The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-12-29
INCIDENTS OF THE WRECK.

THE PASSENGERS SUSTAINED BY HOPES or
AID-GRBAr ALARM WHEN NIGHT CAME ON
TERRIBLE SCENES IN THE sALOoN-TER-
RoR-sTRICKEN PAs3RNGERs.
The following particulars are from the
Harwich special telegram to the London
News: Weaving together the various per-
sonsl narratives which 1 have taken down
from the lips of the passengers, the follow
ing is the story they have to tell: They were
all in bed when tie ship struck, and were
reused first by the humping of the ship, and
next by the cry that rang fore and aft for
every man and woman to put on life belts,
of which there was plentiful store In hand.
The women jumped up and swarmed In the
compapion-way OF the saloon, making for
the deck. where they were met by the stew
ardesS, who stood In the way, and half forced,
half persuaded them to go back, telling
them there was no danger. Af'er the screw
had broken, the engines all failed, aud the
sails proved useless, the male passengers
then cheeriully forme3 themselves into
gangs and worked at the pumps, but as one
said, they "weTe pumping at the North sea"
and as IL was obviously impossible to make
clearance of that, the task was abandoned,
and the officers, crew aud passengers re-
lapsed into g. ate of passive expectancy OF
snccor from without. That this could not
long be coming happily seemed certain.
The rockets which bed been sent up had
been answered nom the shore. The light
SHIP which had helped to mislead the cap
tain, was plainly visible, and at last two
ships sailed by so near that I'LL they be gan
bopslessly to fade away, one to the north
ward and the other to the southwark, tie
passengers were sure those on board had
seen the wreck and were coming to their
assistance. Perhaps it was this certainty of
the nesrness Of succor that kept off either
the shrieking or the stupOr OF despair.
However that may be, IL is one CT the most
notable features about this fearful scene,
that with few exceptions after the first
shock everybody was, throughout. the first
day, wop deriully cool.
PATIENT, AND sELF-PossBssED.
There was no regular meal on Monday, but
there was plenty to eat and drink, aud the
opportunity seems to have been generally,
though moderately improved. The women
kept below all day, and, while the fires were
going, were served with hot soup. meat
bread and wine, aud seemed to have been
inclined TO make the best of bad Job.
But toward night the horror Of the situa.
ton increased In q measure far beyond that
marked by the darkntss. All day long the
sea had been washing over the ship, but bg
taking refuge in the berths and on the
tables aud benches in the saloon it had been
possible 10 keep comparatively dry. AS
night fell. however, toe tide rose, and al
mid night tie water came rushing over the
deck in huge volumes. filling the saloon
aud making the cabins floating collins
Then the women were ordered up ad in
structed to take to the rigging, but many oil
them, cOwed by the wildness Of the sea
hat now swept the deck fore ard
aft, and sbudderiDg before the
| iury of the pitiless, slee:-laden
gsle, refused 10 leave the saloon. Then
happened horrible scenes, which the pen re-
fuses TO portray In their fnllness. One
woman, driven mad with fear aud desI air,
deliberately hung herself from the ROOF OF
the saloon. A man, taking out his pen
knife, dug 1t into his wis and worked IL
about as long as he had strength, dying
where he fell. Another man, iDcohereDtly