Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1870-11-09
THE loss OF THE SNIFF yARuNA.
Thrilling Observation-Disclosures Pas
sengers go Down Prisoners In
their Cabins.

tncfE aNDln>.
SAVANNAH. November 5. 1870.
On the 10th of October, at ten p.
the steamersVaruna foundered in the
Gulf stream, thirty miles from Jupiter
Inlet, on the Florida coast, during one
of the most terrible hurricanes ever wit
messed in this latitude. The steamer
was thrown on her beam ends and went
down, only allowing time for two life
boats TO put of, one of them containing
Captain Spencer. The engineers and
firemen, ten in all, was carried down
with the vessel, while the other, contain
ing seven of the crew, was finally beached
on Jupiter Inlet Two of the men
samuel Mccormack, fireman, and Jos.
Flynn, seamen) lost their lives in the
breakers. The remaining five are Keat-
land, second mate; William Wallace,
quartermaster; Thomas Gennor, James
Burns and George Watson, seamen, ar
rived to-day from Florida, and left for
New York.
Wallaces account says: We left for
New York ON Saturday night about
o clock, and had fine weather up to the
morning of the 20th when a wind sprang
up from the south. At noon there was a
moderate gale. As the sun went down i
was blowing a perfect hurricane. All
went well till 8 o'clock, when the wind
shifting suddenly to the southwest,
the ship became manageable, and,
having list to port, the sea commenced
rushing on board on the lee side OF the
ship, staving in her bulwarks and cabin
doors. We tried to get her off before the
wind, and put on all the steam we could,
hut il was no use. / was at the wheel
when we brought her up to the WIND
again and tried TO fix the cabin doors,
but the sea was rushing on board to such |
degree that the men could not work.
We then twisted her jib TO pay her head
off, but it was blown into ribbons, al
though il had been snugly furled.
By this time the sea had stove in the |
engine-house and was rushing down into
the.fre and engine.room at the rate OF
many tons per minute, and the ship list
ing over more. She was fast filling. l
dashed the wheel after felt the engines
stop, and went aft to get some wate-.
was very thirsty. | then managed to get |
on the hurricane deck, when found the
two life boats were gone from the ship
and the men were getting the other boats
ready.
| was still so thirsty that came to the
captains room and got drink there,
and opened the weather cabin door to
see how the passengers we're behaving,
but did not see a soul, az they we're all
in their state-rooms unable to come out
on account of the ship lying on her beam
ends. | then came on the hurricane
deck and got into the after-boat with six
others then in. We were lying on the deck
waiting for the ship to go down, she then
being nearly on her beam ends. The
captain, mate and engineers, ten in all,
we're in the boat, and in less than hive
minutes the boats were ahoat, but in
such heavy sea that / was afraid we
would get foul of the ships rigging
While the vessel was sinking the other
boat halted and asked us if we're all
right, and after this the steamer got foul
of their boat and took her down with the
ship. The boats were lpgersol metallic
life-boats, and think the captain 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, as
the ship was clear of us, but we counted
without our host, for a heavy sea cap
sized the boat. but all managed, after
great exertions, to right hes and get IN
again.
4 Irrr OF N m a