Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1875-02-08
THE BURNING OF THE cos
PATRICK.
A TERRIBLE STORY.


The Nyanza. with the three survivors
of the Cospatrick arrived in England on
Dec. 81. The three men from the Cos
patrick were found in a much better con-
dition than might have been expected,
considering the prolonged and tremend-
Gus hardships they have undergone.
The second mate. Macdonald. is man
aged 81, and does not look older. The
other two are aged - and Is respect
lively, the elder man is small of stature,
and of weatherbeaten aspect; but the
lad Is plump aud full-faced. and. judy
ing from appearances, but little the
worse for the suferiugs he. with the
Others. has undergone. The second mate
appears to be in equally fair condition
with the lad.
OF the three survivors. Macdonald was
naturally the object of the greatest IN
terest. and prefer to supplement the
statement have made by his account
of the calamity in his own words =
1.-The disaster took place on Friday.
Nov. Is. 1t was, my watch on deck
from s P. m, till midnight Every
thing was quiet. l was relieved by the
chief officer, and went TO bed. | had
just dropped off to sleep when l was
awakened by the alarm of FIRE Jump
ing out of bed met the captain, who or
dered me to 90 forward to see what was
the matter ran forward. and saw
/ smoke coming out of the fore hatch.
/ All the passengers rushed on deck, and,
the chief officer getting the force pump
/ to work we poured water down the fore
scuttle, as everybody said that the fire
was in the boatswain's locker. | ran aft
+ to put the ship before the wind, and
found the captain endeavoring to do
so in vain. The fire was rapidly gain
ing on US. the flames bursting out of the
fore hatch; but we still continued our
eudeavors to extinguish it. The passen-
gers all rushed about with loud screams
for help, impeding US in our work. The
ship came head to wind, which drove
the flames and thick body of. smoke
aft, setting fire to the forward boats, and
we we're obliged to recede / asked the
captain if we should lower the boats,
and was told No. but endeavor to ex-
tinguish the fire. The passengers rushed
to the two quarter boats which were
hanging in the davits over the side. and
crowded them. | consider that no less
than eighty, mostly women, got on and
in the starboard beat, when the daVits
bent down with the weight, and the
boats stern dipped under the seat, the
boat filled and capsized. and all
ITS OCCUPANTS WERE DROWNED ALONG
it being impossible to render any assist
ance | had stationed some sailors By
the port boat. giving strict orders not t
lower away unless by order of the cap
tain; but the passengers made rusl
for her. and we could not prevent then
from getting in. By this time the fore
mast had fallen over the side, and tn
flames we're bursting out of the afte
hatch. then heard the captain. VIII
{ was standing at the wheel. say to thos
around, Everybody for himself to saw
his own life or words to that effect
His wife, sou, land the doctor were stand
D ing alongside of him; the mate. boat
! swain, third officer. and myself we're try
t ing to turn the large pinnace over t
| launch her, but could get no assistance
and as her bows were catching fire W
I left her Some threw the captains gi
over the side. but saw no more of hei
ordered the port boat to be lowered
and when half down / got into hel
: When We got clear of the ships side tn
: chief officer jumped overheard, swan
: the beat. and We helped him and fl
e male passenger IN. The boat was keI
off the ships side. being overloaded, g
thirty-four persons were Ia her Th
Hlainmast fell over the side, which mus
shave killed 4 good many. The ship
stern blew out under the poop decl
One passenger told me subsequently
saw the captain throw his wife ove
board and jump after her. whilst Il
q doctor leaped overheard with the car
: tain's boy in his arms. and they We
. drowned. The mizenmast then fell owe
n beard. We lay by the burning ship ii
y daylight, some people hanging to ii
, spars alongside. We picked up one ma
J who had been floating on piece 4
plank all the time. We pulled towar,
some spars floating at q distance. an
met the starboard boat full Of peopi
: the boat having been righted by son
sailors Not having az officer in ii
boat they begged me 20 take eharg
which willingly did : and. as the
: boat was not 50 full. took one A. +
one O. S., and one male passeng
: along with me. We stopped BY Il
" ship until she sank. which was on Il
18th, at Eve p. N. We drifted all th'
is night. and next morning divided oar
y putting ono and half in my boat, an
st two oars aud rudder "a the mates boa