The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1905-10-14
TALE OF A sHiPWREcK.
Romantic story of the Loss of the
Steamer American.

Steamer American.
The story Of the shipwreek Of the
steamer American, which ran Between
England and South Africa, reads like
a chapter from Frank stockton When
day broke on the morning of April %
1850, the steamer was close TO the
equator and about 100 Or 80 miles
from the Liberian coast Suddenly
in the first morning watch, between !
and 6 o'clock, there was fearful crash
in the engine room, followed 10y a con
cussion against the ships side, which
for an instant suggested that she hao
struck on a rock. Half dressed pas
sengers hurried on deck and eagerly
inquired what had happened. but were
met in the coolest possible manner by
Captain Wait and Mr.. Hepworth, sec
ond officer, who assured them that il
was merely a breakdown of some part
of the machinery. The passengers re-
turned to their cabins. The propeller
shaft had broken IN the stern tube and
had burst open the side OF the ship.
There was no hope of saving the
steamer.
TT means the boats" Captain Wait
remarked, 'but she win float for a
few hours yet, so we win get the pas
sengers into the saloon and have break
fast served" This was promptly done,
and Captain Wait took his usual place
in his usual cheerful manner, while
Mr.. Hepworth and the crew busted
themselves in getting the ships boats
ready. After breakfast Captain Wait
mentioned in manner so cool as to be
almost casual that the accident had
damaged the ships side a good deal
and that therefore It was better to be
prepared for any emergency. The pas
sengers, when they were ready, took
their places in the boats. Quickly. but
methodicaIly and without the least hur.
~, the eight boats, which were provi-
stoned and manned. We're filed. and
when every other person had been safe
" passed over the side Captain Wait
left his ship and joined his crew and
passengers. Very shortly after, about
Captain Wait divided his little fotilla
into two sections. Of the first he him.
self took charge, and Mr.. Hepworth be
came responsible for the other. The
part Of the sea where the American
went down was. Of course, in the i'm.
mediate track OF numbers Of sailing
ships and steamers, but as it was also
very close to the Liberiah coast il was
decided to make for the latter. During
the first night at sea the little fotilla
became separated. On the following
day Captain Wait and two Of his boats
were picked up by a brig which took
them to Grand Bassa and thence to
Sierra Leone. where they were trans
ferred to steamer called the Senegal,
then on her way to England
Curiously enough, the Senegal, on her
voyage home, was stranded on an is
land of the Grand Canarles, so that
some of the Americans passengers had
a second Unpleasant experience before
getting back to England In the mean.
time Mr. Hepworth's boatRnd two 9th.
ers made for the Liberisn coast which
they reached on the third day. In con
sequence Of the surf, however, they
found it impossible to land, so they
headed out to sea again and two days
alter were picked up by a steamer call
I'd the Congo and taken to Tenerife
md thence to Madeira and from there
% England.
This left only the, gig and the dingey
70 be accounted. for. The former was
heard Of in a few weeks, but when
nearly twelve months had gone by and
he eighth and smallest boat of them
III still remained missing the worst
vas feared. But in a year almost to
/ day from the date of the catastrO.
lhe came the news that the dingey.
90, had been picked up within a few
lays of the accident by a sailing ship
N her way to Australia. Thus it was
many months before the intelligence /
.ould be conveyed to England.-Chica-
% News.