Year: 1872

VI

 The steamboat Baltic at sea diecovered helpless wreck with men clinging to it. The wreck pEoved to be the Assyria. The sea was running very high at the time with the wind blowing gale but volunteers were called for and two boats were immediately manned md, com handed by the second and third officers, were sent to the scene of the disaster. The story of the wreck as told by sur vivor is as follows:

 The Assyria was fourteen days out from Quebec, bound for Plymouth with q cargo of timber, and we got along we'll until Sunday afternoon. The forenoon of the day was very fine, but about six o'clock gale sprung up southwest by northwest. I was on watch at the time. The gale blew strong and came astern and struck in her starboard quarter, and it was raining hard at the time. Allsails were braced up. Orders were given by the captain to reduce sail, and the wind blew SO hard it was with great difficulty they were obeyed by the men. We sue ceeded in clewing up the royal and main royal, the f1y-jib, and the side sails. The hurricane increased and the ship was driven at furious rate through the sea. At eight o'clock some of the men were below having something to eat when all hands were piped mp and ordered to reef the top-yard sails. After that was done one of the men, seeing that the main. royal mast was gone, the captain, with all the officers, worked with a will and everything was done to. remedy the breach, but the canvas was torn into shreds. We succeeded in rigging up q fore and main topsail, and foresail, but the wind blew stronger ard the sea ran mountain high. The two men at the wheel had to be lashed to the rail with a rope. At eight bells the tempest got worse and we gave up hopes of attempt ing to run her, the decks were swept by the seas and it was with difficulty the men kept themselves from being carried away. We tried to heave her to beam, but the tempest prevented us. The night was dreadful and we were drenchsd by the sea and suffered terribly from the cold. When daylight broke upon us there was nothing but the mainsail left. We then commenced to work at the pumps as she was making water fast. The carpenter set the donkey engine at work on the pumps, but it ceased to work in few minutes. There were carried away. The third boat which was on the house was stove ill. Between eight and nine o'clock heavy sea stove in several of the blanks in her weather bow, tearing her cat head away and lift ing the anchors on the deck. The end of the dock-house was carried away and all our clothes which were slowed away there. The wind carried off everything, and we were lashed to the rail while we worked at the pumps. The carpenter again got the donkey-engine to work at the pumps for half an hour aud then it gave up. He was not lashed to the pumps and the sea carried him over. board, and we never seen him after. His name was Frederick Anderson, and he leaves wife and family in Newcastle on-Tyne. The second mate was then carried away and he was thrown up by 6 receding wave, and l threw him q rope and we hauled him on board. Captain Blanche and were working together al the pumps. The chief officer was for ward keeping lookout, and shouting to us when heavy sea was to break over the ship. I was dashed from the pump, and my arm was broken. I did not know anything of it being broke until I saw it swinging in the air by the force of the wind. I held on until I go to the deck house, where I managed with the other hand to keep myself iron being washed away. We ate nothing since Sunday until Monday evening when one of the men succeeded in get ting some bread which had been soaked with the sea water. We were glad tt get it. In the afternoon we found tht vessel was fast becoming wreck, ant the men took to the rigging and swung out some flags of distress. I was no able to go aloft with the broken arm The ship was setting down and I gav' down to the deck now and again, whicl was being swept by the sen, and sue ceeded in getting from below some ray pork, which we ate. Just before darl set in we found that the vessel was wa ter-logged, and that we had not long tt live. She was almost level with the wa ter. Eighteen of the men were in th' rigging while was being washed by thu sea for lifty-four hours. I was getting insensible, when cry was made abou three o'clock on Tuesday morning of sail in sight. The men cheered, and fol a while we were like men who hat escaped from watery grave. The yes sel was schooner going eastward, anG which did not see us. In the joy tha was caused by seeing ship in viev some of the men ventured to the deck and one of them gave me blanket, bu it was carried away afterwards by tn sea. About noon the Baltic was sighted about eight miles away. but those o1 board seemed to have seen us as sool as We saw Der, and she put about, an' made for us direct. AS soon as the boa came alongside I jumped overheard having trusted myself long enough t what had made up my mind to be m " coffin. Captain Kennedy and officer treated us well, and had it not been fo him and divine providence we all woNl have met watery grave.