St. Landry democrat., 1882-06-17
Sunk by an Iceberg.

The ship Western Belle, which sunk in the
tce-pack in the mouth of the ST. Lawrence,
was in latitude forty-four degrees thirty min
utes. and longitude forty-seven degrees twen-
ty minutes, according to the story Of the mate,
between seven and eight on the evening of
May1. She was going at q 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, unproportoncd
ighostlike some ething bearing down upon them,
while the watch below heard the sharp, quick
cry of lice aheadl" instantly followed by the
order Hard up the helm!" 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 breach in her port
bow. Confusion ruled for the next five min
aItes, rs 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
ISLern OF Lne snip anu was iOSt U VlcW dS SUI
denly as it had come upon them.
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 lashed upon skids 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, Captain; come away to our boat!
The ships not going to stay afloat till you get
your boat out" shouted the mate. For
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 entreaties to enter the boat and died
at his post. The mate, noticing that the stern
of the vessel was lifting. ordered his men to
gull astern. There was heavy sea running
and a binding rain There might have been
twenty vessels to succor them within mile,
vet none could be seen. The mate, sitting in
his boat, waited q 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 to
his men: Pull away, men" They pulled
with will but got no further than ships
length from the vessel when she disappeared
from view. going down like diver.
It 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 whi ch they were trying to
launch, but not one of them fioated. II they
fvy
the survivors in the boat Nothing could be
seen Of either Captain or crew. 1t was ques-
tionable whether the survivors were much
better of. They were in an open boat with no
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 to the sea, bail her out when she was
swampinR. and wait for morning. The cold