Juniata sentinel. [volume] (Mifflintown, Pa.) 1846-1873, 1870-11-16

| V0DoD k082Us
William wsllaes. qsasssrmaster of the
steamship vafsha hat foupdered ia. The
Gulf Stress lhisty niles from Jupiss.
Inlet % tls Florida Coast on the 2oth
of fOesobsr 10 : city paper with the
following seouut of the disaster. VIZ
repubIish it
We left New York on Saturday night
at seven o'clock and had fine weather up
to the morning of October 20. when a
wind sprung up from the South. At
noon there was a moderate gale. As the
sun went down it was perfect hurricane.
All went well until eight o'clock, when
the wind shifted suddenly to the south
west, when the ship became unmanage-
bic, and having list to port. the sea
commenced rushing on board on the lee
side Of the ship, staving in bulwarks and
the cabin door. su -Fo 'a
The sea had stoved in the engine.
house and was rushing down into the fire
and engine room at rate Of many tons
per minute, and the ship listing over
more. she vast fast filing. came back
to the captains room, opened the wealth.
er cabin door to see how the passengers
were behaving, but did not see soul. as
they were all in there state rooms. unable
to come out on account of the ships ly-
ing on her beams ends. l then came on
the hurricane deck and got into the after
boat with six others then in it. It
was lying on tho deck waiting for the
ship to 60 down. she then being necrly
on her beam ends. o. 10"
The captain, mate, and engineers, ten
in all, were in the boat, and in less than
FIVE minutes the boats were aHoat, but in
such heavy sea As that 1 was afraid
we would get foul Of the ships rigging.
While the vessel was sinking the other
boat hailed and asked us II we were all
right, and after this the steamer got foul
Of their boat and took her down with the
ship. The boats were Ingersol's metallic
ife-boats, and l think the captain's boat
got clear and came up again as boat,
bottom up, was seen two hours after. but
no person was in it. After the ships
masthead was out Of sight, We thought
ourselves all right, a. the ship was clear
Of US but We counted without . host.
for heavy sea capsized the boat, but all
managed, after great exertion. to right
her and get in her again. aen l-1 .rn I'D.
The ship went down at two P. ~.
and at midnight the weather moderated
and was still. We bsiled the boat on.
after remaining in her full of water
throughout the night. using for that pur-
pose the rudder and shoes on board. our
hats and every thing else having been
lost. We then went with the sea, which
was heavy to the northeast. At ten
clock We got on the Bahama banks,
and so intended to steer south for Abacoa
About three o'clock we saw = ship and
pulled for her, but darkness setting in
we did not catch her. We began to feel
thirsty by this time, but still had hopes
for the morrow 60 we let the boat drift
ana went to sleep Next morning tn"
wind was springing up from the north
east, when We saw brig anchor on the
banks snd pulled for her. but the wind
so that We could not reach her.
We then squared away for tn. Florada
coast, with an oar for a mast and two
shirts and pillow.caso for sail. We
made Jupiter light house at s at half
past 10 on the goth were near the beach.
and took down sail and put our shirts on
our backs, and then prepared to beach her
The FIRE: breakers was passed, which
did no harm. The next breaker whic h
struck us was most dreadful one, and
swept Mccormick and Finn off the boat.
The poor fellows could not reach it again,
being 30 much exhausted. The remain
ing FIVE clambered into the boat again,
and the breakers land US safe. We slept
under the boat that night on the beach.
and got to the lighthouse next morning.
after being sixty hours without food or
water. .....
The hardships encountered by the FIVE
men were terrible. and tongue fails to
express the suffering endured by them
while Drawing the fury of the elements
for sixty hours in an open boat, without
food or water except small onion serv-
ed to moisten parched, aching lips. From
Sands Point the party was kindly sent
on by mail by the agent to Enterprise
and then transported to Jacksonville.
Here their condition was generously
looked after by the collector Of customs.
After leaving Jacksonville the party
landed at Savannah yesterday. The
thirty six in number. without
doubt. all perished in their state-rooms
When the steamer suddenly lurched
over on her beam ends the water poured
into the cabin, where they were securely
fastened to die . horrible death without
,ven battling for existence. 1t would
nave been madness, the survivors state.