Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1870-11-17
Loss OF THE vARuNa.
Horrible Death OF the Passenger
Statcm emit Of One of the SURVIVORS.


steamship varuna founderea in the gulf
stream, thirty miles from Jupiter Inlet, on
the Florida coast, during one of the most
terrible hurricanes ever witnessed in that
latitude. The steamer was thrown on her
beam ends and went down, only allowing
time for two life boats to put off. One OF
these, containing Capt. Spepcer, the en-
gineer, one fireman, and the others-ten
IN all-was carried down with the vessel;
I while the other, containing seven of the
crew, was finally beached on Jupiter Inlet:
two of the men, Samuel Mccormack, fire.
man, and James Finn, seaman, losing their
lives IN the breakers. The remaining five.
! w. Kirtland, second mate, VIM. Wallace,
qaarteTmaster Ihos. Glennon, JAS. Burns,
and Geo. Watson, seamen, arrived at Sd
vannah on the 9Th from Florida, and left
! for New York
Wallace's account says: eve had left
New York on Saturday night at 8 o'clock,
and had fine weather up to the morning of
October 20th, when wind sprung up
from the south. AT noon there was /.
moderate gale. As the sun went down, it
was blowing perfect hurricane. All went
! we'll until 8 o'clock, when the ship became
unnanageable, and, having lift to port,
the sea commenced rushing on board on
the lea side CT the ship, staving in the
| bulwarks and the cabin-door, We tried to
get her off before the wind, and put on all
the steam we could, butt was no USE
was at the wheel, and We brought her up
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 twist
ed her jib TO pay her head off, but it was
blown into ribbons AS if it had been
snugly furled. By this time the sea
had stove in the engine house
and was rushing down into the fire and
engine room at the rate Of many tons per
minute, and the chip, lifting over more,
was fast filing dashed the wheel after |
felt the engines stopped, and went aft to
get some water, as was very thirsty and
then managed 10 get on the hurricane
deck, when found that the two life boats
were gone from the ship, and that the men
were getting the other boats ready. ] was
still so thirsty that went back to the cap.
taIn's room and got drink there and
opened the weather cabin-door, to see bow
the passengers were behaving; but | did
not see q soul as they were all in their
state-rooms, unable to come cut on account
OF the ships lying on her beams ends. /
then came on the hurricane deck and got
into the after boat with six others then in
it. It was 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 lii all-were III the boat,
and in less than five minutes the boats
were atloat, but III such q 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 were
oil right; and after this the steamer got
foul of their boat, and took her down with
the ship. The boats were Ingersoll's me-
talic life boats, and l think the Captains
boat got clear and came up again, as a boat,
bottom up, was seen two hours after, Int
no person was in it. After the ships mast
head was ont of sight we thought ourselves
all right, as the ship was clear of rs, but
we counted without our host, for 3 heavy
sea caps'zed the boat but all managed. at.
ter great exertiop, TO right her and get in
again. The ship went down AT D. M,
and at midnight the weather moderated
and was soon still.
The hardships encountered by the five
men were terrible while Drawing the fairy
OF the clements sixty hours III an open
boat, without food or water except a small
onion, which served to moisten their
parched aching lips; and after being cast
on the beach by the breakers III view of
the lighthouse at Jupiter Inlet, only the
second mate and seaman were strong
enough to feebly drag themselves to the
building for assistance. The rest lay ex-
hansted until the keeper, sent a boat 10 take
them away.
The passengers, thirty-six in number,
without doubt, all persisted in their state
rooms. When the steamer suddenly lurch.
ed over on her beam ends, the water pour
ed into her cabin, where they we're Secure
ly fastened to die horrible death, without
even battling for existence. 1t would have
been madness, the survivors state, to 10 a
attempted to rescue them, rs the cabin
was a trap into which it was certain death
to venture Horrible as the thought is,
nothing could be done by the officers and
crew but to save themselves.
HooFIAND's GEBEM BrrTERs.-We clip