Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-04-05
More About the Atlantic.



AT two O'Clock went upon the bridge with
the second officer, Mr.. Metcalf Told him
not to stand into the land so, as the ship had
run her distance to make Sambro light from
my calculations. He told me that was nei-
ther the captain nor mate. | then went to
the fourth officer, Mr.. Brown, and asked hin,
if should go upon the main yards, as he
could not see the land until he struck on t.
He told me that it was no use for me to go
up. / then relieved the officer at the wheel
and at 2 80 the second officer told the captain
who was reposing in the chart room, that the
weather was getting thick. The second Off e.
Ger went outside of the chart room. The
man on the lookout called out, Il see ahead y
and the second officer ran and told the cap
tain that they were among the ice, and short
ly after the ship struck The time was 3.l3.
put the helm hard starboard and reversed
the engines full speed astern. | left the
wheelhouse and went to the after wheel house
and go. the axes out and distributed them for
the purpose OF cutting away gear about the
boats. A little boy and his mother named
Murray, both steerage passengers, with her
brother, Alfred Murray, all from London,
were lost. She called to me after she came
out of the after Storage and said to ME,
"Thomas, where are you" l said | am here.
She said save me. l took the mother and
Cilllu OI Tic sdlOUu uSCk anu tOlu ileT 10 STAY
there until l could get the boats clear to put
her and the boy into. The ship suddenly
listed over and they lost their hold on the
railing and were swept overheard and sunk to
rise no more. | think they have friends or
relatives in Yonkers, Westminster county, as
l received an address to that effect the night
before.
William Purdy, quartermaster, was the
1rst that attempted to swim ashore, but when
going he said, GOOD bye, Thomas: will you
come with me!' but | replied | wanted to
save the boy and his mother. Then I saw
that the boy and his mother were swept away.
l swan on shore and when landed on the
rock passenger cried out, 'Save me, which
did. | traversed from rock to rock, falling
sometimes from exhaustion with this man
with me, until | found the signal port, a
place where the fishermen have to lock out
and signalize the boats, and then called out
for help. Two old men and boy came to
our assistance, and | went to the house with
them and procured line and then retraced
my steps to the beach, where | saw lot of
passengers and crew upon the rock. Speak
man, the quartermaster, swan towards me
with line from the rock. and | hove NY
line and caught him and pulled him ashore.
Ills soon as had done so We hauled in the
line from the rock and made fast the end Of
my line fast to it, so as to make it stronger
Soon as l got the line made fast told those
on the rock 10 come ashore one ny one, ana
wouiu save theh. Inc nrst man saved IN
TINS way do not know, but the second was
Mr. braoy, the thlEu olncer. saved IN this
manner ABOUT seventy as near as can re-
member. l some instances as the line was
overhead ana the persons TOO exhausted
nau 10 reach oowh ana pun them up. some
mad to go INTO the water Tor, which was
out OF my uepth' ana Tue TWO oid men would
arag me anu the man rescued ashore, hav-
ing rope around my waist. | remained
there from O'Clock till ., when fell dswn
through exhaustion. One OF the stewards
and somebody else came and relieved me and
| was carried away to a house, where / was
kindly carSd for. Soon as | recovered su fl.
clent strength was conveyed in 4 boat to the
main land and went to Mr.. Ryan's the magis-
trate, where was kindly treated and attend
ed, had the cramp. The chief steward and
another man that threw his arms around the
stewards neck when coming ashore on the
rope were drowned at my feet. The reason
that could not render assistance in this case
was that the two old men went away with 9
tInt 4 L.l Al