The New York herald., 1876-12-31
Twenty-eight Lives Lost in Friday
Nights Storm.
ONLY FOUR SURVIVORS.
A Night of Agony and Effort
Dawning Into Death.
LASHED TO AN IRON MAST.
lBy TELEGRAPH TO THE HERALD

loA A1AAo"Afh ~ IhE HEhAD.
SAG HARBoR, J.. l.. Dec. 80, 1875
Al about four O'Clock this morning terrible acci-
dent occurred at the wreck OF the British ship circas
OF the llth Of December. The story of tho wreck
fresh in the minds OF the readers o tho HERALD and
with the sad sequel OF to-day's accident closes OF
the most terrible marine tragedies ever enacted
this coast Al tho time OF the beaching of the
Circassian all hands were saved. Somc OF those
fortunate enough to be saved that occasion
were among those lost in lo-days disaster Since the
l2tn inst the wreck has been charge OF the Coast
wrccking Company, which contractcd'to save the
sci and cargo The task Of dscharging the cargo
very dangerous undertaking, Tor since tho ship
drove ashore the wind has been high aud the
angry. On Thursday last the vessel relieved Of
most OF her freight aud it hoped that she
would be drawn of the beach yesterday. The
weather proved unfavorablc, however, and the
task was postponed until to-day. The delay
proved fatal, tor tho vessel Is total
wreck and twenty eight lives have been lost Il ap-
pears since the Wrecking Company took charge oil the
ship the company's employees have been quartcred on
toard was also Williams the captain Of the Crcas.
on her unfortunate trip from Liverpool to New
York. Like true sailor Captain Williams refused TO
leave his craft, and he has paid the price OF his fidelity
with his life. The mon on board tho C,rcassian had
finished Friday night all the necessary prelmnares
for attaching the hawser with which sho was to be
drawn OIL During the early hours OF the night the
wind freshened little and the began to very
high until about six O'Clock began to break clear
over her. The men. apprehsnding danger. went into
tho fore rigging. where they ordered for greater
safety All board--thirty-iwo souls all told-re-
mainod thus exposed until carly in tho mornug, when
deemed advisable to shit quarters, the falling
Of tho top hamper, caused by the rolling OF the vessel
made II dificult to hold on The safely
transferred to tho mzzen where signals Of distress
were repeated.
HORRIBLE HOURS
All this time the shore plain In sight; the moon
shining brightly, and lres built by the
lie saving station showed plainly the ngures Of tho
crowd the beach hurrying TO and fro vain endea
vors to aid the men in the rigging II an awful
suspense for the poor fellows ashed the and
yards OF the ship They saw at,emp; after attempt
made 10 establish communication with them fall and
each failure seemed TO measure their purchase upon
life Every effort to get boat oil shore proved futile
AS often it attempted the drove 1t high and
dry On the beach.
THROWING A
Captain Henry Hunting OF Lille Saving Station No.
TO- brought mortar into service, and several
balls with rope attached were thrown out to the
ship But of the cords reached the ship Its hold
slender thread upon which thriy-two human lives
depended snapped forever The wind was blowing
a perfect gale irom the direction in which the balls
were shot, and most OF the balls fc far short OF the
wreck Finally extra charge OF powder was
rammed into tho mortar, the last churge in the mag
axinc OF the station. With that charge tho mortar
wnanccd the death kneli OF the Inflated crew.
AoosIzISG SIGHT
The station men, oil the while these endeavors werc
being IN ade could see the In the rigging quite
plainly and hear their cries for help. Many of the
weather beaten heroes shore, who have been
wreckng vessels and saving lives since boyho were
moved 70 tears by tho pieous opportunities of the
wretched men of shore. The violence OF their efforts
mitigated the suspense they would otherwise
have ict during the early hours; but when the last
charge shot of aud nothing else possible human
enort or bravery remained to bo done
they became unnamed and many OF them wspt The
nervous the sudden inactivity utterly
Incapacitated them for any duty. They could not
leave the spot, and only remained for them
main inactive and see their fellows perish before their
eyes, To leave tue beach would only add the ter.
rors Of the death that stared victims In tho face
and 10 remain Inactive would probably give cause Tor
unjust reproach from the poor, helpless on tho
wreck superintendent Hunting and his mon
remained and tried 10 answer tho calls IRON
the wreck, but nothing shat was said shore
was heard the ship account Of the direction Of
tho wind In terror and suspense the morning wore
on the wind having vecred arourd In the meantime
west southwest During the early part Of the night
before the went into the rigging tho cables
Stacked, but tho ship moved only short stance and
continued through the night to strike the bottom.
PACING DOOM
Every time she struck the men thought she would
lose masts, 10 which they had Iashcd themselves
whilo OF the great danger and the i'm
possibility OF saving themselves II tho should 20
by the board, 1t beng OF iron, they unable 10
sIacken the Iashng Some OF them with more ssIf-
possession than others had taken tins contingency
their calculations. ani had not securely lashcd
themselves, and among these were the only four saved
IRON the wreck
THE CRASH AT LAST.
At nalf past four A. NJ tho lonz-dreaded crisis
came and the mizzcnmast went by the board with
crash carrying the mainmast with IT, tremendous
swell had struck the Circassian aft and raised her
very high. when II recedcd she thumpcd heavily and
the terrific jar threw the mast over the side. The
masts being iron went to tho bottom Immediately,
carrying with them twenty-eight souls.
OUT wIrn TIDE
There Is no prospect immediate or remote of recov.
erng the bodies for tho tide has set strongly 1.-The
and those Of them tnat have been freed
the mas,s and rigging hsvo been driven out beyond
Nontauk Point
SWIMMING TO sHoRK
Three OF the Circassan's and one OF the coast
wreckers alone reached the shore. As ms The
went by tho board these men managed 10 cling 10
fender that torn on the side by the falling masts
and in less than hve minutes after they fell
into The water they were on shore and
in the hospItabe hands Of The iiie-savers All four
are dong we'll Wilson, tho circassisn's carpenter,
is the only one OF the saved who injured. He Is
abcd now, but viii probably be abroad the morning.
MorIe says he gavo n hc-prcscrver 10 one Of tho
shinnecock Indians named Walker, aud that he had
II fastened around his body when no ashed himself to
the mast Too much cannot be said in commentator
Of Captain Hunting aud his men Tor their noblc
though futile efforts.
A THE CENTENNIAL.
Tho wooden boat belonging to his station Is stl