The New York herald., 1873-12-31

the morning OF the 19Lh and reported that after
working all night they had succeeded In reducing
the depth OF the water by several inches At three
p M. the same day. our ship, the Ossipee, trpped
anchor, and, towing the virgnius with hawser
100 fathoms in length, in a few hours stood bravely
out at sea, the Despatch following in our wake.
For a time the engines and pumps OF the
virginius worked pretty wels and at five O'Clock
r. M. we parted from the Despatch amid the blow
ing OF whistles, the waving Of caps and the shout
ing OF many Godspeeds One half hour later we
were alone nursing leaking vessel, which groaned
and creaked heavily, even on the breast OF the then
moderate sea- We saw no
OTHER UNITED STATES STEAMER
until the morning Of the Goth, when, at eight O'Clock
A. NJ, we exchanged signals with our frigate, the
Colorado, and shortly alter with the United
States steamer Pownattan, which was con-
veying the monitor Manhattan. TN the
2lst the morning broke with severe winds
and lowering Clouds succeeded by mad squalls and
q very heavy sea- The Ossipee and the Vrginius
both rolled heavily, but the latter was towed quite
easily, Notwithstanding.
This increasingly bad weather continued during
the 22d inst and the pumps OF the vrginius proved
ef1cient in keeping the water within from gaining
in depth. on the 23d inst. the tempest grew
wilder, the storm increased, the heavens burst
forth
THUNDER AND LIGHTNING,
and the wind, hauling ahead banked mp an cx-
ceedingly heavy sea. At half-past nine A. M on
this day. the Esd, the virginius signaed TO us:-
We have feet Of water in forward compartment
keep ner Clear oui 's ~ W. sAA''
Upon IL aiding this signal all OF us on board the
Ossipee became greatly alarmed and momentarily
feared the vessel would go down, 80 that our
course was changed to northwest half west. At
10 A. NJ we received another signal reading
I'd
tighten her.
Again we changed our course and headed d.
rectly to the shore, SO that before too late we
might get the virginius in comparatively smooth
water. AT p. M the Virginius again signalled
U.S.
Can hold out untsmorning il water-tight bulkhead
All that dreary afternoon and during the entire
OF that dull and heavy might the lated ship rode
with great labor. and towed with the utmost diff
1culty. We could see her lights waving to and fro:
we could hear the dun thud and rattle OF her pad
dies, we could see her PROV rise and sink, and
every dip she made we feared would be her last
The night seemed long and dreary, q dull sea, a
dark sky, and liable to sink at any moment
Such were the conditions OF the evening OF Decem-
Der %. IA NJ, OF the oath, again the vir-
ginius signaled TO U.S.
Our after boiler is disabled forward boiler nearly
We at once responded, lowered a boat, and sent
our chief engineer Mr.. William King, aboard, in
order that he might make an inspection, who upon
returning said that the signal concerning the
boilers fully represented the truth. We at once
took in all sail and steamed up along the coast the
Virg1nus rising easier and the water growing
more and more smooth.
The 25th inst, Christmas Day, brought
TERRIBLY DIsAGREEABLE WEATHER,
along with drizzlng rain, and at A. NJ we saw
the Frying Pan lightship bearing directly east.
Here il was that our hawser parted and we at once
sgnalled the Vrginius to follow u.s. which she did,
but at the same time showed that she was leaking
heavily. At $3.50 A. M. we stopped our engines,
came to anchor in eight fathoms Of water and made
signal to the virginius, which she answered by
backing under our stern and receiving the hawser
which we put out. At 10 A M. we received ano-
ther signal from the yirgnius that her wheel ropes
had parted, and at4P. NJ still another as follows:
We must keep our engines backing in order to work
our pumps
To this signal the Ossipee responded, every
good" During the afternoon heavy rain set In,
along with a very stir wind. At p. M. the vir-
ginius signalled-- ssta4s.t.
The water is gaming rapidly upon us,
and an hour later she spoke to US In way which
we could not interpret. We hauled her up until she
labored but SO tath0ms from US, and made all prepa-
ration in case OF disaster, the wind and sea keep
Ing up all night and botn vessels heavily rolling
The morning OF December 20, which we all hoped
would dawn under better conditions broke forth
in heavy gusts and squalls, and at A. M. the Vr-
ginins signalled:-
Oar fires going out. Water gaining rapidly.
And at just sixty minutes later she signalled
again.
Fires out. Pumps stopped. Must be taken off at
All hands on board the Ossipee were called in a
moment; orders were passed and repassed quick
and fast preparations were mace to rescue those
on board the ship we were towing, which, owing
to the heavy sea, we did not dare haul any nearer
to rs. The waves rose and fell, boiling and
seetning; the wind howled through che rigging;
our vessel rolled like heavy ball in the water,
and IL was under such circumstances that we
lowered
THE OssIPEE'S FIRST CUTTER.
Happily, in giving the Virginlus a tow line the
day before, use had been made of q small hawser
which they had used in connection with the other,
and which now became Of the greatest Importance
1t was made fast at once to the starboard wheel
house OF the vrginius and to the starboard quar-
ter OF the Ossipee. Here, at once, in face OF the
dangerous sea, and without moments hesita-
ton, Lieutenant Rhoades volunteered to 60 in the
little cutter, and
FOUR BRAVE SONS OF NEPTUNE
followed his example, to rescue those on board the
rapidly sinking and illiated ship. These men tried
In vain to reach the virginius ON the starboard
side, for a strong current was running toward the
coast and the boats were in danger OF heing
swamped by the tow line The order was tnen
given to shift the line to the port paddle box
of the Virginius, which was done, we at the same
time shifting our end to our port quarter. This
being accomplished the little cutter by means OF a
line from her bow felt her way and dropped down
by the side OF the vrginius. and in answer to our
hopes
THE FIRST BOAT LOAD OF MEN
reached their way back to the Ossipee. 1t was a
difficult and dangerous task for any man to make
the little boat safely in such q terrible sea. AS
soon as the cntter came along each man on the
virginius let himself down over her rolling and
heaving side with rope, and as high wave would
lift the cutter away up toward him he would swing