The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1873-07-12

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SATURDAY. s.. JULY, Il, 1873
Tne wreck ON Raggssf Islamd How
xhe Cfay OF ssasisinEto tom went Ashore
statement of Passenger.
A passenger by the steamship City eot
washington, which went ashore on the coast
of Nova Scotia on Saturday last, writes an Y
account OF the disaster 30 the News; 1ork
Herald. .Hesays; s.....,x,
On Sunday we. had fog, aud from that
day till the day she struck. The fog-wnsstie
was never silent except for very oeeasiona'
and short intervals, and no "sigM was
taken except one about wednesday, st ~
o'clock. and that WAS taken with no horizon.
During The seven days frequently asked sne
officers whether they knew where we were,
and the inyariabie answer was, cob, we
know, certainly, within three or nye miles
or so.'' During the last three days the ship
was kept west by north and the respective
ATTITUDES were 1852, HT IL :63, speaking
from memory. On saturday at ha!f.past
O'Clock the saloon passengers We're mostly In
the cabin, chatting and playing cards, when
the ship went full speed on the Gull Rock
Shoal. She gave two slight bumps, sided 4
bit, then q tremendous tremor ran through
the ship, and there sue was, hard and fast. ! I
There was nos much sea on at the time,
only a heavy swell and q dense, heavy fog
all round us. No one had the smallest idea
where we were, one officer saying we were
on the Georges Sands, another on the Nan
tucket Shoals, and another made the Only
sensible observation on the subject, which
was that he hadn't the slightest idea where
we were. Every effort was made to back
her of, which most Fortunately proved In
efsecttIs|. and then the fog-hSrns were blown
and cannon fired of. When the situation
gradually aawned upon us, that fearful vail
ing Of women commenced. For full half an
hour nothing was done-Aa state Of total in
action. Passengers were crowdiDg The
decks, crying, praying, hanging to the neeks
of mothers, sisters, lovers, husbands, until
suddenly sailor cries out from the fore
castle, "a hear human voice !" Every
ear is strained to catch the welcome sound
it appears to come again, but melts away,
and man cries out, "Its only the sea-birds
crying out"
Again we load the cannon, and again the
whistle is blown, just on the chance Of u
vessel passing by, when the second officer
shouts cut, "SiIence, every one OF you !;
that's hail !" A pin could have dropped
IEIO LUS stI uuu UCCu uSoiu fOl ioii hitb'
ute. "ship ahoyl :" Another half minute
of agony and suspense, when, through the
Jog, comes q faint response. Ship ahoy J"
A minute after, and small boat is dis
covered making its way cautiously towards
us; and what cheer broke forth care
we safe?" els it @ big vessel?" "Can she
carry us all?" resounded on all sides.
"Come alongside" shouts the second officer.
"Where are WEI" "Off the coast of Nova
Scotia" is the reply. Chow far OFF,
"Haif mile" as there good landing?"
"a good harbor, with shelving beach," The
occupants of the boat, Cornelius Swauburg
and William Ferguson, climbed up the side,
and we felt comparatively safe. ...-, e..
At the time when we struck Ferguson was
lying i'll In his bed, but ut the sound OF our
guns this brave man got out Of his bed, al
though ne was splitting blood at the time,
and he and Swanburg went to the brow OF
the hill and shouted out to us at the top OF
their voices that they were coming, and put
of in boat which, providentially, was on
tire shore. The work Of disembarking was
Immediately proceeded with, three ships
boats being dispatched with the boat under
the guidance Of Swanburg and Ferguson.
When they returned others were loaded up
Us fast us possible and dispatched to the
shore. The second officer behaved splen7
didly. Standing at the gangway OF. the lad
der, with hatcllct In his hand, he threatened
To cut any man down who tried to get into
the boats before the women. To his eXer-
ton we owe It that there was not an ugly
rush. The stcerage passengers were admira-
bly quiet, no single nan attempting to get at
the boats. They have their own conSciences
to thank for this, Us no attempt was made to
discipline them, nor was any attempt made
70 keep order.
Colouel Paryell went with me to the cap
tain, who was on the bridge, and asked him
whether he should offer bis services to keep
the passengers quiet in alse of rush, or to
organize them In some way. His services
We're quietly declined. During all this time
the humping and scruping of the sternpost
and rudder confined, making us afraid that
she would break in two; but still the women,
aud especially the young girls, cried very
little, and bore up wonderfully. tn
The correspondent on the subject of why
she WAS lost says: l will simply say that
they can only compare the navigation Of the
Washington TO the conduct of a man who
gets on horse and gallops in dark night
tul-speed down Il turnpike road totally re-
gardless whether there are several gates on
the road and whether they are open or shut.
Fortunately for Us we got through one gate,
the Little Hope Rock, but Gull Rock Shoal
gate was unfortunately closed. AS said be-
fore, 10 sight was taken for seven days. The
lead was never hove once. No one had the
slightest idea where we were, and yet this
Inflated Ship was run mt twelve and thirteen
knots an hour for days together.