be heard above the Shrill,
escaping steam, lizard ortl-hardl hard" -
Brace around the foreyard F" LET fly the halyardS
and sheets, fore and at!" stepped abaft the fore
mast to be out of the way of its fall, and waited
for the shock.
We approached, as all agree, within ten feet of
the rock, and then began to recede. just realize
that there were just ten feet between and etern
ty 1t is the opinion of scattering men on board
that the ship if she had struck would have sunk in
five minutes, for it is sharp ledge of rocks six or
seven miles from any shore, and deep water all
around. The boats could not have been got ready,
and, if they could, they never could have lived in
the heavy surf No-if she had gone ten feet far
ther we should have been almost instantly precipi-
tated into a raging sea, where, six or seven miles
from land, in dense fog few of us would have
escaped. We should have all persisted as miserably
as did those in the Hungarian.
Three seconds more would have toed the death
knell of most if not all of us; for We were enVel
oped in fog and far from land and also no boat at
the lighthouse, that if we had seized fragments of
the wreck they would have been torn from grasp
by the sea- boiling in a cauldron the sunken
reefs, hours before our fate could have been known.
| knew there time to run below for life-pre-
servers-which are hung up by each BERTRAND so
contented myself with just stringing up my nerves
for buffet with the waves for three minutes. can
assure you, man showed what ne is when expecting
the King of Terrors" Two or three ladies took it
heroically, and seemed to draw in strength from
the scene around them. 1t was a terrible moment
for the captain, Capt. Stone;) for as we swung
around the sails lacking aback and heeling over,
everybody expected to feel the grinding crash be-
meath our feet felt for him. for all his great RASH
ness and gladly say that to his decision in hour
of need We owe our lives.
The rock is called Fasnet Rock, and upon it is
the Cape Clear Lighthouse A subscription is now
being taken up among the passengers for the seaman
who first shouted breakers ahead" shall never
forget my dying day the face Of the captain when
he heard that wild shout have seen distress and
pain in all their forms, but face like that so
full of horror, perfect agony and crushing response
bility. The cry breakers ahead" the stopping of
the engines the escape of the steam, and the shift
ing of the helm, all occurred in one second. 1t
seemed at the instant if it utterly impossible
to stop the ships way in time to save us; but God
rules. He put forth His hand, and the vessel trem-
bling if with mortal fear, yielded to her powerful
engines, receded from the rock, and We were saved.
Politics IN TYRRELL-OPENING OF THE FEDERAL