Year: 1874

upon them to hear the recital OF
their fortunate escape and the loss
of the gallant steamer on which they
had but a week before sailed gaily
through our ship canal.


From Will, d. Calverly, Esq,
Clerk and chief officer of the Lotta,
we CLEANED the following correct
account Of the disaster:


The side wheeler Lolita Bernard
Capt. Michael Norris, left Silver Is
let, on her return trip to Duluth, at
5R o'clock on Tuesday afternoon,
reaching Pigeon river at midnight,
where she lay by until 8 o'clock on
Wednesday morning, at which hour
she again sailed, the wind coming
briskly from the northeast. Heavy
weather, however, was not threat
ened, and no danger apprehended.
At about pm, the breeze began
to increase, and so continued until
about II pm, when it was at its
height, a fearful gale raging. Capt.
Norris and his crew, nevertheless,
felt no fears, their confidence in the
seaworthiness Of the Lolita being
unbounded; but this filth did not
save their craft, over whose stern
the waves now began to roll with
awful sublim;ty. At length the
heavy beating of the swelling sur
ges against the bulwarks and cabin
began to tell, and soon the upper
works were crashed off in piece
meal. This continued for half an
hour or so, all hands doing their
best to obey the orders of the un-
daunted Norris, whose clear, deter
mined voice was heard loud and
distinct amid the wild roar Of the
appalling storm. Nothing could
withstand the power of the waves
and III a short time the Lotta's deck
was stripped of everything but her
smokestack, the sea making clean
breach over her, sweeping from
stern to bow. The engine, how
ever was kept steadily at work, as
was also the pumps; but, owing to
the fact that the water poured into
the hold, it was soon found that the
latter were incapable of preventing
her from filling, An examination
at this time showed the water to be
an inch or two below the fire CRATES,
and it was only now that the Cap
tain ordered the engine to be stop
ped, it being his wish to use what
steam the boiler contained in work
ing the pumps


At this juncture, to show the ex-
cellent discipline of the crew let us
mention that Capt Norris ordered
one, the engineers to go back TO his
engine (the stern of the vessel being
then under water and Capt. n. up
to his waist in the tiood) and "give
! her a turn or two more" The man
replied, 81 would as soon you would
shoot me, Captain, but | will obeyn'
And he did. The engine was then
stopped and the bow anchor thrown
overheard, in the hope that it might
catch and bring the sinking steam
er's head to the wind.


All hands were set to bailing and
every human effort possible was
made to keep the crippled craft
aiOat. Yet it was vain, for about
half-past twelve on Thursday morn
ing she began to settle, and all
hopes and expectations as to
her salvation were over. Seeing
this, and with as much deliberation
and GOODNESS as though he were
giving orders to a gang of workmen
on shore, Capt n. ordered all on
board to prepare to launch the two
boats yet remaining aboard. One
of them was the yawl, and the other
a smaller craft. Eight Of the men
made for the small boat and the re-
naming seven (there were fifteen
souls on board) took 10 the yawl.
The small boat was swamped the
moment she touched the waves and
six of those in her succeeded In
reaching the yawl, which was still
on the hurricane deck, now within
few inches of the surface of the
raging lake. The other two-Wil-
lie Blanchard, a passenger taken
aboard at Pigeon River, and James
Hanson, a deck hand-were last
seen clinging TO the bottom of the