Connecticut western news., 1882-09-27
THE ASIA DISASTER.
Thrilling Narrative by One of the
 Two Surviving Passengers - A Brave Girls Awful Plight.

Brave Girls Awful Plight.
 Out of all the passengers and crew of the steamer Asia, lost during the gale in Lake Huron, only two survived. Miss Morrison, one of the two, is still very weak, but the doctor considers her out of danger. She was able to furnish correspondent with this account of the disaster:
 {" went on board the Asia at Owen I saw seven persons puy tickets-tiv men and two women. One of the women had child about year old. Two of the men looked like commercial travel CTS, and the others like laborers. I got ssstateroom along with two other young ladies-one, Miss McNab, who got on board at Collingwood. They were not companions, but the rooms were so full that the cabin maid put them in the double birth and gave me the other.
 It did not get very rough until 8 o'clock in the morning. l was up then, but was seasick and took no breakfast. saw four women with children in the cabin-one had four, one had two, and two had one each. They were two families, and had taken deck passage. There may have been other ladies in the open air. knew there was danger. I saw people putting on life preservers. The boat rolled on her side, and I thought it was sinking, when jumped up and went into the adjoining state- room, where 8 woman with two chI- dren was. I found her asleep and awoke her, but think she never left the cabin. Her children were small one about two years of age and child in the arms. then put on life preserver and sat by the cabin door.
 Before I went to my stateroom I asked the mate if there was any great danger. He said there was very heavy sea, but they had already thrown some horses overheard and would throw off all the freight they could. I could hear a great noise made by the horses. l had hopes the boat would be saved till l saw water coming into the cabin. was on the upper side of the boat She lay now on her side. I took hold of the rail, slid down into the water and sank. I came up by the side of the captains boat. He took me by the wrist and the mate helped to pull me up. My state- room companions were both in the same Boat, but no other women or children. I saw the other two lifeboats, both full. The captain and mate had oars, and tried to take care of our boat.
 "The steamer now went down and left wreckage floating all around, I saw the other two boats upset twice, and each time the number of passengers was largely reduced. The three boats drifted together for short time. heard those in the other boats call to the Captain for oars. One of the two boats had no oars, one had one, and our boat two. The Captain could spare none. Our boat went along quite nicely for some minutes, the other capsized almost immediately. They had nothing to help themselves with.
 "I was sitting in the bow of our boat looking back toward the wreck. I saw the other two boats tip over three times and when I next saw them they were empty, no one even clipging to theil sides. am sure none were saved ex cept Tinkis and myself. Finally oul boat upset, and we lost both oars. W. were then at the mercy of the waves and were upset four times. There were eighteen persons in the boat before sh'
 upset. Two women were lost the frs
 time. It became calmer near dark, ant
 the boat did not upset again.
 "About this time we picked up
 floating oar, but were too exhausted t'
 use it. The mate told me to hold on t.
 the life line whatever happened, and
 never let go. When the boat upset
 hung on and came up with it. None o
 the five men died until after dark. Tn
 mate got upon his knees, and said h could see land. This cheered us all
 The captain seemed very sad and seldor
 spoke. None had hats or coats on bu
 Tinkis. had neither hat nor shawl We were all in the water up to ou knees, but the water was not up to tn seats.
 "The men all died quietly, and scene to go to sleep. The mate put his hea up to my face in the dark and asked
 it was me. I said yes. My hair WE flying around. He seized it in his deat
 grasp, and pulled down my head.
 asked the captain, who was near, to rt lease my hair. He did so, and the mat soon breathed his last. We saw ligt , at Byng Inlet about dark, and could SC it all night, but we drifted south shortl
 after the mate died and the captain la down. I tried to arouse the captain
 but he was dead. think this was abo1
 midnight.
 MT. Tinkis and I kept up conve
 sation. I was nervous, and feared tn, & Tinkis would lay down his head lil the rest. I asked him to come to tl
 bow, but he said we would balance tE T boat better by remaining as we wer
 and that he would not go to sleep. Da.. r light finally dawned, and revealed u d shore near by. Tinkis worked the bo toward the shore with the oar we hs 70 picked up. It was beautiful war N morning, and the sun warmed us ar o dried our clothing. We got on tl
 rocks soon after sunrise.
 .. "We attempted to walk across u island, thinking that we might find son