The New York herald., 1868-03-25
A ROMANCE OF THE SEAS.

Particulars of the Wreck Of the American
Ship General Grant-The Survivors Living
on the Auckland Island Eighteen Months
Upwards of Twenty Lives Lost.
We gave in our marine columns yesterday brief
account of the remarkable loss Of the ship General
Grant, Captain W. II. Laughn, OF Boston, The fol-
lowing additional particulars will be found highly
Interestingly
The General Grant left Hobson's bay on MAY 4.
she experienced light westerly winds. The weather
being very foggy lookout for land was kept on the
18th. The last observation was taken little after
eight o'clock A. NJ on the llth. On the 18th Sunday
at about ten O'Clock in the night, land was sighted
on tile weather bow. The course steered was east
by north, wind about northwest. 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 the port tack for nearly two hours and dur
ing this time was setting bodily towards the land.
The land on the lee beam looked like fog bank; the
wind had fallen away to a dead calm, and the vessel
became perfectly numanageable What was in his
power to do the captain aid but In vain for heavy
southwest swell was forcing her nearer and nearer
TO the fatal rocks.
At about one O'Clock A. NJ the vessel struck pro-
ectng rock and broke part OF away; she then shot
astern to another point which carried away her
spankerboom and rudder. By this time the man at
the wheel had had several Of his ribs broken The two
the entrance to cave nearly three hundred feet Deep
Into this cave the vessel slowly canted, surrounded
points OF rock which the vessel had struck formed
by dark masses of rock and with twenty-five fathoms
water under the stern. They held lamps over the
| dtion; they could see nothing around and above
them but savage rocks, against the sides OF which
the water plashipg sullenly, and which there
4 was scarcely footing place for bird. Royal mast,
| topmast and lower mast came down, one after
| which tore the deck to pieces. Then just
before dawn the mizzen topgaant mast
the terrors Of the night, the passengers
were orderly and wachful; but 1t NAV be imagined,
says one 'ilow we eagered for the first streak or
light" The General Grant possessed three boats,
two quarter boats, each twenty-five feet over
all and iive feet beam, and long boat,
daylight one OF the quarter boats was launched
over the stern by means Of spar rigged for that
purpose ana in this boat were three ablebodied
men, who were eventually saved. It is a significant
fact however, that OF these three men. one died
some months afterward upon the island, and the
other two started with the chief officer for New
Zealand in January, 1867. No tidngs have been
received OF them, and their fate is almost GER
tain.) Iron Qor an anchor) and rope were placed
in this first boat, the mission Of which was TO see
II a landing could be made outside the cave, and
afterwards TO return for more passengers. But from
some cause or other the boat lay outside the cave
and did not return. The second quarter boat was
then launched; IN berwere placed about fifty tons Of
bouilli and some beef and pork. The captain, VINO
did his duty nobly, intended to despatch this boat,
with women and children to the hrst which had
gone outside the cave; but his intention was in
some way frustrated. The boat was filled with men
and one woman, Mrs. Jewell, the stewardess,
who, in being lowered from the ship, fell into
the sea. Her husband jumped in after her. and
both were saved and are among the survivors.
There was heavy sea running and the General
Grant was sinking fast Many OF the passengers got
into the long boat, which was lying on the quarter
deck; slowly the ship sunk until the boat and its liv
ing cargo were aaoat, but they had not gone hun
dred yards before the sea broke over the boat and
filled her. or the struggling passengers only three
were saved. The hui 81 the snip was now under
water and the sea was breaking 80 heavily that nei-
thcr OF the boais dared approach her. The captain
was last seen in the miz2entopnast crosstrees; with
In few moments or disappearing he waved his
Handkerchief as an adieu to those who were in The
boats.
slowly and sadly the survivors pulled away from
the dreadful cave wherein many Of their fellow
passengers hal found their last resting pace. Tue
coast far "a they could see, consisted OF nigh per-
pendicuar rocks and there was no possibility Of
etrecting a landing. Ihey were many times in peril
before they landed they were all the day pulling,
sometimes In the teeth of the wind, and II was night
before they reached large rock about one
and a half miles northeast OF disappointment
Island. In trying 10 effect landing FOR the pur-
pose OF obtaining fresh water one of the boats
was swampcd, but the men got safely on the
rocks. or all their provisions only three pieces
Of pork and nine tins OF bouilll were saved. The
boat, however, was recovered. on the morning OF
the 18th Of May they got some fresh water They
had been unable TO procure any wood for fire, and
even If they had they would have hestated before
risking their last match on ROCKS where IL would
have been impossible for them TO i've. they were
Obliged TO keep on their oars ali night so as TO pre-
vent being blown on the land.
About noon OF the 18th they entered place called
North Harbor but they did not think IL OF refuge, so
| at daylight the next morning they started
| again and reached Port Ross. There they
| camped and set about the anxious task Of
| lighting q Ere, in which they were fortunately
| successful. The fire they lighted that evening
was not allowed to go out for eighteen months. They
caught two or three birds, gathered few limpets
aud these, with tin OF bouilli, were cooked and
heartily enjoyed 10y the poor shipwrecked people.
Tile next day they discovered some old huts, which
had, doubtless, Afforded shelter for other sufferers
ana gathered limpets and killed four seals on the
beach at Enderby's Island. They saw some goats,
but did not succeed In catching any. Knowing that
snips had been wrecked there before and that tho
island they were on had been refuge for men In the
same condition as themselves, they passed the next
few days In searching for food tools and clothing
| when they Thought might have been left for the
Denent Vi lutjfe eastaways. They were not success
| isl.
| They were very badly or for clothing There
were some wh0 were without coats, hats and shoes
aud stockings. From this cause and from the want
OF nourishng food, the party for many days were in
a state OF dreadful suffering. They were attacked
with dysentery, and became so reduced and ema-
cated that tney feared none would be left to tell the
story. one Gay Waen they out In the bay
searching Tor tne nut left by Captain Musgrave who
with some OF his crew had hut a few months before
escaped similar peril after twenty months suffer-
ing they describe themselves a. being so weak that
they could scarcely lit their oars out oftbe water:
| when. after an absence Of epht days. they re-
turned 10 their companions, they were startled
with horror at finding The men they had LEFT reduced
| most 10 bare skin and bone. They knew then how
| they themselves had changed, Hut after time they
ralliod they got more accustomed t0 the food; tney
succeeded n making little sat and from tic skins
Of The seals they made nuccasins Tor the shueess.
| They also managed to make sell iiom sealskin.
On the llh 0i july they came upon Nusplayos hut:
their jpg great Tor they thgught they would md
fN.FN Ng4NF L. NHell lN b. fY