The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1882-05-27
Sunk by an Iceberg.

The ship Western Belle whcn sunk In tho
ice-pack in the mouth of the st. Lawrence,
was in latitude forty-four degrees thirty min
utes and longitude forty-seven degrees TWEEN
ty minutes, according to the story of the mate,
between seven and eight on the evening of
May l. She was going at a moderate speed
under short canvas, with the weather very
thick. They had that afternoon sighted the
ship President, about six miles off, but as night
came on the rain poured down in torrents,
and none could see more than ships length
through the fog. The first mate had been on
watch and had just handed the charge of the
ship to the second mate and Captain, the latter
remarking that, as the weather was thick, he
would remain on deck.
At quarter past eight the watch on deck
were startled by huge, .unproportioned
ghostlike something bearing down upon them,
while the watch below heard the sharp, quick
cry of Ice aheadl' instantly followed by the
order ''Hard up the heml" The next instant
there was crash and before the men could
rise from their feet the water was pouring into
the ship in tons through a breach in her port
bow. Confusion ruled for the next Ave min
utes, as every man felt that the vessel was
soon to sink from under him, and acted for
himself. She was fast settling by the head
while the huge, phantom-like iceberg passed on
astern of the ship and was lost to view as sud
denly as it had come upon them. ado !t
The carpenter and Captain were quickly be-
low to ascertain the damage. The next order
was: Cut away the boats! These were two
in number, and were dashed upon skds in the
manner of most sailing vessels. The Captain
got twelve men to take one boat The mate
had charge of the other, and some men worked
for dear life to get her launched. Others
skulked about terrOr-stricken. There was no
| time to load her with provisions The lash
! ings had been cut with the carpenters ak, and
| everything was done that could be done to ia
! cilitate the launching of the Captains boat.
/ "Come away, Captains come away to our boatI
The ships not going TO stay afoat till you get
your boat out" shouted the mate. For
I God sake, come away Come, all of you
| We have room for you all in our boat" Still
the Captain and his men stuck TO their places
at the boat. John Kelley. the wheelsman, re-
fused all entreatles to enter the boat and died
at his post. The mute, noticing that the stern
| of the vessel was lifting, ordered his men to
| pull astern. There was heavy sea running
! and a binding rain. There might have been
/ twenty vessels TO succor them within a mile,
| yet none could be, seen. The mate, sitting in
his boat, waited little and watched anxiously
the sinking ship, while the carpenter sat at the
helm. All at once the stern of the Western
Belle rose higher and the mate cried out 10
his men: Pull away, menl" They pulled
with will but got no further than a ships
length from the vessel when she disappeared
from view. going down like diver. ''''
1t was less than twenty minutes from the
time she struck that the ship went down.
Thirteen persons were in and around the
boats on deck, WIFI CHI they were trying to
/ launch, but not one of them hoated. II they
did they uttered no cry that could be heard by
the survivors in the boat. Nothing could be
~ r. = Z
tionable whether the survivors were much
better on. They were In an open boat with nc
provisions. They had saved no clothing, and
the carpenter was In his shirt and drawers
without shoes. The sea was running high, and
all that could be done was To keep the boats
head 10 the sea, bail her out when she wa.
swamping, and wait for morning. The cold