The Northern Pacific farmer. [volume] (Wadena, Minn.) 1878-1885, 1881-01-13
THEY DIED TOGETHER.

THEY DIED TOGETHER.
A Pathetic Incident Of the Wreck Of the Ship
Eric Near Melbourne.
From the Alta Californian, San Francisco.
Henry WATSON, formerly chief officer of
the ship Eric the Red, who has arrived from
the other side of the Pacific, tells thrilling
story, the main points of which are as fol-
lows: On the night of September the 10th
the Eric sighted Cape Otway light, and ev-
cry one on board was confident that the voy-
age would soon be at an end and were look
ing forward to be at Melbourne on the NOR
row. The light breeze which prevailed
was just sufficient to give the ship Roadway.
At midnight the second officer called the
captain on deck and reported that heavy
fog had settled over the land, which was
scarcely visible. Orders were given about
1870 A. NJ. to wear ship, but there was not
sufficient wind to accomplish the manceu-
vre. The vessel refused to go round.
The light Which had up to this time
been invisible, suddenly shown out and
made visible to all the perilous situation
rocks runs out some few miles from the
cape. It was between this ridge and the
high, precipituous coast that the vessel lay,
slowly drifting to her doom. The only
passengers were a gentleman named Gould
and his wife. They had been married at
Bath but a few weeks previous to the yes
sells departure from New York. Mrs. Gould
had developed incipient consumption and
by the advice Of the doctors had undertaken
sea voyage with view to combat the dire
malady. The young couple had enjoyed
themselves during the trip and were eagerly
looking forward to the termination of the
voyage. The vessel was now rapidly drift
ing to destruction and no power on earth
could avert her breaking on the reef. Cap
tame Doane and his officers stood on the
poop, giving orders to the crew to get the
boats out. Two of them were launched,
but the current carried them among the
breakers, where they were smashed to pieces.
At 3 A. NJ, just as daylight broke, the ill
fated ship with one bound struck upon the
reef. The shock took six Of her crew who
were clustered on the forecastle head right
off their feet, and succeeding sea sweep
ing over ship carried them with it, Mr.. and
Mrs. Gould were with the survivors on the
poop. With fearful countenances and looks
of horror they saw their end approaching.
The captain exho1ted them to allow him to
have them lashed to spar, but either through
fear, or hope of being saved by some 9TH
81 method, they steadily refused. The ship
was now grinding and crashing among the
breakers. The sharp rocks were playing
havoc with the timbers and the huge waves
rolling in shore would lift her again and
again only to bring her nearer to destruc-
ton. Blue lights and rockets were burned,
but the ight-keepers state that owing to
the heavy fog they never saw them. Morn
ing came at last, the breeze had freshened
to gale, but still the pail of mist hung
over the land. At 4 A. NJ. the house on
deck got loose and upon it the captain, Mrs.
Gould and sixteen others embarked. One
heavy sea lifted it off the deck and they found
themselves adrift upon the ocean. Their fate
was, however, not yet decided. The sea
was washing over the frail house. One huge
wave swept Mr.. and Mrs. Gould and three
sailors in the yawning gulf. 1t was impos-
sible to save them. Ropes there were none,
and they disappeared almost Immediately.
When last seen they were clinging to each
other. The next morning the mounted
troopers engaged searching the seashore for
the dead found the bodies, interlocked in
each others arms. United in life, they were
not divided in death. Their stiff embrace
rendering it impossible to separate them,
they were buried in one coffin. The bodies
of five of the crew were found at various
salongt the coast bearing marks of bruis.
es from contact with the rocks. The sur.
vivors, after remaining on the deckhouse
for twenty hours, were picked up by the
steamer Dawn on her passage from Adelaide
f<, Ill