The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-01-02
A TERRIBLE MARRATKVE.

Further Details OF tho Loss of the Hiber-
nia--Marvcllous Escape OF some of the
Boats-Awful Suffcring-some OF the
Passengers become Insane and Leap
into the Ocean
Our English files are filed with the harrow
ing details Of the loss Of the steamship Hiber-
MIA, which recently foundered at sea on the
passage from New York. We copy the follow
ing narrative of Mr.. Davis, the second officer,
who had marvellous escape in ono Of the
ships boats:
When we left the Hlbernia, we had in our
boat two barrels Of biscuit, three casks Of
water aud several tins OF preserved meat. Two
hours alter leaving the ship we found the boat
was so full that we deemed 1t necessary to
throw. one OF the barrels Of biscuit overheard
to make room for the passengers. The boat
was life-boat twenty-five feet long, with six
or o3:;,a seven s feet It. beam. One woman had two
lively, and another an infant OF six months
old. Our boat was leaking badly when we
started, and it required two men constantly
bailing to keep her afloat. Soon after leaving
the H,bernia, we fell astern OF the other boats,
being only able to pull two oars, owing to our
crowded condition. When the first mates
boat was capsized, we attempted to get round
doing 30, we were obliged to attend to our own
safety. During that day we pulled before the
wind, but at night we lay to by means Of
floating anchor, and endeavored to make the
boat as trim rs possible. We tried to mako
the women as comfortable as we could by
spreading tarpaulins over the forward part Of
the boat. Nobody asked to get anything to
ca eat the first day AL being too anxious to think
morning we got o lugsall set on the boat, and
made the best Of our way for the Irish coast,
pehorg Moth in@ soatshwesterly Ut sn.a breeze.
following an rul,0 hal
shown symptoms Of arrangement. jumped
overheard, saying he was going to bed. On
the third day the breeze fell very light, and we
had to take to the oars. Next morning, one of
the passengers, supposed to be Francis Rodg-
ers, 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; but we endeavored to soothe
her, and succeeded in some degree. Rodgere
was evidently out Of his senses. He had quar-
relied with us because we nailed the compass
to the thwarts. He wanted the knees OF his
trousers darned, az she could no5,n he said,
''.go home with holes in them" Up to this
time provisions hal been given in moderate
quantities, and each person had daily allow
anceto ance OF pint Of water We had. however, to
ing both on the fourth and fifth days, and did
not make much progress. Sunday was calm
oil day.. The children hitherto had been toI-
erably lively. The infant was fed on mashed
biscuit, it's mother having no milk, and the
others got biscuit ind preserved meat, with
q small quantity of preserved fruit
Inc want of sufficient water now began to
pc felt, and owing to the close packing OF all
in the boat, and the frequent wettings, cramps
were very general. We were forced to keep
everything in one position as much as possible
to avoid capsiz!ng. ,Up, to Monday no ono had
a Of the and
aii IN their power to inspire hope, and the
quartermaster, Blair, spun yarns to keep their
spirits up, On Wednesday the second ergi-
n fl,n x1..z1 IL
joined with him. That day tho wind blew hard
irom the southwest, and we had to bring the
boat to by using the sail and two Of our oars as
hoating anchor, and in doing go lost both sail
being now dark; so we had to make sail out
OF q piece OF tar eauin. and be content With
one oar and q half that We had with us in the
lin was torn into rags, and we Substituted M for for
1t bed covers. These latter were also soon de-
stroyed Samuel Brewster, an old man, died
on on Wednesday, after going raving mad. Many
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
Early on Thursday morning, child Eve years
OF age died, and shortly afterwards it's mother
expired. Another child took lockjaw, and died
ALSO. The bodies were thrown overheard. The
erect on the survivors was very visible. All
thls time we were making slow ogress to-
wards the Irish coast. The torn tarpaulin had
been mended in the best fashion we could, and
served in a kind of way for a lugsail. Prov-
SONS si and water were now given in small guam
tlty. One OF the barrels of biscuits was found
to be much soaked with sea water, and one Of
the = ssh water casks had leaked half Of it's
contents. We had to disregard the appeals
for drink, and the consequence was that sew
erai seamen took to quenchng their thirst
with salt water In spite of our remonstranoes
Ihls was continued until q number got per-
Iu "n1k
one Of those who persisted in taking salt wafer,
and his conduct became so dangerously out
rageous that he had to be tied to the bottom.
tie died in this state.
dred and fifty miles. The tarpaulin sail had
given way half dozen times aud as often
mended, and, on the whole. the boat had gone
very well. This day the icfant died. Our
treme. 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 and
hands were greatly sweed and, consequently.
very painful. The fresh water was so scarce
that t less than pint had to serve four persons
Some OF us were raving and violently mad. A
woman died as the evening closed In, but the
fact was not noticed at the time, and the body
%as s. ~ he ooe1 when ne Of all
II "
heavy wave struck the boat, and those on
board in their drowsy condition falling sudden
ly in q mass to the lee side, she went over, and
boat eated upwsrds and Reilly f ~assa managed 9e to
struggle up and seat himself upon the keel
He assisted Blair 70 get up, which the latter
did with some difficulty, as drowning pas
assisted Mr. Davies, who had also to
shake himself clear Of some one clinging to his
foot. No others got hold Of the boat, though
ing 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 appa.
rently holding on by the thwarts, and breath
ing the air which had been enclosed whe.. the
boat rolled over, or which reached him through
the chinks in her timbers. About twelve O'Clock
heavy sea struck the boat, and the three who
were sitting astride Of the keel were again i'm
niersed In the water. Blair was the first to re-
cover his position, and by his assistance the
other two mon wrought up on the boat. The