The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1872-10-13

terrible ShtPwrecl-Dkscovery OF n n
Abandoned Vessel Mt Ssa-Th. Crew
Starved to Death.
MIR. James Dugan, who arrived n New
York from Sydney, Cape Breton, the
other day, gives the following additional
particulars of tho disaster heretofore re.
ported Of the wrecked brig, which the
schooner lancaster lin which Mr.. Dugan
was passenger) came up with and board
ed on Thursday. the 10th of September:
On the night of the 18th nltimo, o
strong head wind prevailed. At differ
ent periods, the captains attention was
drawn to mysterious object, now off
the port and now off the starboard bow.
ihe look were continually reporting
the black hull That kept in sight all the
time, until the captain gave his opinion
that the object seen ahead was q dis
m"sted nEd deserted vessel. Just after
dawn, the unknown object hove in sight
again; but mono of those on watch could
distinctly make out what it was. The
captain, however, satisfied himself that
1t was an abandoned vessel. While ut
breakfast, tho second mate, MIR. Prior,
hurried into the cabin, and addressing
himself to the captain, said: '.There's
all abandoned hull ndrift off the star
board quarter; her spars arc gone, and
she looks to have been brig ur bcigan
tine"
Soon after Capt Martin went on deck,
the hull OF large craft was plainly dis
cernible off the starbonrd quarter, about
two points to the North ward. That the
dismasted vessel had been deserted,
there was no question, the heavy mass
being tossed about like n log The cap
tain gave orders to bear away for the
wreck, and ut midday. the schooner
Lancaster was broadside Of the abuu-
doued vessel.
On boarding it dismal sight present
ed itself. Splintered spnrs, entangled in
canvas and rigging gear, and the planks
OF q boat torn asunder by the wind and
sea, were scattered around in sad con-
fusion. More dismal were tho scenes
which further investigation brought to
hgnt. Below heap OF motley rigging,
and broken by the weight of u spar
which luy across it, were the bones of
human being-a skeleton. The skull
and bones had been crushed almost on q
level with tho dock. Shreds of canvas
trowsers and Guernsey irock wero
found among and near the skeletons.
A slight covering of crisped flesh re-
mained on four of the skeletons, show
ing that they had died more recently
than the other two. Many of the
utensils of the galley were found, and
Captain Martin made o strict search
among them to assure himself whether
there had been any food on board at the
time OF the death of these men. Not q
single remaining pot or vessel of any
nature in the cooking department of tho
ill-fated craft contained the least particle
of food. This discovery seemed to
satisfy the captain that all on board had
perished from hunger, having failed
after months of eager expectation and
short allowance, to meet with any help
ing hand. The spectacle on board the
dreary sepulohral hull was at lsust ap-
palling.
The hardy sailors themselves seemed
to sicken ut tho revolving disclosure,
and an ominous silence seemed to huve
been spontaneously determined Oh by
the living ones who stood among the
skeletons OF the drifting hull It was
ascertained that the vessel had been rig
ged brig. The hull bore no name on
its sternpost. On the bewsprit the word
"Gienalyon" was barely legible. In the
forecastle, which was almost filled with
water, most unearthly stencil was dis
covered, and only two men could be
found to enter and remain long enough
inside to report on what they had seen
there. There were two corpses on the
floor and one stretched across o bunk.
These sad relics were removed on deck,
and the nine bodies were arranged in
line and covered in canvas by the cap
tain's order.
Tho wheel-house had been carried
away, and the fasteninge of tho ruddcr
broken. This, as the captain remarked,
was the work of somo tremendous sea.
The foremast had been cut away to suve
the vessel from foundering ono of the
eXtremest emergencies in hurricane ct
sea. The jibboom was gone, and the
entire craft, as she then appeared, was
the most complete wreck Captain Martin
had seen or heard of in his nanticul cx
perience of nearly forty years.
Entering the cabin, foul odor was
discovered, but not intense enough to
forbid thorough investigation. To-
ward the end of the steps leading down
to the cabin fetid pool of water was
seen, and the men had to wade through
it in order to reach every portion of the
cabin. Between q stationary tnble and