The Portland daily press., 1868-12-31
Fearful Voyage Of One Of the Hibernia's
Boats.

The Glasgow Herald publishes the narrative
of Mr.. Davies, the second officer of the steamer
Hibernia, who had marvellous escape in one
of the ships boats. When he left the Hibernia
his boat contained two barrels OF buiscuit,
three casks of water, and several cars of pre-
served meat. Two hours after, one of the bar
rels of buiscuit had to be thrown overheard,
the boat was so overlooked with passengers. The
boat was a life-b0at, twenty-five feet long. with
six or seven feet beam, and it required two
men constantly bailing to keep her ahoat. One
of the women had two children, of three and
iye years old respectively, and another an in
fant six months old. The tarpaulin was spread
over the forward part Of the boat TO keep the
women comfortable. Nothing OF particular
note occurred till the second night, when an
old man, who had symptoms of arrangement,
jumped overheard, saying he was going to bed.
From that time their troubles and sufferings
increased rapidly. We quote:-
Next morning one of the passengers, sup
posed to be Francis Rodgers, suddenly threw
himself overheard. A woman, supposed to be
his sister, pleaded hard that some Of Us should
throw her into the sea after him; bnt we en-
deavored to sOothe her, and succeeded TO some
degree. Rodgers was evidently out of his
senses. He had quarreled with us because we
nailed the compass TO the thwarts. He wanted
the knees of his trousers darned, as she could
not" he said, go home with holes in them" :"
Up to this time provisions had been given in
moderate quantities, and each person had
daily allowance Of pint of water. We had
now to shorten the allowance. We had to
keep pulling both on the fourth and fifth days,
and did not make much progress.
Many of our number now showed signs of
madness; probably from despair and exposure
to extreme cold. Some became violent and
threatening in their conduct, and we had to
use force with certain Of them, and gradually
we got them calmed down. Early on Thurs
day morning child, five years of age, died;
and shortly afterwards its mother expired. An
other child took lock jaw, and died also The
bodies were thrown overheard. The effect on
the survivors was very visible. All this time
we were making slow progress toward the Irish
coast. The torn tarpaulin had been melided
in the best fashion we could, and served in a
kind of q way for lugsail.
Provisions and water were now given in
small quantities. One Of the barrels of biscuits
was found to be much soaked with sea water,
and one Of the fresh water casks had leaked
half Of its contents We had to disregard the
appeals for drink, and the consequence was
that several seamen among the rest took to
quenching their thirst with salt water, in spite
of our reIuonstrances. This was continued
untl number got perfectly mad. Walter
Mctari3Ee, fireman, was one of those who
persisted IN taking salt water, and his conduct
became so dangerously outrageous that he had
to be tied TO the bottom. He died in this state.
On Friday we had sailed 450 miles. The tar
paulin sail had gwen away several times, and
as often as manded, and on the whole the boat
had gone very well. This day the infant died
Our situation had become miserable in the
extreme. The sea was breaking over the boat
In clouds of spray, wetting every one to the
skin, and all were sitting in pools of water.
There was nothing now TO cover the women, as
We had used everything for sails. Cramp had
seized all of us more or less, and our legs aud
hands were greatly swelled, and, consequently
very painful. The fresh water was SO scarce
that less than pint had to serve tour persons
for day, and provisions were equally scanty.
Some OF us were raying and violently mad. A
woman died as the evening closed in, but the
feet was not noticed at the time and the body
was still in the boat when the greatest of all
our calamties occurred.
About eleven o'clock heavy wave struck
the boat and those on board in their drowsy
condition falling suddenly in a mass on the lee
side she went over, and all were left struggling
in the water. The boat foated upwards, and
Reilly managed to struggle up and seat himself
on the keel He assisted Blair to get up, which
the latter did with some difficulty, as drown
ing passenger had laid hold of his leg, Reilly
then assisted Mr. Davies, who had also to shake
himself clear of some one clinging to his foot
No others got hold of the boa., though several
were heard for time shouting or swearing as
they swan about in the darkness. One poor
soul had got under the boat and he was heard
for nearly half an hour. He was apparently
holding on by the thwarts and breathing the
air which had been ipclosed when the boat
rolled over, or which reached him through the
chinks of her timbers.
About twelve o'clock heavy sea struck the
boat, and the three who We're sitting astride of
the keel We're again immersed in the water
Blair was the first to recover his position, and
by his assistance the other two were brought
up on the boat. The sail was floating along
side, and we got hold Of the ropes attached to
the mast, and, watching for q favorable oppor-
tunity, managed by pulling upon the ropes to
get the boat righted. She was, of course, full
of water, and we bailed her at first with fiat
pieces OF wood, and afterwards with two tin
cans which we found attached to the thwarts.
AT length, by hard labor, we got her clear.
Everything was lost out of the boat except one
oar, the mast, the tarpaulin sail, and the yard,
and we were thus left without provisions or
watcr When daylight broke we again made
sail upon the boat as well as we could, and
again steered our course 10 the eastward, with
a favorable wind.
By Sunday evening We were beginning to get
downhearted. We saw a sail-the first we had
seen-but she did not observe us, and darkness
shortly afterwards closing in we had no light
with which to attract attention. We were
downcast at this, but about six o'clock we were
suddenly cheered by seeing lighr to the east
ward, which turned out to be from Tory Island
Lighthouse.
The next day they ran their boat ashore in
Mulroy Bay, but in landing, their limbs were
so swollen that it was impossible for them to
mo re, and they had to be taken in charge by
the inhabitants. Only three reached the land
Davies, Blair and Reilly.