The New York herald., 1871-09-06
The GREAT SOUTHERN CYCLONE.
Additional Accounts of It's
ISavaCes.
Full Particulars Of the Loss of the Steamship
Mississippi Of Captain Henry
The Voyage Of the cortes.
from the New Orleans Picayunc, Sept. III

driven ashore on Hillsborough Rocks, forty
miles south OF Jupiter light, during hurricane, on
night last, August "a. The ship Will be q
total loss Some Of the cargo can be saved. No
lives were lost
We LETT New York on Saturday, 10Th August. and
had bad weather all the way ont. Passed Cape Hat
teras at three A. NJ. on Monday, 2lst. Passed Fry
ing Pan Shoals Monday night, at ten O'Clock. By
Tuesday, at daylight, it was blowing gale from
the southeast the ship rolling heavily and shipping
big seas. Set the topsas, close reefed. Blew away
forestaysall. AT noon was waited upon by
some OF the cabin passengers, with the request that
the ship might be put into Charleston. queted
their fears and by midnight the wind had moder-
ated. On wednesday night, at ten O'Clock, We
passed Cane Carnaveral; wind fresh from the cast
and a bad sea running. During the night the wind
freshened and the sea got worse At daylight close
reeied and set the squarcsais. At forty minutes
house; weather threatening ana wind increasing.
AT noon fured the squaresais. The storm increased
very rapidly; the sea was running high and the
ship rolling deep and shipping vast bodies OF water
keeping the deck hooded Set the storm trysall aud
the snip a1 S east ts TO wns then ts
ship might ride easy. Al eight A. M. the barometer
stood at 1855. AT two ?: NJ. judged that we were
on the northwest edge OF revolving storm whose
track was to wesr-northw est; secured everything
for the worst; made the sails well fast and got all
the spare spars and CRATE bars ready for drag. by
three p NJ. it was blowing fearful hurricane and
still increasing The wind hauled 10 the northeast,
the sfip going no better than when to the south.
before. and the decks were full OF water all the
time; got the drag over the weather side with
hawser. At three +. Nj. the storm rysail blew away
from the h0ops the sea was becoming confused and
breaking over the ship constantly. BY four =. N.
the cabin skyights were washed away, filling the
cabin with water; the passengers were engaged
baing out the water; tne quarter boat was Dlowa
deSS sns
both sides, was completely torn OF, fore and aft.
and all the bulwarks gone. The lee side was under
water and the sea running down the engine room.
As the steam was gotng down J ordered all the
steam possible TO be put on SO as to keep up Oh Tho
broken up on the weather side. fashed the litter
down. The windows and doors and part Of the
midship house were stove in. The lee boats were
torn away by the waters to leeward, swapping OF
the davlts as though they were pipestems. heavy
sea swept over us, which washed away every sky
light and railing from the mldShlp house. sending
about six tons OF water down the engine room and
fire room. The engine was almost stopped for
want OF steam. The weather boats and beam
davils and ali the wreck was washed to leeward.
Put weather cloth IN main rigging. The drag struck
me wheel ana nad to cut % II away ~ from M she b, np
dlslocated my shaulder. several 0I the crew
were injured by. the sea and drifting wreck
matter. AT about the same time the starbOard
waterway broke Ia two; the bats on That side OF the
deck were opening. The ship was unable to litt and
had all the appearance OF founlering At seven z:
NJ the ship was a wreck. ordered the passengers
to prepare for the worst; each one was furnished
IRE d a e s Wa to ts insure
Destruction our only help was in the Gulf Stream
cutting us or by striking against our starDoard
vessel. knew that II she loundered every soul
would be lost. Our sole resource was In running
westward and cut away the foremast. when, at
about eight O'Clock, she paid OF TO southwest me
engine did no good whatever the ires having been
washed out Shortly alter she struck heavily. and
the first ocer were ased to The piece Ol san Oh the
lee SIDE Of the Wheel The sea % oEe over ns 1se
1 made an effort TO get TO the cabin, when a seq
struck me and washed me from the midship house
t. the lee side Of The cabin. hailed the cabin Dus
got no answer. MY lett arm was lashed TO my side,
which LEFT me In a very weak state. managed 10
get the poop deck, whore found the chief en-
gineer. managed to get into the cabin, where
found all the passengers praying. The cabin lights
weie washed away, and the prospect was horrible.
The passengers were ordered TO remain In the cabin,
and To keep on bailng. Light was made and got
on deck and crawled along the weather rail- to the
forecastie to see II the ere were ali right found
them all under the iorecastle l got them all into
the cabin and furnished them with life jackets and
lashng, ana kept all hands bainy the water from
the cabin. The sea was breaking over US awfully,
tine ship striking and ammng over the rocks all the
time. ] was afraid she would break her stem Dllge
In and fall over on her side, but she did noDy. AZ
eight r. NJ. the Daromer was at twenty
close proxm rnd v' Of sp a STORM passed 70 s Inc
southwest OF Us. Many OF the crew and passengers
were injured, but not badly. The stewards arm
was broken. All the night they worked al keeping
the saloon free from water. About three A. NJ.
Friday the barometer went up little. AT four A.
the worst had passed. Al daylight found tnat we
were Oh shore, our boom close TO tho beach, our
stern IN SIX feet water; the storm stil raging. I
sent two men ashore with a block and rope and got
life line ashore, with chain on IL, and so sent all
the passengers on shore. Worked all night. Cos
all the crew on some sails, tents and PROVISIONS.
On Saturday evening saw steamer coming from
the northward. Sent the mate or TO her To see II
the steamer would land him at sand Key, that he
might bring us assistance. The mate re-
turned after having boarded the ship and
reported her TO be the CorteS CAPTAIN WHIT
man. The captain sent me woru that he
would wait all night If necessary and take all hands
on. He sent hia boat In. We had two boats OF our
own. which we repaired and sent of all the pas
sengers and fifteen OF the crew. BY twelve O'clock
we mad all hands board | left on shore to tako
care OF the property tho mate engineer and sOmo
or The crew untll nv return. l am going TO Key
West 10 procure assistance return to the ship and
save all can. The ship Is broken IN two on her
starb0ard side amidships nom rail- 10 tho water.
She Is full OF water aft and can never be gotten on
The conduct OF captain Whitman was most noble.
He mas treated every one OF US in The most humane
and generous manner, giving up MS quarters and
clothing 10 us all w. Z. HENRY.