Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1875-05-15

LOSS OF MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED LIVES.

LOSS OF MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED LIVES.
The Port Denisou Times of March
S, in special supplement, gives full de-
tails Of the wreck of the Australian stea-
mer Gothem5urg, on February "a, a
brief account of which has already been
received by telegraph. The vessel was
on her way from Port Darwin to Mel
bourne, and there were l25 persons on
board. Of these only twenty-five per-
sons are known to have been saved.
One of the survivors furnished the fol-
lowing account of the catastrophe:
We had fair winds from leaving
Somerset. Passed Cooktown about 2
o'clock on Tuesday. On "Wednesday
the wind increased after passing Cape
Cleveland, with misty showers. We
were expecting to be in Newcastle on
Sunday evening. We had been run
ming with jib, foresail, topgallantsail,
foretrysail, maintrysail and mizzen until
about o'clock, when the topgallant-
sail was taken in. Between 6 and 1t
was blowing hard, and the vessel roll
ing great deal, when it got steady all
at once and she left off rolling. 1t was
remarked by some how smooth it was
getting. In less than ten minutes after
getting in smooth +'atershe ran on to
a reef the course she was steering at
the time being E. By S. "a S. The
sails were at once taken in and the
passengers all ordered aft, the engines
working astern, but could not move
her. About 8 o'clock on Thursday
morning the captain ordered the two
port-hoats to be lowered aud taken to
the starboard side into smooth water
Four of the crew got into each of the
boats. At this time it was blowing
gale, and the boats were near being
stove in. One OF the boats broke the
painter, and was carried away; the other
was let go, and neither reached the
ship. In the meantime the vessel had
swung round and got broadside on the
reef, humping heavily, with strong
list to windward, the sea breaking over
her side, washing off sheep, dogs, and
everything not fast on deck. The star
board boats were swinging in the davits,
containing food and water, to receive
the women and children, but the ship
keeled over so much that they could
not lower them. Shortly after day
light she went oversom more, and the
sea washed right over her, clearing all
passengers off her. - --A
At the time the sea came there were
about fifty people in the, boats. The
boats were washsd into the water
among the men. Both boats were
turned over at once. Five men and
one women got on her keel, but the
woman was taken off and drowned.
The men succeeded in turning up the
boat again, but having no oars they
drifted away. In the meantime four
teen of us succeeded in reaching the
masts. One of the boats that caps;zed
was fast by the painter to the davits.
We dashed ourselves to the masts, and
remained there during that day aud
night, the rain pouring, and blowing a
gale, until Sunday morning, when we
bailed ont the boat and started for the
mainland, but findng that we could not
make it we made for aniislapd that We
saw to the leeward. When we got
there we found four of the seamen that
left the ship the aishtshe struck. The
boat they were in went to- pieces and
they were making raft with two spars
they found on the beach. There were
only twelve of tn. crew and ten passen-
gers saved, all the officers and stew
ards being drowned. 1t was something
frightful to see men, women and chill
dren drowning close to you and to be
powerless to help them The men and
women met death fearlessly-there was
not murmur from any person abroad.
When they were struggling in the wa
ter they were wishing each other good
bye as if they were leaving for short
time 't.-.-.