Year: 1859

Remarkable Shipwreok.


ONE OF THE MOST REMARKABLE CASES or SHIP


WRECK AND PRESERVATION or LIFE UPON


RECORD ARRIVAL or KENNEDY. AND HIS


sTATEMENT-ARRIyAL OF THE AUSTRIA.


The bark Azor, Burk, from Fayal, al-
rived at Boston on Thursday last. 18th in
stant having on board William Kennedy,
the only survivor of the ship Margaret
Tyson, Morris, bound from New York to
San Francisco, Kennedy was picked up
at sea 10y the schooner Dread, and taken
to the Hospital at Fayal, and from thence
was sent home by the U. S. Consul at that
port, in the bark Azor. Kennedy's state
ment does not differ materially from the
one made by him at Provincetown, and
and already published, yet il is exceeding
ly meagrc, and he appears to be unwilling
to give more extended account.


lie said ne should not have anything to
say about the matter, as he was going to
New \ orll in day or two, and then he
should relate his story to the owners of the
Margaret Tyson. He seemed to have a
superstitious idea that he should get into
trouble if he gave q full account Of the
matter. This, perhaps may have been
owing to the fact that he is either foolish
and has been instructed 10y some Of the
crew of the AZOr TO say nothing about it,
or from secret motive of his own. On
learning that statementwas wanted from
Kennedy, several Of the crew took him
one side, and so far as could be ascertain
ed, told him in Portuguese, French,
Dutch, and Hottentot, to keep mum"
and after that, he for time was almost as
silent as a Sphinx. He however became
more communicative after sufficient coax
ing, and saidlthat he shipped in New York,
in the Margaret Tyson, it being his first
long voyage. He had been on short coast
ing voyages, however, previous, shipping
at New York. He believes ne was
born in San Francisco, although lie
does not seem to have any definite idea in
regard to the matter. He thinks the Ty-
son was about twenty days out, when u
tremendous gale sprung up on a Saturday
night, in the course of which the ship was
thrown on her beam ends and lay in that
position for some hours, until finally she
went down. As the vessclsank, the ships
house was wrenchcd from the deck, and
left floating on the water Kennedy swan
to reack this portion oftho wreck and hoist
himself upon ii, where he found two Of
the crew, and was shortly after joined 10y
two more. He cannot remember their
names. lie was unable to say how many
days he was upon the wreck, but seemed
to have an idea that he was there seven
teen days. His companions were either
washed overheard or died before he was
picked up. He states that the weather
was, portion of the time, very cold, and
at other times quite warm. Tie remem-
berS that he caught a fish one or twice,
and also at different times a little fresh
water in his hands when it rained. When
the last man died he cut piece of flesh
from his leg and ate it. He was not Who'll
ly insensible Mt the time he was pickt d up
by the Dread, as he states that he remem-
bers seeing the ship swing too and haul
him on board. After that he was for
time uncOncious as to what passed. One
o! the crew of the Dread told a seaman on
board the Azor that when Kennedy was
picked up he was horrid object to look
upon, having been reduced to mere skin
and bones, and it was thought that he
would not live through the day, when he
was picked up. He was however careful
ly attended TO until the Dread arrived in
Fayal, where he was lodged in the hospi-
tai. He seems at present to have entirely
recovered from his exposure, ard is in eX~
cclcnt condition, He is small in stature
not more than five feet and onc.half in
height, and of sandy complexion. lie
looks intelligent. The only visible trace
of his late suflerings is shown in his hair,
which evidently all came off after his res~
cue, and has just begun to grow out again.
He will leave for New York in a day or
two.


The Azor also brought as a passenger,
Mr.. Carl Baker, formerly policeman in
New Orleans, and one Of the survivors of
the steamer Austria, destroyed a few
months since by fire while on u voyage
from Hamburg to New York. Mr. Baker
states that he was rescued by the French
bark Maurice, after having been in the
water about three hours. Before leaving
the steamer his back and hands were burn
ed in shocking manner. lie was left in
the hospital at Fayal, and on leaving that
port in the Azor his wounds wero consid-
cred healed, but the cold weather which
he had experienced on the homewlrd voy-
age has caused the wounds on his back to
break open airesh.