TERRIBLE SUFFERINGS OF SHIPWRECKED CREWS.

Grey River Argus, Volume VIII, Issue 566, 2 September 1869, Page 2

TERRIBLE SUFFERINGS OF SHIPWRECKED CREWS.

By the Americnn mail we have particulars of the loss of the Margaret, Captain Allen, from Supderlaud, with a cargo of coal and Coke ; and the barque Zctns, Captain Burn, from Hull, also laden with coal. It appears that on the 16th A] ay, when off the Cape des Menti, they encountered a huri;ane, and both vessels struck on the Caribou reef, ifl the St. Lawrence, and were dashed to pieces, within two hours of their striking the rocks, with the loss of all hands excepting the mate of the Margaret (Donald), who succeeded in saving bis life, and arrived at Quebec in. the Mary, Star of the Sea, Domld has supplied the following narrative : — "On Saturday night, May J5, we were running with a ptnjiig wind from E.N.E., under the topsails and foresail, at the rate of seven miles an hour. We had a strong sea at the time, bnt did not feel it much, as we were running before it. At 1 a.ni. on Sunday, the barque Zetus, came within hailing distance, under the snme sail and steering the same course. She gradually went ,*fliead of us, as she sailed faster ; but, when she got about three or four times her own length ahead, she was.on the rocks — it being at the time very thick anil raining. The consequence was that next minute we were pn the rocks also, with sea making a clean breaph over us . As we were the last to brtak up; 1 witnessed the end of the Zetus. She was scarcely half an hour on the rocks when her main and n?izen masts went by the Voaril, and her foremast and bowsprit went focni afte_r — the sea by this tyne breaking

mountains high, She went to pieces inunc? diattly after, when all board must have perished. About ten minutes after, our wain and mizen musta went by the boavd. But before they went, when we tried loget , the jollyboat out, a sea broke on board v h : ch knocked the stern and after part of the ca! in in and smashed the boat to pieces. Wp next tried to launch the longboat, the s=c;i like a mountain breaking on board with great violence, when one very heavy sea broke on board smashed the boat to pieces, and washed us all down to the main deck. When Aye all got forward, the second mate's leg midribs on the right side were broken and he was otherwise entirely disabled. Tho weather was very cold. We then tried to get the pinnace over the side, but the sea was deter^ mined to take her also— a sea smashing her up against the foremast. It was then our main and mizenmast went. The after part of the ship was by this time broken up, and the foremast working from side to side. We then constructed a raft of the deck planks as they were washed forward. Then the forp» mast went. We were then fifteen souls clinging to the bowsprit. Then with a short prayer, commending our souls to the mercy of Goil, the bows2)rit went, and all hands with it. After I got to th" surface, one of the men caught me by the legs, and hauled me under, by which means he raised himself, and let me go. When I got up I caught a piece of bulwark plank, about 3ft. 4in. long ; but in a short time 1 got hold of a piece of deck beam, which floated me, and enabled me to look round, when, to my sorrow, I saw all the people lying over their little pieces of wood, with their heads in the water, apparently resigned to their fate. Those who had not their limls broken were fairly benumbed with cold, being mostly in their underclothing There was no struggling for life except by the captain and myself, He had a piece of deck beam the Bame aa I had, but he did not cling to it long. When I had a chance to look for him, about ten minutes after, I could not see him. I was washed several times from my piece, but always got hold again. I received some severe strokes about the shoulders. At last a piece of wood struck me on the head, which laid the fore part open, and the blood flowed profusely, but I still had my senses. At last I got on to the rocks, when through some accident my piece of wood turned round and put me vp before it, and fell very heavily three or four times on my In-east, and fairly disabled me, but I managed to crawl clear of it, and tried to get on my feet, but had not strength to stand, and fell again, the blood running down niyface. I tried to crawl on my hands and knees, but my senses were leaving me, when two men came running down (named Mr Alaglcire Boucher and Mr Jos. Leyesque), and carried me in their arms to their cabin, where they treated me very kindly, and put me to bed, where I slept for three hours, and waked very greatly refreshed. 1 .inquired if any more people had ccme on shore, but they told me no. I asked if there were any people from the other ship, but they said no. They said there was none come ashore but me. I put on some clothes and went down among the rocks to see if I could see any o; my shipmates ; but there was not a sign of any of them. Thus, in about two and a half hours from the time that both ships struck, about thirty-one men perished and the/ships were high and dry among the rocks, in pieces.