The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1870-11-12
A Survivors Story.

SAVANNAH, Nov, Con October 20, at 10
P. NJ, the steamer Varuna fOundered in the
Gulf Stream, thirty miles from Jupiter In
let, on the Florida coast during one of the
most terrible hurricanes ever witnessed in
that latitude. The steamer was thrown
beam ends, and went down, only allowing
time for two ife-boats to put off. One of
these, containing Captain Spencer, engineers
and fremen, ten in all, was carried down
with the vessel, while the other, containing
seven of the crew, was finally beached on
Jupiter Inlet, two Of the men, Samuel Me-
COrmick, fireman, and James Flynn, sea-
man, losing their lives in the breakers. The
remainder of the crew-Wm. Kirkland, sec.
ond mate; VIM. Wallace, quaTtermaster,
and Thomas Glemon, James Burns and
George Watson, seaman-arrived to day
from Florida and left for New York. Wal
lace, in his account says:
AN OFFICERS ACCOUNT,
We left for New York on Saturday night
at o clock, and had fine wheather up to the
morning of October Goth, when a wind
sprung up from the south At noon there
was a moderate gale. As the sun went
down 1t was blowing perfect hurricane.
All went well till s o'clock, when the wind
shifted to the southwest, the ship became
unmanageable, and having list to port, the
b6d COnuSuC0u EuSuluS Oh DOdEu Oh IuS lee
side of the ship, staving IN the bulwarks
and cabin doors. We tried to get her off
before the wind, and put on all the steam we
could, but it was no use. [ was at the wheel,
and we brought her up to the wind again
and 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 jib to pay her head off, but it was blown
into ribbons, although it had been snugly
furled. By this time the sea had stove in
the engine house and was rushing down in
to the fire and engine room at the rate of
many tons per minute, and the ship listing
over she was fast filed l lashed the wheel
after the engines stopped and went after to
get some water; was very thirsty. then
managed to get on the hurricane deck, when
l found the two ice boats were gone from
the ship, and the men were getting other
boats ready, and was still so thirsty that
came back to the Captains room and got a
drink there, and opened the wheather-cabin
door to see how the passengers were behav-
ing but did not see a soul, as they were all
in their stateroOms unable to come out on
account of the ships lying on her beam end
| then came on the hurricane deck and
got into the other boat, with six others then
In. 1t was lying on deck waiting for the
ship to 90 down. she then being nearly on
her beam ends. The captain, mate, and
engineers-ten in all-were in the boat, and
in less than five minutes the boats were
afloat, but in such heavy sea that was
afraid we would get foul of the ships rig~
ging. While the vessel was sinking, the
| other boat hailed and asked US if were all
right. and after this the steamer got foul of
| their boat and took her down with the ship.
| The boats were Ingersolrs metallic life boats,
and think the captains boat got clear and
came up again, as a boat bottom up was seen
there hours after, but no person was IN 1t
After the ships mast head was out Of slight
we thought ourselves all right, as the ship
\ was clear Of US, but we counted without our
host, for heavy sea capslzed the boat; but
| all managed, after great exertions, to right
her and get in again. The ship again went
down at 2 P N, and at midnight the wealth
| er moderated and was still
The hardships encounted by the five men
were terrible. and while bravlng the ele-
ments sixty hours in an open boat, without
food or water except small drops, which ser
we'd TO moisten the tongue and aching lips,
| the boat was cast on the beach by the braek-
| ers in view of the lighthouse at Jupiter Inlet
! Oniv the second mate and a seaman were
| strnno enough to drag themselves to the
building for assistance. The rest lay ex-
posed until the keeper sent boat to take
! them away.
The passengers, thirty six in number,
without doubt all perlshed in their state.
rooms. When the steamer suddenly lurch-
! ed over on her beam ends the water poured
| into the cabin, where they were securely
! fastened to die a horrible death without even
the privilege of battling for existence.
II would have been madness, the survi.
vors say, to attempt to rescue them, as the
cabin was a trap, into which 1t was eerta IN
| death To venture Horrible as the thought
is nothing could be done by the officers and
crew but save themselves.