Year: 1872

Inspector McBrien, of New York, who, with his wife, was on board the Metis, tells the story of his escape as follows 'I went to my wife and quietly said that feared we were in danger, and asked her to arise immediately. She got out of the berth and asked me to be calm. said, "Yes, it is our only hope" Iopened the stateroom door to admit the light, and 1 procured two ife- preservers and threw them on the floor. At that moment some one came through the passageway and said there was no time to dress. I at once put one of the life-preservers on my wife and then another. I took sheet, tore it in two, and tied piece of it around my wife. Then pulled the cur tain cord off the hook and my wife took that and tied it over the life-preservers around her body. then put on life- preserver and assisted her to the main saloon. She was at that time very sea sick. I returned to the stateroom, got her shoes and put them on. At that time the passengers were crowding toward the stern of the steamer. Some men were praying in the main saloon, and all were intensely agitated. One woman wildly cried out, "Where is the Captain 1? Where are the life-preservers ?" Will nobody help me p

 We then went through the stateroom to the window opposite ours, and asked my wife to get out of the window. She felt unable to do so, but finally succeeded, and we went to the gangway by way of the saloon deck. said to my wife. 'sI'm afraid it will soon be over." She said, ''I pray not" I kissed her, thinking it would be our last kiss. I assisted her in the water on shelf on which had bound her with two pieces of sheet, and imme- diately followed her. After being in the water a moment I said, sLouise, I'm afraid I made mistake in leaving the wreck" and immediately made an effort to reach it, and succeeded in grasping the netting of the gangway. In an effort to get on deck I lost my hold on my wife, and she cried out, ''Oh, save me, hus- band, save me. answered, "Yes. Lou. I'm here." It was so dark that could not see her, but I knew her voice. The dashing waves caused what I supposed to be phosphorescent light on the water, and by it I saw my wife with the red cord and tassel that I had tied around her. I grasped her and assisted her on the saloon deck. After getting her on her feet we moved to the bow of the boat. The Captain said, ''Cone this way" and he lowered a ladder by which we reached the hurricane deck. placed my wife on the skylight where some ladies a1d passengers were grouped, and we remained there until we could see the breakers. I thought that the roof of the hurricane deck would be raised by the waves and would fall flat on the beach and that we might thus get ashore.

 As the steamer struck the breakers the part that was nearest to the shore doubled up and fell back with the Debris on the people on the deck, but I still remained near the skylight. The second mate tore the skylight from the deck, making it turn complete somersault, and throw ing my wife and myself partially under the frame work. By great efforts I got out and released my wife. Immediately after regainlng my feet I caught the bodies of an infant and colored man, and clasped my wife's left hand. My wife cried out, 'sFor Gods sake let gc my hair." A French woman had caught my wife by the back hair. raised the babe in my left hand and it was taken from me by some one 1 caught the French woman by the waist, saying

 caught the French lady and seemed te lift her as if to throw her over his shoul

 der, and carried her to the beach. Some

 one caught me by the hand, but at this

 turn my strength failed me. saw my

 wife few steps in advance. A mar caught me by my right hand and said

 ''Now make an effort to get on your feet. I could make no reply, for I was com

 pletely exhausted He said again | ssMake one more effort p I looked back

 and saw a breaker coming. 1 made tht

 effort, and they drew me on the sand

 where found my wife,"