LOSS OF THE AMAZON.

Lyttelton Times, Volume II, Issue 80, 17 July 1852, Page 4

LOSS OF THE AMAZON.

With regard to this disastrous event we are happy to announce that many of the crew and passengers have been saved, two or more boats having got clear of the wreck and been picked up at sea. The English Papers are full of various accounts of the disaster, but with our limited space we can only give one, and, on the principle of " place aux dames," we select that of a Lady : —

Miss Ann Maria Smith, of 9, Dawson-street, Dublin, states—" As near as I can recollect, it was half-past twelve o'clock on Sunday morning when I first heard the alarm of fire. I was in my berth. I hastily jumped out of it, and ran to the seats at the foot of the companion stairs, and went forward to a gentleman and asked him if he knew the cause of the alarm. He told me that the ship was on fire, but that there was not the least occasion for alarm, and advised me to return to my berth to dress. On refusing, he carried me to my berth, and called the stewardess to attend me; she came out of her room quite dressed, but being much frightened, she went forward without assisting me. Being alarmed at seeing so much in others, I

immediately took up a blanket and two petticoats and rushed up the companion stairs aft. The flames at that time were rushing through the after bulk head. I stopped for a moment to observe if there was any chance of the fire being extinguished, and observed Captain Symonds with a bucket in his hand, surrounded by his officers. Everything then was much confused, consequent upon the fire breaking out so suddenly. I immediately ran aft towards the wheel, where I saw a gentleman standing whom I believe to be Mr. Warburton. I went towards the side of the ship and seized a rope, and on looking round I saw an officer running towards me in flames. He threw himself down, and rolled over towards me, with the endeavour, no doubt, to extinguish the fire. I then asked Mrs. Scott, the stewardess, who was close behind me, if there was any place I could put my foot on outside ? Mrs. Scott said, 'Oh yes ; there!' and ran to the other side, crying 'Save me! save me!' Observing a boat alongside, I swung out, holding by the rope for some time, the boat under me having capsized twice. At last, seeing a favourable opportunity, as the boat righted, and was again under me, I let go my hold and dropped into the boat, a sailor at the same time endeavouring to catch me; the fall was at least 15 feet. I was not much hurt. I fell into the bottom of the boat. I found there a M. Jean Strylus, a Belgian, and one sailor. The former told me he was the only one saved when the boat capsized the second time. Four other sailors soon after reached the boat, and got in, but by what means I cannot tell, as I was so much exhausted. One of them called out, ' cut the rope, or we shall be lost.' It was quickly done by one of the parties in the boat. It immediately drifted astern, when soon after we observed a person in the water supporting himself upon two oars. The sailors rowed towards him, and fortunately succeeded in getting him in ; it proved to be Mr. Evans. This was no sooner done than we saw another, and every human effort was made to save him, but just as we got with a boat's length the poor creature sank. One of the men, Attwood, a very humane man, seemed most anxious to approach the ship to do all he could to save more lives. Some objected, fearing the steamer's magazines would explode,and then all might be lost. We remained, however, within a short distance of the burning ship, in the hope of saving others, for, I should think, two hours, and although we could distinctly observe the poor creatures huddled together aft, and many on the bows and bowsprit, we did not perceive any in the water. By this time the engines had ceased. When all hope was gone, the men prepared to pull towards land, if possible. There were, I think, five oars on board. We finally lost sight of the ship about 4 o'clock. I lay in the bottom of the boat in my night dress, covered with the blanket which I flung into the boat previous to lowering myself; but heaving the men say a sail would be serviceable, I immediately volunteered to give it up, which was gladly accepted, and at once formed into a sail and hoisted. The Belgian, who was sitting forward, then offered me a part of his cloak, and two of the sailors carried me aft for that purpose. During the whole of this night one of the sailors steered, as the sea was running very high. In the morning, as we had but five hands, M. Strylus was requested to row, but he' could not from weakness. I then proposed his taking the helm, and as I can speak French the orders were given by the men to me in English, and transferred in French to M. Strylus, to enable him to steer as they wished. About nine o'clock we discovered, to our great joy, a sail, and immediately the men pulled with redoubled vigour towards her. She, however, appeared not to see us, and kept her course. The Sea was tolerably calm on the Sunday, and the men continued to pull towavds the east, thereby hoping to reach the French coast. About eleven or twelve the same night the men observed a brilliant revolving light and pulled towards it for six hours, but as the sea was increasing in violence they feared to approach nearer, on account of the cross swells. By this time the poor fellows were completely exhausted, and nature could hold out no longer. Seeing the condition we were in, M. Strylus said to me, ' you have roused their energies on two occasions, try again.' I then cheered them on, but as their hands were almost scarified from laborious exertions, it was almost impossir ble to do so. They, however, used another effort, and soon afterwards we observed another light, in another direction ; we did not know

what it was, but the men at once resolved to make a last push, and shortly afterwards their exertions were rewarded by reaching a Dutch galliot, the captain of which, who had previously fallen in with the other boat, kindly took us aboard, and at once made for Brest, where we arrived at 4 o'clock on Monday. Altogether we were thirty hours in the small boat, during the whole of which anxious time there was nothing either to eat or drink: hut, notwithstanding, the gallant fellows who had so laboriously exerted themselves to save our lives uttered not a murmur; they were all most kind and attentive to me throughout this trying and distressing scene, but the fireman, Attwood, particularly so ; he kindly bound up my feet iv handkerchiefs and placed something round my head, to protect me as far as he was able from the inclemency of the weather. Mr. Gould, who was saved in the first boat, was also very kind and attentive to me after we had got on board the galliot. Our obligations to the family of the consul at Brest, and many other ladies, are great indeed. Immediately it was known we were on board, clothing and'every necessary were sent off in abundance, and after we had somewhat recovered from exhaustion we were landed, and I and Mrs. Maclennan and child taken to the consul's house, where we were most hospitably received and attended to until our departure for Morlaix."