The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1875-03-05
AN OCEAN HORROR.
Burning of the Immigrant Ship Cospatrick
i'm the Southern Ocean.

Burning of the Immigrant Ship C0spatrtck
i'm the Southern Ocean.
London papers give full particulars of
the burning of the ship Cospatrick, on
the 17th of November, by which nearly
500 lives were lost. The crew consisted
of forty-four hands, only seven or eight
of whom escaped. The ship carried 429
passengers, bound for Auckland, every
one of whom periahed.
On Tuesday, the 18th of November,
1874, at noon, the vessel was ip Lat. 81,
15 s. and 1925 E. ]; the weather was fine,
the wind in the N. n. W., blowing a
Light breeze. Macdonald had charge of
the first watch, and was relieved at mid
night by the chief officer. The vessel
was barely steering. At about a quarter
of an hour before midnight Macdonald
went carefully around the upper deck,
over the poop, and the forecastle. All
was well there was no smell of fire or
other matter to attract attention. He
had been below about three-quarters of
an hour when he was aroused by the cry
of Fire |" He jumped out of his berth
and rushed on deck undressed. He met
the master at the cuddy door in his shirt,
who ordered him forward to inquire the
cause of alarm. He rushed forward and
saw dense smoke coming up the fore
scuttle. The chief officer was getting
| the fires engine to work The passengers
and crew were all rushing on deck. The
cry was that the fire was coming up from
the boatswain's locker. Macdonald re-
turned aft, and assisted the master to en-
deavor to get the vessel before the wind,
but the vessel had no steerage way. In
few minutes the flames came up the
! forecastle, and the foresail was hauled up.
! The vessel now came up head to the
wind, which drove the smoke aft, the
flames bursting up the fore hatchway.
| When the flames began to come up the
main hatchway the starboard quarter
boat was lowered, and about eighty,
mostly women, got in, the davits bend
ing with their weight. AS the boat
touched the water she turned over and
the people were all drowned. Hen coops
and other movables were thrown over,
but it was of no avail to save life.
Macdonald stationed two men at the port
boat, to prevent any one lowering except
by the masters orders. The officers
now made an attempt to get the longboat
overheard, but there was too much con-
fusion to get proper help; her bows
caught fire, and she was abandoned, and
there was rush for the port ifeboat ;
which was lowered, and about thirty or
forty people got into her. Macdonald
slid down and got on board by the fore
tackle. The boat was kept clear of the
ship. The chief mate and female
jumped overheard, and were picked mp.
By the time the boat got clear of the
ship the mainmast fell overheard. Shortly
afterward the stern blew out, and ther
the mizzenmast fell At daylight the
starboard ifeboat was found full Of
people. Macdonald heard shouts from
an officer to take charge of her. He go
alongside, and took charge. Thomas
Lewis, Edward Cotter and Mr.. Bentley
an immigrant, also got into the boat. This
gear remaining in the boats was divided
between them, Macdonald 8 vessel getting
one oar and broken one. The tive
boats kept company, lowering round tn,
burning ship the whole of the day, an.
until the afternoon of the 18th, when tn
ahiD sank