The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1868-03-31

NoSrHs-UpwARps OF TWENTY LIVES LOST.
The Boston papers bring US very interest
ing account of the wreck of the ship General
Grant, owned in that city, which, during
calm, drifted like log on to the iron-bound
shores OF the Aulland Isles. not to be ground
to atoms against the almost endless wall OF
rock envroning them, but to be embayed Ill
one Of the cayernous crevices here and there
formed bv volcanic or other action, then slowly
but surely to be drawn, as it were, into
giant cave, against the sides andr OF
which the good ships timbers crushed until
she settled down into the deep abyss OF waters.
It was night when she drifted into this cave,
which is described as being nearly four hun
dred feet deep. The night was very dark, and
nothing could be seen but the black rocks
around and above the ship. When daylight
came the boats were lowered; there were, in
cludirg twenty-Sour of crew, elghty-three
passengers in all, among whom were six la
dies and about twenty children. OF these
there escaped from the sinking ship four male
passengers, ten seamen, and one female, the
stewardess-ffteen in all. The captain OF the
ship was last seen in the mizzen toprast
crosstrees; within few moments of disappear
ing he waived his handkerchief as an adieu to
those who were in the boats. The sufferings
endured by the survivors from the wreck for
eighteen long months on the Auckland Isles
are thus narrated by correspondent at Dune
din, Otago. New Zealand, who writes under
date of February Oath:
Slowly and sadly the survivors pulled away
from the dreadful cave wherein so many OF
their fellow passengers had found their last
resting place. The coast, as far as they could
see, consisted of high perpendicular rocks, and
there was no possibility of effecting landing.
They we're many times in peril before they
landed; they were all the day pulling, some
tunes in the teeth of the wind, and it was night
before they reached o large rock about one and
half miles northeast Of Disappointment ISL
and In trying to effect o landing for the pur-
pose of obtaining fresh water one OF the boats
was swamped, but the men got safely on the
rocks. OF all their provisions only three pieces
of pork and nine tins OF boullll we're 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 a fire. and even if they had they would
have hesitated before riskng their last match |
on rocks where it would have been impossible |
for them to live. They were obliged to keep |
on their oars all night so as to prevent being
blown off the land.
About noon of the 18th they entered place
called North Harbor, but they did not think it
fit refuge, so ut daylight the next morning
they started again and reached Port Ross.
There they c2mped and set about the anxious
task Of Lighting fire, in which they were for
tunately 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, and these, With tin of
a1-11 1,,l
the poor shipwrecled people The next day
they discovered some old huts, which had,
doubtless, afforded shelter for other sufferers, K
and gathered limpets and killed four seals on
the beach at Enderbys Island. They saw some
goats, but did not succeed in catching any.
before, and that the 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, which
they thought might have been LETT for the ben
eft of future castaways. They were not sue
cessful.
They were very badly off for clothing There
we're some who were without coats, hats and
shoes and stockings. From this cause and
from the want OF nourishing food, the party
for many days were in state OF dreadful suf
Iering. They we're attacked with dysentery,
and became so reduced and emaciated that
they feared mono would be left to tell the story.
One day when they were out in the bay search
ing fo1 the hut left by Captain Musgravc, who
with some OF his crew had but few months
before escaped q similar peril after twenty
months suffering, they describe themselves
as being so weak that they could scarcely hit
their oars out o: the water; when, after an ab-
sence of eight days, they returned TO their
companions, they were startled with horror at
finding the men they had left reduced almost
to bare skin aud bone. They knew then how
they themselves had changed. But after
time they rallied; they got more accustomed
to the food; they succeeded il making little
salt, and from the skins OF the seals they made
moccasins for the shoeless. They also man
aged to make sail from sealskin.
On the 11th of July they came upon Mus
graves hut; their joy was great. for they
thought they would lind there a well-stocked
depot; but their disappointment was greater,
for every thing had been carried away except