The New York herald., 1872-09-01
STORY OF A DECK HAND.

Among the passengers on board the Narragan.
sett, which arrived In this city yesterday morning
was James Mccullough, one OF the deck hands of
the steamer Metis. Mccullough, when he arrived
here, was in an almost destitute condition. All he
had on was an old blue nanne shirt and pair of
cotton pants, which were kindly given him by one
Of the residents at Watch HILL Otherwise he was
bare Of all earthly goods. The clothes he had OF
course went down with the Metis.
The HERALD reporter saw Mccullough yester-
day shortly after he had arrived at the wharf from
whence the Metis had sailed but two evenings be-
fore. He was In the midst OF circle Of interested
listeners. His story was very graphic and In
teresting one and was told with all OF the fervor OF
man who had but just escaped from the jaws Of
death, and had as yet but imperfect realization
OF the fact that he was safe alive while many OF
his late companions were dead and gone.
At about two in the morning Mccullough had
been relieved Of his duty and had gone below to his
bunk. He had undressed and was soundly asleep
when he was wakened up suddenly by
TREMENDOUS CRASH
and loud cry overhead. This was Immediately
succeeded by an almost deathlike silence which
seemed to him to last eternity, and then rose on
the air . universal wall as If a thousand waves
were joining In chorus. This was succeeded by an
infinite variety OF shrieking and crying and
n,. continuous tnS i'm, movement OF feet overhead
an accident had occurred and was ike
one half asleep. When. however, ne heard the
felt round the cabin which was pitch dark and
which seemed to be uninhabted. On the moment
ruitlessy his clothes and the mental strain be-
coming more and more intense, he rushed from the
cabin In state OF wild excitement and with
nothing on but cotton undershirt What he
saw on deck need not be described That has
already been done sufficiently. He found the
GIVING ORDERS QUIETLY.
and as soon as one OF them saw him he was ordered
order was given restored him to his senses. and he
proceeded according to the order to go TO the davs
and lower away. While he was doing this three OF
the deck hands. whom, he says, he recognized
Norton, Dalton and Doran, jumped into the boat
and were lowered with her. The men who were
bulge an inch, except to cover down In the bot
tom. AT this moment the rope gave way and the
OF their efforts to cling on, were thrown into the
sea. That was the last seen OF them, and
no doubt they were drowned. The boat was righted
and was soon filled with men, women and children.
One or two deck hands also got into her. and she
was pushed or from the vessel. Some franticaly
endeavored to throw themselves into the boat as
she was making OF, but fell short At the moment
no one could rescue them. Mccullough then turned
about and ran towards the bow OF the steamer,
where he observed crowd had collected There
seemed to be
NO MEANS or SAVING THEN
by the boats and he told them they had better get
bold OF something and throw themselves into the
water. He got hold OF a large spar which was
lying near tnc DOW ana rlgged rope to 1t and low
cred 1t into the sea- He then told woman who
was standing near to catch hold OF the rope and
lower herself She offered some resistance but he
made her do II. Then ne looked round for some.
body else and saw woman with q child In her
arms which sne was pressing to her bosom with all
her might. She appeared to be half dead with
fright, and did not make movement to save her.
SELF He caught hold OF her and forced her towards
the rope, and she instinctively obeyed him.
When he wanted her to lower herself and endea-
vored to hold the child to help her. she protested
that she would not go without her child. McCul-
Tough succeeded nnally In lowering her with the
child by his supporting them underneath. Then
NAN AND WOMAN JUMPED DOWN
on It, and ne pushed on from the ship. He got the
two women he mad lowered together In the middle
OF the spar and held the baby himself. IL was all
he could do to keep himself on with It, as
the spar would constantly turn round as
60, still having hold OF the child,