Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1877-11-29
The SHIPWRECK.
An Interesting Statement by Ensign Young,
One OF the Survivors

Ensign Young, of the Inflated Hu.
ron makes long statement of the
disaster from which we condense the
following: About midnight the wind
had grown to a storm, which soon
carried away the sails and careened
the vessel to an angle of forty degrees
and struck the reef Signal lights
were burned and rockets sent up.
The sea was breaking over the vessel,
and several were swept off and
drowned. All were ordered to go
forward. While moving heavy
swell swept the deck. l was caught
in the bag sail and hurt both legs
against the gait. | regained the gear
of the nine-inch gun and worked my
self forward. / thought saw Mr..
French go in the main rigging. l
saw number of men standing in the
starboard gangway and on the first
launch, and a number of men under
meath the topgallant forecastle. |
succeeded in getting on the topgal.
liant forecastle with the assistance OF
the men there. A number of men
had on life preservers, and one balsa
[raftl was rugged on the forecastle.
The topgallant forecastle was still full
of men and officers Two or three
men flashed themselves to the bow
spirit. Every one was perfectly cool,
and showed no sign of fear. The
majority of us got close together on
the upper side of the forecastle.
SUFFERING MUCH FROM COLD AND Ex-
POSTURE.
The seas would break clear over US,
and nearly suffocate us. We sounded
over the side, and found about six
feet of water. We saw lights about
one point on the starboard bow, and
we gave cheers and repeated them
several times. We then saw that the
flood tide was making in fast, and the
sea was breaking over us worse. We
here saw the first laundh,' the only
boat left, stove in, and knocked Capt.
Ryan and the navigator overheard.
We saw two men killed on the fore
castle. Mr.. Conway suggested that
we make some effort to get line on
shore. l said / would attempt it, and
called for men to put the balsa over,
when three-inch line was made fast
to the balsa and the same lowered
overheard, but it fouled with the jib-
bon foreguard and other spars. !
got down on the torpedo spar, and
worked about ten minutes to clear the
balsa, and called for some one to help
me. Mr.. Danner came down part of
the way and
SAID HE WAS TOO WEAK,
and could not get on. then told
him that it was our only chance, and
that he had better try. He said he
could not or he would. In a little
while Williams, a seaman came down
and said he would 60. In about ten
minutes we succeeded in getting the
balsa clear of the spars, but could get
no main line, and the First Lieuten-
ant, Mr.. Sermons, Mr.. White and
many others in the forecastle sang
out to me, The line is out. Cut it and
get on shore if possible for assis lance
| had a small pen knife but could not
open it because my hands were be-
numbed Williams opened it and l
succeeded in cutting the rope. Was
then struck several times by spars,
and across the hips. 1t was foggy,
and we could not see the shore.
When the line was cut the balsa
went towards the stern of the ship,
and we thought we were going to
sea-one thing that deceived ma
jority of the ships company. We
padded the balsa with pieces of pan
cling. Near the stern of the ship
heavy surfs struck us and capsized the
balsa end for end. My leg being
jammed in it had me underneath the
water for a while. Both of us re-
gained the balsa, when | told Williams
to go to the end and we would then
steer the balsa in fear of another cap
size. We were thrown out again and
the catastrophe
THREW WILLIAMS ABOUT TEN FEET.
my arm being jammed. / was thrown
on my back. When we came up
again it was rather still wa.
ter. / swan and pushed the balsa
toward Williams. He got on top
and stood and looked around, and
said that he saw the masts of fishing
vessels ahead, which proved to be tel
egraph poles on shore. | told him we
would steer for it,
WE WERE ON THE BEACH.
/ told him to haul the balsa up as we
might want to use it to send off to
the ship We landed about three
quarters of a mile up the beach from
the wreck.