The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1870-11-07
Loss 0ftlle steamship FaFuna-Sta:e-
ment or one OF the survivors.

SAvAHNAH, Nov. Son the 2lth OF Octc-
Der, a. ten PM, the steamship Naruna
from Jupiter Inlet, onsthe Florida coast,
during one of the most terrible hurricanes
witnessed in thai latitude. The steamer
was thrown on her beam ends and went
down, only allowing time for two lie
boats 90 put on One Of these co9,alnlng 9.aag
Capt. Spencer, engineers and nreInens
ten In all, was carried down with tne yes.
sci, while the other containing seven OF
the crew, was finally beached on Jupiter
inIet,stwo OF the men. samuel McCor-
mick, nremau, and James FIJI nm, seaman,
losing their lives in the breakers. The re-
naming Ave, w. KirtlaDd, second mate
w. Wallace, quartermaster, +. G.ennen,
James Burns and George Watson. seamen,
arrived to-day from Florida and left for
New York.
WalIace's account says: We left New
York on Saturday night, AZ O'Clock, and
had nne weather up to the morning Of
October 20, when a wind sprung up from
the south. At noon there was a mode
rate gale, and as the sun went down 1t
was blowing a perfect hurricane. All went
well until S O'CLOCK, when the wind shifted
suddenly to the southwest. when the ship
became unmanageble, and having q list
tO-port, the sea commenced rushing on
board on the lee side of the ship, STAYING
/ in her bulWarks and cabin doors. We tried
/ to get her or before the wind, and put on
| all the steam we could, but 1t was no use.
l was Mt the wheel, and when we bTougb
| her up to the wind again, tried to fix the
/ cabin door, but the sea was rushing on
| board to such degree that the men could
/ not work. We then twisted her jiD to pay
| her head of, but it was blown into RIB
| bons, although It had been snugy furled.
/ BY this time the sea had broken into the
| engine house. and was rushing down into
| the fire and engine room at the rate of
many tons per minute, and the ship list
| ing over more, she was fast filling. LASH
/ ed the wheel after L felt the engines stop,
/ and went ats to get some wafer, as 1
was very thirsty, ana then managed
the two ice boats were gone from the ship,
aud the men were getting the other boat
| ready. was still so thirsty that came
/ hack to The CnDtalnt rs room and got 0Tln <
| there, and opened the weather cal bin door
/ to see how the passengers were behaving,
| but did not see soul, as they were all In
their state rooms unable tO come out on
| account OF the ship lying on her bean
| and got into the after boat with six others
| then in. 10 was lying on the deck waiting
for the ship TO go down. she then being
| mate and engineers, ten in all, ere in the
boat, aud in less Than i've minutes the
| Ecats were sfioat, but in such heavy sea
| that was afraid we would get foul of the
ships rigging, while the vessel was sink
Ing The Otner boat halted and asked
this the steamer got foul of
their boat aud took her down with the
thtp. The boats were ingrO -sed metallic
life boats, and think the Captains boat
got clear aud came up again, as II was seen
Tor two hours, but no person In IL. Aft eI
the ships masthead was cut OF shit, we
thought ourselves all right, as the ship
was clear OF us, but we counted Without 9
host, for heavy sen capsIzed the boat
but all managed, after great eXerHOnS, &c
right her aud get IN again. The ship
again went down at 8 p. NJ and at mid.
night tue weather moderated and was
still. The hardshtps encountered by the
five mon were terrible, while in the
fury of the elements for sixty hours
in an open boat without food or water, ex
cept a small onion that served TO moisten
| their parcA Ell and aching lips. After
being Rst up IA the beach by the break
ers, IN view of the light house at JuPi.
ter Inlet, only the second mate and
"A seaman were srODg enough to
J feebiy drag themselves to the building fol
assistance. The rest lay exhausted unit
the keeper sent q boat to take them away
The passengers, thiTty-Six In mum per
| without doubt, all perlshed In their state
r.Oms When the steamer suddenly
Iuiched over on her beam ends, tho waite
| poured intO the cabin, where they Wsr
| Securely fastened to die a horrible death
Without even battling for existence. l
would have been madness for the SurVlV
nrs tn have al. en- pied their rescue, as To
cabin was a tran into which IL was certa1
death to CO. Horrible as the thought Il
crew but save themselves.