Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1860-09-17
Frightful Scene Mt Sea-Narrow Escape OF
aI.n Arnhin rrnrl Tn1rILIn LE..nnI.

the Arabin from n Terrible Wreck
DR.. Smith, of Springfield, Mass, writes
home the following graphic account of the
narrow escape of the steamship Arabia from
sudden and terrible wreck on Fasnet Rock,
Cape Clear, of which brief account has
been given: t
Steamship arabia Ill 4. M, Friday
august g. ls60.-In the midst of life we are
in death. just half an hour ago, while
standing on the bow, the ship running four
teen knots an hour under steam and Sails in
a thick fog, l heard a loud shout, "land
aheadm / turned toward the captain, or
rather had my eye on him at that moment.
His face could not have expressed more hor-
ror if he had seen helPs gates opened. He
sprung to the engine-bell, at the same time
shouting 'hard-a-port your helm" A
counter order of "starboard" wasgiven. The
captain leaped from his footing, shouting. so
that his voice was heard above the escaping
steam, "hard-a-port, in Gods name." His
order was obeyed. Then turning forward
among a bubbub of voices, shouting 1--WE are
lost" "God have mercy on u.s." &C., l saw
the rocks not twenty feet from the ships
bows. On their top was lighthouse. As
we swung around, it seemed as if we should
every moment feel the shock Of striking.
The huge swell of the Atlantic was rever-
DeTdlluR anu buO SpIdl ulOuuu u.s.
The sails took aback, heeling us over so that
the deck stood up like the roof of house.
Women were screaming, seamen running to
and fro, and, above all, the captain and
lieutenants shouting so as to be heard above
the shrill, escaping steam, "hard-a-port,
hard, hardl" "Brace around the fore-yardp'
| "Let fly the halyards and sheets fore-and-
aft" stepped abaft the foremast; to be out
of the way of its fall, and waited for the
shock. But
ssThere's a sweet little cherub who sits up aloft
And looks after the life of poor Jack"
We approached, as all agree, within ter
feet of the rock and then began to recede
Just realize that there was only ten feet be-
tween us and eternity. 1t is the opinion o
sea-faring men on board that the ship, if sht
had struck, would have sunk in FIVE minutes
for it is a sharp ledge of rocks, six or sever
miles from any shore, and deep water al
around. The boats could not have been go
ready, and, if they could, they never coulC
have lived in the heavy surf No-if shC
had gone ten feet farther, we should have
been almost instantly precipitated into rag
ing sea, where, six or seven miles from land
in dense fog, few of us would have escaped
We should have all perished as miserably a
did those in the Hungarian. Three second
more would have tolled the death-knell c
most, if not all of us, for we were so en-
!
boat at the lighthouse, that if we had seize
fragments of the wreck, they would hsv
been torn from our grasp by the sea, boiling
as in cauldron over the sunken reefs hour
before our fate could have been known.
knew there was no time to run below 70
e-preservers-which are hung up by eac
BERTRAND / contented myself with ju;
stringing up my nerves for buffet with tn
waves.
For three minutes I can assure yo
man showed what he is when expecting I'll
"King of Terrors" Two or three ladies too
it heroically and seem to draw in strengt
from the scene around them. 1t was terri
BILE moment for the captain-Captain Ston
of the royal navy-for as we swung aroun,
the sails taking aback and heeling us owe
every body expected to feel the grindin
crash beneath our feet. ] felt for him, fC
all his great rashness, and gladly say that
his decision in our hour of need we owe OIL
7 lives. The rock is called Fasnet Rock, al
T upon it is the Cape Clear lighthouse.
I subscription is now being taken up amor
the passengers for the seaman who fir
= shouted "breakers aheadP' l never shs
/, forget to my dying day the face of the ca
|, tain when he heard that wild shout. l ha'
seen distress and pain in all their forms, b
never face like that, so full Of horror, pc
: feet agony, and crushing responsibilit
: The cry 'breakers ahead" the stopping
n the engines, the escape OF the steam, and
t.. shifting the helm, all occurred in one secoI
It seemed at the instant as if it was utter
= impossible to stop the ships way in
= time to save us; but God rules. He 7
i forth His hand, and the vessel trembling
Il if with mortal fear, yielded to her poweri
engines receded from the rock, and
d We're saved tr.s,4 .e.r.. ...--.5.-