The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-02-05
SCENES OF HORROR,

Steamship London ns--tseartrend ding
Inetdents of EerOism ,snd Suffering
TIVE Hundred Doomed Beings Waiting
fO DeMsh-LAst Hours Of 81. ". Brook
ah Act0F-NOble COuduc1 OF the Cap
Eat III Refuses 90 save Hhmselr and
Go . BOwn with the SRtE-The Pas
sengers snOOIIHg ThemsrIves to Avoid
p,rOwDiDg-MArVellOus Escape Of the
SUI ViVOrB, Etc.
The wreck OF the Australian emierant ship
London, with the loss OF over Two hundred lives,
has already been recorded. The English papers
received by the Africa furnish details of the
catastrophe, which excel in horror and interest
anything of the kind that has occurred in Europe
since the loss OF the Royal Charter.
HERoIsM OF THE CAPTAIN.
1t was not till A. NJ. on Wednesday, the 10th
inst, tnat Capta N Martin resolved to put back
10 Plymocth, the London being then some two
hundred miles southwest oil Lands End. But it
seems to have been already too late. At MALT
past 10 on Wednesday night a tremendous sea
sVeptihe ship, broke into the engine room and
put out the fires. This was the night on Hhlch
the thirty We sells were wrecked at once IN Tor
bay. All the passengers OF the LOad0n
worked at The pumps WINE Jne gaze
became hurricane, and the snip was @ losing
all control. At length, at 10 A. M. on Thursday,
Captain Martin called his passengers to-
gether. aud told them that they must prepare
for the worst. The ship had already sunk as
and IL stsntly sWamped, but the five men in her
dragged ON board the ship. No attempt was
made to launch the other boats; but the passen'
gers gathered into the chief cabin, and having
been calmly assured by Captain Martin that
there was no hope left, they quietly joined with
the clergyman in prayer. There was no wild
and selfish terror, no scleaning, no rushing to
the boats; there was the agony OF sudden part
ines and of everlasting separations ol parent ana
child, and husband and Wlie; but with
the example OF Captain Martin before
A. Ill Irrsr Vann and uyrp
were composed, aud all resigned, while the
children wondered and asked why their fathers
and mothers looked so sad. Captain Martin re-
manned at mis- station on the poop, once or twice
only going forward, and once or twice into the
saloon TO join in the devotiOns OF the passengers
At two p NJ the few men who we're destined to
survive to bring the sad story home-slXteen OF
the crew and three OF the paSsengers-deter-
mined to trust themselves TO the chances of the
sea, lowered away the pinnace, and launched her
clear OF the ship. These men called to the Cap
tain to come with them, but this brave and
steadiast English seamen declined, saying, mo,
| will go down with the passengers; but wish
yon God speed, and safe to land The boat then
pulled away, and five minutes atser the London,
with two hundred and seventy souls on board,
went down, and all was over. 1t seems that after
the pinnace came away an Intellectual attempt
was made to get the other boats out, but it was
too late.
DEMEANoR OF THE PASSENGERS.
The agony of suspense had been so long main
tanned that on the day the London toundered
the passengers were perfectly quiet and uneX-
cited, and a surprising degree OF resignation was
exhibited throughout. Miss Marks, OF Old Kent
road, London. was at first almost frantic; yet
when the boat lett she stood calmly on deck
bareheaded, and waved an aoieu to MIR. Wilson.
Mr.. Grant, one OF the officers, was lively through
out, and encouraged many to toll at the pumps
"a work rendered by the wind highly dangerous
and difficult. Miss Brooker, RON PimlIco, was
heard to say, as she wrung her hands, "Well,
have do1e all that could, and can do no more"
10
NIGHT, after the passengers had been alarmed
by the shipping OF water, Mrs. Price, Mrs. Wood
(who had with her her husband and five chlldren),
MISS Brooker and Miss Marks read the Bible by
turns in the second cabin. 1t was on that night
that after the sea had poured down the hatch the
Captain said "Boys, you may say your prayers"
At IL o'clock on the following night Dir. Draper
held prayer meeting in the saloon. An extra
ordinary tact deserves to be recorded. poor old
couple who had three children with them had
tried in vain three times TO go upon their voy-
age. First in a vessel unknown and which was
wrecked; next i'll the Duncan Dltllb0r, which was
also recently wrecked, and lastly Gardner,
the steward, saw the poor wife washed over
board from the London, to leewGrd, her husband
following her presently beneath the billoWs.
Among the passengers were two stout old people
who had become tavorites on board, and who
had been sent for by their only son. The poor
creatures, on learning that they must drown
took q small quantity of brandy and went below
to die together in their cabin. Mr.. Bevan,
wealthy coach proprietor, and his wife, of Mel
D0ulne, VINO ndu Deeu 6uIO9luS q "Trip " HuIOpeJ
Mr. Lemon, ironmonger, Burke street. Mel
bourne: Mr.. Mclean, owner OF extensive
baths, opposite the Albion Hotel, Melbourne,
who had brought his son TO be educated in Eng
land, and Mr.. Barnett, Russell street, Melbourne,
were among those who persisted.
BROOKE, THE TRAGEDiAN.
Down into the waves with two hundred and
sixty-nine others has sunk Gustavus V. Brooke,
the famed ragedlan, who was bound for the
country which had been the scene of a reverse of
fortune to him, but previously OF many brilliant
tall man, of powerful build, and he is stated by
the rescued passengers to have exerted his
strength to the utmost in helping to keep the
ship ahoat. The Dutch portion of the crew,
twenty-one in number, refused to work, and,
according to the English sailors who were
saved, these men went TO their berths and
remained there, so that the passengers had
to work at the pumps for many hours
with the English seamen. MIR. g. V. Brooke
eXerted himself necessarily. Attired only in a
red Crlmean shirt and trousers with no hat On,
and barefooted he went back wards and forwards
to the pumps until working at them was found
TO be useless, ana when last seen, about four
hours before the steamer went down, he was
leaning with grave composure upon one OF the
half doors at the companion. His chin was rest
lng upon both hands, and his arms were on top
of the door, which he gently swayed to and fro
while he calmly watched the scene. One of the
passengers who saw him has said, HE had
worked wonderfully, and, in fact more bravely
than any man on board of that ship" To the
steward, who made himself known, Mr.. Brooke
said, eff you succeed In saving yourself, give
my farewell to the people of Melbourne.
THINKING OF HIS FATHER.
Next must be mentioned circumstance, the
publication of which may prove of great import
anCe Mr.. Munro states that a passenger named
Eastwood with whom he had been acquainted