The Portland daily press., 1883-09-27
THE NASSAU GALE.
Twenty-Eight Vessels Sunk and
Sixty Damaged,
Fifty-Three Lives LOst-Details of the
Wreck Of the Carleton.

NEW YoRK, Sept. 26.-The Nassau On. P.)
Guardian of the 18th instant reports the fol.
lowing losses by the recent hurricane in that
vicinity: The schooner Melissa Trask was
driven ashope at Norman's Cay, Ship Chan
nell Capt Trask arrived here this afternoon
in the ships boat. Schooner Victor, hence to
Jamaica, was wrecked near the Melissa
Trask, and Mr.. Charles Welch and lady who
arrived at Nassau in the last steamer from
Belize and three men were drowned. The
Mont Eagle is reported to be- lost with all on
board, portion of her stern with name upon
it having been picked up.
Sad accounts are being received from the
out-islands. In Nassau harbor II schooners
and II sloops were sunk, including the Amer
lean schooner Mary Jane and Elizabeth, and
one brig. Forty-six schooners and IA sloops
were damaged.
The government despatched the schooner
Wanderer this afternoon to proceed to Ship
Channel and other Gays lying along the Ex-
uman range to render succor and relief to any
who may have been shipwreoked. The
Guardian Of September 18th says that 53 lives
have been reported lost during the hurricane.
Tho following is the captains statement of
the loss of the Carleton: The Carleton left
NASSAU Win tl0 udlI5 anu Ii pdSSouR6rS lOr
Iuiqua and intermediate points on Tuesday
morning, 4th inst, with head wind. Friday
afternoon sighted Little San Salvador and ex-
perienced heavy thunder storm. Made the
harbor OF Little San Salvador at p. IN. for
the night AT 10 o'clock the barometer had
fallen four tenths and the passengers were in
formed that hurricane was blowing. AT 80
a. m. on Saturday the vessel dragged into deep
water broadside to the wind lying off her beam
from the pressure. Efforts were made to get
her anchor in but failed. The port chain and
anchor were let go and drag made with
piece of scantling was thrown over but she
would not come head to the wind. The star
board was then let 60, the vessel still on her
beam .Spars we're then cut away and she righted
scuddng before the wind. The sea was heavy.
At II O'Clock sounding showed fathoms.
few minutes after the Carleton was on the reef
at the north side Of Eleuthera off Millars and
the rudder was lost. The vessel then came off
into fathoms of water and struck again on
her side where she remained broadside to the
sea and bilged. Orders were given to get the
boats ready for launching. AS the passengers
were not able to remain in the cabin on ac-
count of water covering the floor they were
removed to the galley on deck. The large
boat on the weather side was lowered for the
purpose of taking off the passengers on the
lee side and IL persons got into her, when the
oars were washed away and the boat went
adrift being steered with pierce of board. As
soon as the boat parted heavy sea washed the
decks and upset the galley leaving the passen-
gers without shelter, and the following sea
washed the galley overboard.
At the time the only people on board be-
longing to the vessel were Capt Dorsey, Jas.
Darling, (cook) and Adam Mckenzie, ,(seaman)
who endeavored to get the other boat into the
water, but while trying 10 do so a heavy sea
swept the deck oil passengers and everything
on it except the captain, his two men and
the boat to which the latter clung as it was
was kept fast by by being under the rail of the
vessel. The captain and his men tlnally sue
ceeded in launching that boat and reaching
the beach at MillaIf The first boat gained
the shore about five miles below.
At midnight messenger from the light in
formed the captain that the first boat had
reached the Bay and next morning the mate
and two boys came to him. About midday
seven bodies were reported to have drifted
ashore seven or eight miles below, among them
the wife Of Rev. j. S. j. Higgs and Mrs. IA.
Anderson. An inquest was held and the bod
les buried.
On Monday the bodies OF Rev. j. s. J. Higgs
and Nancy Simmons weres recovered, when
another inquest was held and they also were
inferred Rev. j.. S. j. Higgs was for many
years rector of the parish Of San Salvador
Mr.. n. A. Anderson had just been appointed
acting resident Justice at Long Island,
The Carleton was owned by Hon. r. 81.
Sayer of this city. The shipments to the out
islands were unusually large this voyage.
All Of the mails with the exception of the bags
for San Salvador and Iniqua we're recovered.
The passengers drowned were Rev j. s. j.
Higgs, Mrs. Higgs, Mr.. n. A. Anderson, wife
and daughter, Nancy Simmons and two chill
dren, ,Eizaoetb Colebrook Rosa Devereaux and
child, and Amelia Young.
Steamer City of Alexandria, from Havana,
reports that the storm broke at p. M, on the
Sth. All the wharf property of the city was
destroyed as we'll as the sponge exchange and
the market. About 100 frame buildings were
blown down.