The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1873-02-13
How The RoEfhn.., m., Her F....

The London Times, Of January az.
publishes details of the terrible disaster
to the ship Northfeet. from which it ap.
pears that at half-pa 10 O'Clock at night
the captain and others were alarmed by
cry from the officer of the watch, "a
steamer is right into usI' The captain
and pilot tasked on deok, but before
they gos there the steamer had run into
the vessel stfiking her amidships. and
outing her below the water-mark. The
carpenter reported her nearly half full of
water. The Pnmps we're started prompt
~, and tho crew worked hard at them
for some minutes, but when it was found
that the water was rapidly gaining. q
panio seemed to seize both crew and pas
sengers, aud the officers could not keep
the latter in check. A crowd of men
and women had rushed up from their
bershs, many only half-clothed. The
passengers had mostly retired; but few
we're undressed. The noise Of the oolli-
sion is likened by one OF them to peal
of thunder, and such was the violence of
tho shook that those standing were
knocked down.
1t appears that the steamer rebounded
and came second time in oollision with
the Northaeet; water began to pour in,
and in very short time the passeng gers
quarters we're swamped. Tho women
were slower to rush on deck than the
mon. and many were not in condition
to 60 till the water rose threateningly
around them. No one on board the
steamer was heard to speak. although
loud and eager shouts from the North.
heet must have made her crew aware OF
the terrible danger that existed. She
backed for two or three minutes, and
then steamed rapidly away and was soon
out OF sight. For half an hour the
scene on the deck of the Northfleet was
appalling. Womea shrieked, men cursed
and swore and fought their way toward
the boats, whilst tho captain aud first
mate roared out commands to keep back
and allow the women to get to tho side
OF tho vessel, but apparently without
SUCCESS. Rockets were fred and blue
lights burned. The gun wus loaded,
but the screw OF the ramrod became de-
tached from the handle, aud the piece
could not be discharged. Signals of dis
tress were seen by several vessels, but
| appear to have been regarded as signals
lor pilot, for no assistance was render
ed. Meanwhile the scene on deck
bafllsd description.
The captain. finding the men deter
| mined to leave the vessel, went below.
armed himself with revolver, and,
ascending the poop, declared his deter
minntiou to shoot the first man who
tried to leave the vessel before the wo.
men we're saved. The Hrat boat launched
was lowered by number Of passengers
by cutting the rope. There being no
ladder ut hand. the only way of getting
into it was by ieaping or dropping some
| twelve or fifteen feet. As there was a
terrible rush toward the boat, the scene
was Que Of distressing confusion, and q
man and boy fell into the water and
were drowned. The officers did all they
could to force the men who first got into
the boat to leave it, that the women
might be saved, but to no purpose.
Even firing with blank cartridge, it is
supposed. ut 6rst was unavailing. About
thirty persons having got into it. the
boat was pulled off, with not one of the
crew in it. Another life-boat was
launched, when man got into it and
was ordered to leave. He refused, and
the captain shot him in tho calf Of the
leg. Capt. Knowles placed his wife in
the boat. and said to the boatswain, who
had already got in. "Here is charge for
you; take care of her and the rest, and
God bless you'll" Wringing his wife's
band, he bade her goodbye. saying, II
shall never see you ngainl" It is impos-
sible to describe the panic that ragged all
the time. Heart-rending scenes were
witnessed on all sides. One of the pas.
sengers. seeing the cuptuin's wife in the
boat, threw bis own wife in, tossed the
baby to her. and entered the boat him
self. A little girl was thrown into the
boat by her father, who tried to save the
rest OF his family, but the seething. mad
dened crowd pressing towards the side If
the vessel prevented. aud with his wife
nnd two other children, he went down
with the ill-fated vessel.
The engineer, who made frantic efforts
to cave his wife and children, wasjnmmed
between the cook-house and gunwnle,
receiving such dreadful injuries that,
though afterwards rescued, he is still in
a precarious state. Only two of the
seven boats aboard were launched,
owing, no doubt. to the panic. aud one
was seriously injured, as the tackle was
cut and the boat fell into the sea. When
the second boat bad got of, it seemed to
become a question of moments. The
quarterback was still crowded by men,
women and children, some crying,
swearing and praying. The captain