Year: 1869

Chps"hu-A~u"sCS " hnVsc Losts


KEY WEST Fla, May L. 1862


The survivors Of the crew OF the brig Omaha John
Toothaker, master, from Key West bound to Pensa-
COLA which was lost on the 1st inst. have arrived
here. The following Is Captain Toothaker's state.
ment OF the DISASTER


We got under way at Key West harbor at nine
O'Clock Thursday morning, April 20. with a Inc
breeze from the south-southeast and pleasant
weather. The weather continued fair and the wind
light, and nothing special happened until the MORN
ing OF the 1st OF May, when the wind began to
freshen. At half.past seven O'Clock furled royal
and gan topsail. At half-past eight the weather
had a slight appearance OF being squaly. Called
all hands TO shorten sail. l did not ut that
time think we should have more than short
rain squa but commenced taking IN SAIL clewed-
up fore topgalantsai and hauled down the main top
mast staysail. AT quarter to nine O'Clock was
struck by the most terrific squa or tornado ever
experienced. Immediately let go the fore topsa
and main halyards. Both sails came down, but i'm
mcdiately went to pieces In the meantime the
main topsail and Ioresail got aback and gave the
vessel a violent sternway. She soon fell on and the
sails got full. We were at this time taking In the
foresail and had got one clew hauIed up when
another fearful gust OF wind struck the vessel and
threw her on her beam ends, when she Immediately
turned keel up. When we endeavored to save our.
selves Oy cnKln8 10 tne cnannes we were 25neu on
several times. Every few minutes some one would
be washed or and drowned. The vessel remained In
this position about an hour and q hall, when she
gradually turned on her beam ends and found but
two seamen on the wreck with me. I saw Mr..
Jones, the second mate, on the yaw boat which was
bottom up, about eighty yards from us. The boat
drifted TO windward until nearly out OF sight when
Mr. Jones succeeded IN getting the boat on her bot
torn, and after much hard labor brought her along.
side the wreck. The boat was badly stove on both
sides, one gunwale had been torn or and she was
full OF water the estimated latitude at this time
was 70 degrees 80 minutes and longitude SO degrees
20 minutes Rain began TO fall during the squall
and continued falling at intervals throughout the
hour. At about fve 2. NJ. saw brig steering TO the
southeast. She came near enough for Us 10 see her
hull but she did not notice u.s.


ON Sunday May q at sunrise, saw bark steering to
the southeast She also came enough 10 see
her hull but she did not notice u.s. During the day we
succeeded In picking up boxes OF canned meats
and vegetables, which had noated out OF the hold.
ON sunday night the sea was very rough and we're
near being washed or the wreck several times, and
lost most Of the provisions we had picked up. We
had no water, and suffered extremely from thirst:
and at night we suffered very much from the cold
ness OF the air, for we were wet a the time and
very scantily clothed. The clothing we had on at
the time Of the squall was mostly thrown on 70
enable US TO reach the wreck alter being washed
away


on Monday, May 3, the wind began to moderate
during the forenoon, and the sea getting smooth
We managed TO get the boat on the wreck aud to
patch her with canvas; and about O'Clock we put
on from the wreck, with only n few cans OF msat
and no water, TO try TO reach the coast then esti-
mated at sovenV-nve miles distant. We had one