The Bolivar bulletin. [volume] (Bolivar, Hardeman County, Tenn.) 1865-1888, 1882-10-05
Miss MOrTisOn's Thrilling Story Of the
Wreck OF the Steamer Asia.
PARRY souNp, ONr., Sept. 21.


PARRY SOUND, ONT, Sept. 21.
at the Coroncr's inquest over the remains Of
the victims of the late Asa disaster Miss
Christey Ann Morrison, the only lady survivor
of the wreck, gave substantially the following
testimony:
- took passage on the Asia on the evening
of the 18th During the night the boat rolled
heavily and seemed to be overladen and very
much crowded with passengers. The night
passed quietly however and thcre was no dis
turbance except what came from sea-sick chill
dren occupied an upper berth in state
room and was quite wakeful heard the stop
at Presque Isle. On Thursday morning when
! arose the sea was heavy and was quite sea-
sick The first intimat,on had of danger wac
about n O'Clock, when the mate told mo they
had thrown overheard a number of horses and
that the remainder OF the freight would have
to follow. The boat rolling much
that put on my life-preservcr, and sat by the
cabin door until the water came into the cabin.
Then by catching hold of the door and railing
managed to make my way to the upper deck.
The boat then seemed to be settling fast. The
lfe-boat was near and / lowered myself into
the water, and the Captain caught me and held
me till the mate came and helped me into the
boat At that time there were twelve persons
aboard, All strangers except the mate, and
Miss McNab. my roommate. Several persons
from other boats came to our boat as their
own craft upset They seemed to be destitute
of oars, none of the boats being thus supplied
except our own. 1 did not see any person
left the steamer after we left her
side The boats ran along together for
a time and then the other two upset. They
upset three times, and every time they righted
some of the passengers were missing. When
they righted for the third time all had disap-
peared except six who managed o get into
our boat. Twenty minutes after our boat cap
sized. held on to the ropes and when she
righted in again. After we righted
heard some one say that three were gone. Our
boat capsized three times and each time some
were missing. After the number was reduced
to seven the boa did not capsize
any more and the storm began
to moderate. After dark we saw a
lighthouse which the mate said was Bying
Inlet light. When we saw the light all cheered
up considerably, but soon after one of the
strangers died. The only members of the
crew that knew in our boat were the Captain
and mate. After the stranger died two others
died almost Immediately together. They just
seemed 70 perish. They did not seem TO have
sustained any internal injury. l did not hear
them complain Of any injury. About mid
night the mate succumbed, and about ten
minutes after him the Captain died. At the
time they died the sea was quite calm, and
the wind was moderate. Shortly after day
br ak ! and Mr.. Tnkfs landed. The bodies
were still in the boat. After landing we drew
the boat on shore and walked along a piece
and, finding we could not walk, VIC re-
turned to the boat, and Mr.. Thinks
took the bodies out OF the boat and
laid them on the island. We then got
into the boat again, and rowed along with an
oar we had picked up (having lost our oars
when we capsized) to find place-a habitab.e
place That was the last saw of the bodies.
know that we left the bodies of John Saw
age, John Mcdonald and three other men on
the island on which we first landed. On the fol-
loving UFridaY) night we slept on the rocks.
Next morning we again got into our boat and
rowed until, in despair we gave up. We went
ashore again, laid down, and slept. Then the
Indian came along, and we engaged him
to bring US to Parry Sound, where we
arrived Sunday forenoon There was
| not any conversation in the boat at all.
except when we saw the light Then we
| sang couple of sacred songs. The other two
| boats were full of people. / do not believe
| that the three boats have spoken of were
capable of holding all the passengers that /
| saw on DO lrd that steamer. All the state-rOoms
| were occupied. / know this because when
embarked the mate had considerable trouble
! in getting a bed for me. Two other ladies
| shared my room with me. The lady's maid
| told me that all the other rooms were equally
| filled. Some passengers were lying on sofas
and the cabin floor. They so laid because they
could not get berths The lady's maid and
purser said So"
search for the persons who died as above do
scribed Rough coffins were prepared, tho
bodies were lifted in and they were plac ID up
on steamer sent with the searching party
On reaching Parry Sound the boxes were
opened and it was found that with the
exception of the mate and other
person, there were no marks to
show by what means these apparently
strong, healthy hardy men had come to their
death, while young lad of seventeen and n
| terrible ordeal The mates and fireman's
faces were badly bra1 sed, no doubt by beng
struck with the metallic life-boat when st up
set. Captain Savage, Mr.. Little and Mr.. Nc
Alpine appeared as II asleep, and gave no i'm
| dication whatever of the trrrlble struggle they
must have had with the grim monster death.
Their faces were not discolored, but looked
| quite natural. and bore no traces of having re-
| ceived any blows.
The shore limo from Point au Barrie 10
French River Is very inhospitabie. Rocky
islands and shoals abound and deep bays
| stretch far into the shore at intervals tho en-
tire distance, about sixty miles. The spot
! whore the Hfe-boat grounded is one of very
few places whore 1t is possible for il TO have
got ashore between Point au Barrie and ByiHg
| Inlet. The shoals which barely reach the sur
face of the water, extend for from three TO five
miles outside Of the outer range Of islands, and
| the life-boat drifted with its cargo OF dead
bodies and two almost exhausted survivors
down a narrow bay between the shoals on
either side as if guided by the Divine hand TO
almost the only place where it could have
| grounded safely without being dashed &c
/ nfeeos