The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1875-05-13
Loss OF Steamship on the Pacific
with Eighty Lives.

a letter dated Sidney, New South Wales
March Is, published in the San francisco
AHa OF late date, gives the following ac
count OF terrible shipwreck. and loss O
human life on the Pacific Ocean
"A terrible shipwreck has occurred in
Iorrea Straits, attended with fearful loss
OF me. The Gethenburg, Cap ain Pearee
sailed from Port Darwin on February Is
having on board eighty-five passengers
and crew of thirty-six. Fine weather
was experienced until February "A, when
i came on thick and hazy, blowing strong
rom the northwest, attended with violent
squalls, with thunder and lightning AT
?. M, during violent squall, the steam.
er struck suddenly on the rocks, which
proved TO be Flinders reef. She went
steam on, and bored up with such force
That when stationary there was only two
feet under the forefoot. and five fathoms
astt ri. Captain Pearce ordered all empty
casks to be brought aft and filed with
water, to bring the ship by the stern. and
wiien this was done the engines were put
stern iull speed, but without the desired
result of backing her off the reef. The
tide was at full flood at II p. M, and again
the engines were worked astern, but with
no better result. During this time the
gale was increasing in violence, and the
sea making, and the ship commenced to
bump heavily, and at a. m on the 2Sth,
she commenced to make water, which soon
put out the engine fires. The captain
then ordered the boats to be got ready for
lowering. and biscuit and water was
placed in each; at 3 a. IN. the two port
boats were ordered by the captain to be
lowered, as the weather was getting
worse; one contained the men who have
arrived by TIE Leichardt, and in the second
were five seamen who were keeping the
boat off the steamers side, there being
such heavy sea on. At this juncture,
III. Nelson, the steward, while Tending his
boat of, fell overheard, losing his oar, but
was got into the boat again /; the chief Of
ficer, Mr.. Davis, then ordered the boat to
come around on the starboard side. but by
some mischance she got adrift and could
not regain the ship. The last the rescued
men heard was the cry of Captain
Pearce calling to them to get back
to the ship; but this could not be effect
ed, as a second oar was carried away, and
the boat was helpless in such gale. Only
one recourse was left-to keep her before it,
and this was done. The weather was very
thick. and raining all that day. At4 p.
IN. made land and tried to get on shore,
but without success, after trying for three
hours. The next land made was Cape
Gloucester, but the attempt to get ashore
was attended with no better. result. At 9
p. m. again sighted the main, and finding
a lee remained until day of the 2Sth of
February, when, at about in the morn
ing, sighted the steamship Leichardt, and
were soon safely on board and Hospitality
cared for. Captain Mclean, of the LEIGH
ardt, being advised of the wreck, made
for the supposed locality, but on reaching
the spot the ill-fated GOthenburg was
found to have slipped off the reef, the eyes
of the main rigging being awash. A search
party from Bowen afterward discovered
fourteen survivors on HolbOrn Island and
brought them to Townsville. They had
passed the night of the 9th in the rigging,
after seeing their fellow-voyages swept off
one by one, or 90 down with the ship.
They state that about in the morning on
Thursday, efforts having been made to
raise her forward, the vessel commenced
moving, ard got broadside on to the reef,
laboring heavily. The two port boats
were then lowered and manned, and sent
astern, as it was feared that they would
be stove in by the heavy sea if kept along
side. but the painters broke and they got
adrift. The vessel gradually heeled over,
and about an hour after the starboard
boats were lowered, and as the passengers
rushed into them, the boats capsized as
soon as they reached the water. The sea
broke over the steamer, and fourteen men,
who were left, took to the masts, where
they remained till Friday morning. when
they succeeded in bailing out one of the
boats that was fast to the Gothenburg by
a painter, and, leaving the wreck, man
aged to raach Holborn Island, where they
found the port life-boat smashed, but the
four men who left in her were safe. The
starbOard life-bOat was seen by some OF
the survivors on the east side of the rect,
with the stern out, and five or six persons
On board.