Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1869-03-03
THE STORY OF A SHRWRECK.
Less of the Ship Gen. Grant, of Boston.
T1n Vessel Sucked into a CaFe--The Survivors
Eighteen Months on a Desolate Island,

On the 2StA of September, 1865, the
ship General Grant, Captain William
H Loughlin, sailed from Boston fol
Melbourne, Australia, and on the 18th
of May, 1856, she was wrecked on the
Auckland Islands, fifteen hundred
miles southeast of Melbourne. The
story of this shipwreck is told in the
March number of Hdrper's Magazine
by one of ylae crew. The vessel was
sucked into a cave of unknown depth
her captain and most of the crew
were drowned. and only fifteen per.
sons escaped. The survivors landed
upon a deselate island, where they
remained for eighteen months before
their signals were discovered by q
passing vessel.
The narrator tells this story in a
graphic style, andwe copy the leading
passages:
"On the 28th of November, 1856,
the ship General Grant, Captain VIM.
III. Loughlin, sailed from Boston for
Melbourne.
"We remained in Melbourne about
eight weeks, loading for London. By
one of those condolences which sail
ors dread, we took aboard part of a
cargo that had been intended for the
steamer London. This iIlfated vessel
had sunk in the Bay of Biscay, on
her voyage out, and there were many
gloomy prophecies that no freight of
hers would reach London in any ship.
The rats are also said to have left our
vessel. Our cargo consisted chiefly of
wool and hides, with about four
thousand ounces of gold. We sailed
on Friday, the 4th of May, 1856, with
sixty passengers, among whom were
six women and abouttwenty children.
The men were nearly all miners, re-
turning home with their families and
what property they had acquired at
the diggins. The crew numbered
tWenty-three-four officers and nine
teen men.
'For five DAYS the Gen. Grant
made good progress with fair wind.
The captain had originally intended
running to the nOrthward of the
Aucklands but on the seventh day a
southeasterly breeze sprang up, oblig-
ing him to beat to windward.
Throughout the next two days the
weather was so thick that we could
scarcely see the end of the jib-boon
from the deck. At 102 o'clock at night
of the ninth day the lookout forward
cried, Land on the port bow This
was Disappointment Island, the most
westerly of the Auckland group.
The captain Immediately tackled ship
and ran to the northward of Disap-
pointment. When fairly clear of the
land, which he supposed to be the
most northerly of the Aucklands,
instead of the most westerly, the
wind shifted from southeast to north
west.
"All danger seemed past. The
yards were squared and the doomed
ship put on the straight course for
Cape Horn. An hour later the look
out reported Land dead ahead but
after inspection with the glass the
officer declared it only a fog-bank.
mot many minutes latter the wind
died completely away, leaving heavy
sea. At the same time dawned upon
US the terrible danger we were in.
The sea and the current were carrying
US towards a rock-bound, precipitOus
coast. The main island of Auckland
lay directly ahead, and every swash
of the sea was pushing US toward
destruction.
1.-THE scene on deck and in the
cabins struck terror to the stoutest
hearts. Miners were seen tying up
their gold in blankets; women were
wailing and children shrieking. All
hands weIe pulling at the braces as
long as a spark of hope remained.
''Cruel fate urged US pitilessly on,
yet so slowly that it was relief when
the end came, and that long agony of
hopeless waiting ceased. AS we near
ed the land the lead was heaved to
find an anchorage, but no bottom
could be found.
"At half-past one at night the jib-
boom struck the rock at the foot of a
cliff many hundred feet high, and
with the bowsprit, was carried away.
The shock caused the ship to spin
around and strike her stern, carrying
away the spanker-boom and rudder,
and breaking the ribs of the man at
the wheel. We now found ourselves
drifting helplessly into a narrow cove,
enclosed by precipices of unknown
height. The ships sides were strik-
| ing heavily against the rock, and
there were thirty fathoms of water
under her. All hope was gone, yet
the captain stood nobly at his post,
and the crew remained subordinate.
Lanterns were held over the side
and carried up the rigging. Not a
foothold for bird could be discovered.
The masts were not cut away, as they
could not fall clear of the deck.
There was too much water for anchor
| ing.
SUCKED INTO A CAVE.
$50 we drifted on, and the cove
grew narrower. Suddenly the fore
royal mast struck the rock above, and
came tumbling down, followed by
the other spars. AS the main-royal
mast and top-hamper succeeded we
realized the appalling fact that sUe
9Oere being sucked into a caUe Of lIn-
ArOlOn depth.
1.-The rock above was tearing the
masts out of the ship and in detached