Beaufort Republican. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1871-1873, 1872-09-26
The Blenvills disaster.

passenger. Ny destination was San Fran
cisco. On the morning of the 18th, while
lying in my bunk, l was awakened by
some one roughly seizlug me and saying,
"Get up, the ship is on firen' got up
and saw thick smoke in the steerage. |
went Immediately on deck and saw the
crew trying to get hose. The fire was
supposed to be in the hold, and every ef-
tort was made to direct the hose to the
fire. The scene on deck was quite orderly.
Tne passengers and crew were gathered
aft. Owing to the breaking Of the donkey
engine all efforts to snbdue the fire were
useless. The order was then given to
place tarpaulins over the hatch, which was
done. Preparations were then made to
launch the boats-seven in number-wbich
was done successfully, with the exception
of one, which was stove in and swamped.
The captain then gave orders for the pas
sengers AID crew to get into the boats.
This was Immediately done, and it was
found that the boats were considerably
crowded. The one to which was detail
ed was especially, there being th;rty-one
in her, her capacity being only for twenty
five. Our boat was in very bad condition
and leaking fearfully. There were five Of
the crew, three ladies and the rest male
passengers. We got away from the ship,
and we found we had no room to work her
or even bale her out, and as she was in a
sinking state we called to the ship to send
another to take some Of us of, so as to
tighten her. We saw boat approach,
commanded by the second mate, named
Cough, and on reaching US he ordered three
others in instead Of tightening us. One of
them was very unwilling to come, but the
mate threatened with oaths to throw him
in. The man then jumped in and lmme
diately the boat swamped and turned keel
uUpermost. Some Immediately swan to
other boats, others clung to the spars and
ten PERSONS were drowned. The conduct
of the second mate was be trtless in the
extreme. Although he saw women and
men struggling in the water for their lives
he ordered his boat away as fast as posi-
BILE, not attempting to save one of them.
We swan around the boat, trying to right
her, for some time; at last we succeeded.
She was then full of water, and we had no
means of baliing her; so ten of US got on
each side, supporting ourselves by clinging
to the boat; and we remained in that cor
dition over eight hours. We then saw
wreck OF a boat, containing five meu. We
made towards it. and abandoned our boat,
which being ligbtened, enabled US, with
the assistance OF the other boat, to Dall her
out. At this time heavy shower fell.
" hicb somewhat calmed the sea, and made
IT easier for US to get our boat right again.
We were in sight Of the burning ship all
this time; the other boats were all away.
During this day we were engaged in rig
ging up our boat, with an oar for mas+
and the ladies dresses for sails. We broke
up the old boat, and from a stave of her
rugged up jb sail. Towards evening the
ship exploded and went down. We were
about two miles distant from her. We
then sailed before the wind to what we
believed to be the nearest land, which we
reached in two days and two nights. We
landed on San Salv dor on Friday night
We found accommodation, but slept on the
beach that night. Next orning we found
sbanty inhabited by negroes, who were
very kind to us-extraordiparily so-sup-
plying us with everything they had The
ladies were in a sad plight, being without
food and water all the time and under a
scorching sun. Their arms were very bad
ly blistered, but they bore up very well.
We were then provided for by Mr.. Stuart,
the magistrate of the island, until the fol-
lowing Tuesday, when a fifteen ton sloop
was char tered. which conveyed us to Mas.
sau, distance of one hundred and twenty
five miles. Our safety in reaching San
Salvador is entirely due to Peter Barry,
an able seaman on the ship, who displayed
admirable courage and wonderful contri-
va~ce in rigging up and navigating our
small craft. Had it not been for this
mans intrepidity we should certainly never
have survived. / have now reached New
York penniless, all my clothing gone,
watches jewelry, and everything posses
ed. Just previous to closing the matches
of the ill-fated vessel endeavoled ed to get
at my trunk, where my money and jewelry
were deposited, but the smoke was so
dense was unable to do so, and bearing
the order issued to close the hatches, i'm
mediately returned. On board tue ship,
uDder the captains eye, everything was
conducted orderly and we'll but in the
boats | never witnessed such heartless
cruelty as practised by the subordinates in
command. However, 1t is now over, and
thank God tor my safe deliyerance from
this terrible calamity"
AMERICAN GIRLs.-T. ". Higginson
sars in tha Wnr,nnS .L0nrnnL. "a Young