The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1868-04-24

ii ROMANCE OF THE SE.ss.
PARTICULARS OF THE WRECK OF THE AMERI-
CAN SHIP GENERAL GRANT.

The following particulars of the wreck
Of the ship General Grant, from New
Zealand for London, reveal most roman
tic story of danger and privation. TWEEN.
ty lives were lost, and the survivors lived
upon the Auckland Islands, poverty
stricken colony, for eighteen MONTHS
They made fire with the only match
they had, and kept it burning all the time
they were there. The brig Amherst res
cued them on the 21st of November, 1867.
The following additional particulars will
be found highly interesting
The General Grant left Hobson's bay
on May 4, 1866, bound for London
From the 4th to 18th she experienced
light westerly winds. The weather being
foggy, lookout for land was kept on the
18th. The last observation was taken o
little after. eight o'clock, A. NJ, on the
l1th. On the 18th Sunday at about
ten o'clock in the night, land was sighted
on the weather bow. The course steered
was east by north, wind about northeast.
The watch below was instantly called
upon deck. The yards were squared
away to clear the vessel from the land
She bore away southeast for about half an
hour, and then was hauled up again to the
eastward. Half an hour afterwards the
Auckland Islands were sighted right
ahead. The vessel was then hauled on
the port tack, but had hardly steerage
way. The wind was light, and there was
nasty short sea on. She stood on the
port tack for nearly two hours, and during
this time was setting boldly towards the
land. Tue land on the lee beam looked
like fog bank -; the wind had fallen
away to dead calm, and the vessel be-
came perfectly unmanageable. What was
in his power to do the captain did, but in
vain, for heavy southwest swell was
forcing her nearer and nearer to the fatal
rocks.
At about one o'clock, A. M, the vessel
struck projecting rock and broke part
of it away she then shot as,ern to
another point, which carried away her
spanker- boom and rudder. By this time
the man at the wheel had several of his
ribs broken. The two points of rock
which the vessel had struck, formed tho
entrance to cave nearly three hundred
feet deep. Into this cave the vessel slow.
ly canted, surrounded by dark masses of
rock, and with twenty-five fathoms Of
water under the stern. They held lamps
over the bulwarks for the purpose ascer.
tanning their condition they could see
nothing around and above them but saw.
age rocks, against the sides Of which the
water Was FLASHING sulenly, and on which
there was scarcely footing place for
bird. Royal mast, topmast and lower
mast came down, one after another, bring.
ing down with them masses of rock which
tore the deck to pieces Then just before
dawn the mizzen topsallant mast came
down with crash. Notwithstanding the
terrors of the night, the passengers were
orderly and watchful but it may be i'm,
agined, says one chow W. eagered for the
frst streak of light" The General Grant
possessed three boats, each twenty-five
feet over all and FIVE feet beam, and a
loug boat, about thirty feet keel, and
seven feet beam. At about daylight one
of the quarter boats was launched over
the stern by means of a spar rugged for
that purpose, and in this boat were three