The New York herald., 1872-08-31
Graphic Narratives by Res-'
cued Passengers.
AFFLICTING INCIDENTS.
Tiss Me, Mamma, for I'm
Going to Sleep"
Fourteen Lives Worth the Loss
Of Boat"

WATCH HILL, R. l., August 30, 1872
The steamer Metis Captain Burton, running be-
tween New York and Providence, was wrecked this
morning shortly after four O'Clock, Off Watch Hill,
with the loss Of sevcnty-two human beings. 1t was
the most heartrending disaster that has ever oc-
Cured on the SOUND not excepting the tate OF the
Atlantic, which went to pieces of Fishers Island
twenty-five years ago. The Metis, which is 1850
tons burthen, was laden with cotton and fruit, and
left New York yesterday evening at quarter past
i've P. M. Once fairly in the Sound
A VERY STORMY NIGHT SET IN,
and, what with the wind and rain, few Of the pas
sengers, Of whom there were 104, went on deck.
The crew all told consisted Of forty-hve men, and
with some children there were altogether on the
Metis 1856 SOULS Towards midnight it blew nearly
gale, while pitchy darkness prevailed. The pas
sengers had long since retired to rest and with the
exception that the vessel was rolling somewhat,
owing to the roughness Of the sea, nothing oc-
Cured to mar the progress Of the trip. Shortly
after three O'Clock o schooner hove In sight about
four miles west-southwest, of Watch Hill light and
not more than five miles from the shore. 1t was
at this time raining hard, and. as it appears the
weather was somewhat thick. Suddenly and with
out a word, without sound Of warning, the
schooner, heavily laden with lime,
RAN INTO THE STEAMER
forty feet abaft the stem the port side and then
squared away on her course. The deep, dull thud
was felt all over the steamer. Men and women
were aroused from their slumber, and some less
frightened than the rest rushed on deck half
dressed and made for the pilot house to learn the
cause OF what seemed q collision The captain
had already made inquiries from the engineers and
the cheering news Of "all rightr at once allayed
the alarm Of the terror-stricken crowd. Some re-
turned to their berths, but others, not satisfied
with the announcement or perhaps uneasy as to
results, remained on the hurricane deck. Fifteen
minutes later and
THE DEATH KNELL WENT RINGING THROUGH THE
VESSEL.
The Metis was leaking badly, and the news spread
like wdlre. Stateroom doors were thrown open,
and the passengers scrambled to the upper deck to
be farthest from the water. IL fearful scene.
Deck hands rushed up and down, warning passen-
gers to look to their lifepreservers for the Mets
was going down, and there were some whom even
the first shock had not awakened, but who, now
that the shrieking and hammering had begun,
quickly jumped forth to the terrible realization Of
their peril. Down gradually deeper went the YES
sel, until
HER BULwARKs WERE UNDER WATER
and the waves came sweeping over the deck.
Nearly every soul on board had tried to reach the
upper deck. Some succeeded; some failed and
were lost Others plunged into the sea and were
washed iar away. rush was made for the boats
which were promptly lowered, and, amid the wild
est shrieks, the terrified passengers made desperate
exertions to crowd into them The Metis had now
sunk below her guards and several persons had
just run up from their berths only to meet ter.
rble fate. The main deck was packed with hinge
bales Of cotton, and as they began to noat about
many Of the passengers got hemmed in, and were
EITHER DROWNED OR CRUSHED TO DEATH
Rut tho scpnca abOve were trulv oy,vxo,ts.z.
Death stared every one in the face. or the entire
number Of souls only some ffty-three remained on
the hurricane deck. The others had disappeared
In the darkness. Meanwhile Captain Burton and
the officers Of the vessel were behaving with COM
mendable coolness and, in compliance with ORDERS
all hands were provided with life-preservers. At
length the deck upon which stood the terrified
people parted from the hull, owing, doubtless, to
the great pressure Of the cotton bales and In few
minutes the Metis sank to rise no more leaving
y THE FLOATING DECK WITH ITS HuDDLED CROWD
to the mercy of the waves. The collision had taken
place at exactly twenty minutes to four O'Clock,