THE LOSS OF THE "ARCTIC."

Lyttelton Times, Volume V, Issue 246, 10 March 1855, Page 5

THE LOSS OF THE "ARCTIC."

The loss of the-United States Mail steamer Arctic, Capt. Luce, off Newfoundland, has been one of the most calamitous accidents at sea that has recently occurred. On the 27th September she was steaming 12 knots an hour on her course 64 miles from Cape Race; there was a thick fog, as is usual off the banks of Newfoundland at this season of the year, when suddenly a collision took place, she was struck on the bow by the Vesta, a French iron screw steamer. The four was so dense that the French steamer was not made out until a minute before the collision. The loss of life was frightful. Out of 350" persons on board -the Arctic, upwards of 300 persons perished ; the great loss of life is attributed to the desertion of the vessel by the officers and the greater portion of the crew, with the exception of the Captain and the third mate, who remaiued by the vessel to the last. The following narrative of the only survivor out of seventy persons who were on a raft (extracted from the Times) possesses terrible interest :— " Soon after the collision I, with others, rushed upon deck, having no apprehensions, however, as to our safety; : but in a very short time we were made acquainted of the terrible reality. The boat arrived from the propeller, but Capt. Luce refused to £take the men on board, as: he knew they could be of no assistance, and that it was better to keep them in readiness to receive the passengers. The firemen and engineers, driven from their post by the water, now came upon deck, increasing the number of the terror strickeu crowd. " Every one now prepared himself for the worst. The life preservers were brough. into requisition, and a portion of the crew set themselves to work in the construction of rafts. The two foreyard arms were cut down and lashed together, making a rait about 40 feet long, and 3or 4 feet wide. I was engaged with the rest iv making this raft, and Mr. Dorian, the third mate, took a most active p.irt in the work. When it was finished, we launched it on the larboard side, and in a few minutes after there were about 70 persons clinging to it, four of whom were women. Several other rafts were made, but none of them so largu- as that on which I was engaged. Doors, barrels, and, in fact, everything that floated, was used. On some of these'there were two or three, but the largest ctmld not support more than four or five. I remained on the vessel till she sank, when I went down with her. I had been employed a few minutes before with two others, one of whom was called,' Tom, the storekeeper,' in lashing some casks together, when I was driven away by the water, which was now rushing in with fearful impotuosity. Jumping upon the paddlebox, I sprang on the saloon deck, and in an instant was eugulphed in the surging waters,

which soon closed over our heads. Down, down, we sank with our noble vessel into the bottom ofthe ocean, and the terrible thought took possession of my mind that I was drowning, and that I should never see my dear friends and my borne again. I -retained my consciousness, however, all the time I was under water, and it was with a feeling of intense joy that I found after about half a minute, that I was rapidly rising towards the surface. It was all darkness before.; but now I could see a dim light above me, arid in a few seconds I was on the top of the: water struggling for life. Being a good swimmer, and having, besides, the support of a life-perserver, I succeeding in reaching a door, which was floating a few feet from where I rose. I looked around me, but there was no trace of the vessel exceptafew loose timbers and the rafts which were floating about, some '.-with- . out passengers. Finding Tcould not retain my hold of the door with safety, I left it, arid swam to a barrel which lay only a few feet from me, from this I again swam to the large raft, which had* as T have said, about 70 persons clinging to it. The sea, though not strong, was rough, and the waves, as they dashed over it, washed away a portion of its living freight. I shall never forget the awful scene. There we were, in the midst of the ocean, without the slightest hope of assistance, while every moment one or mpre of our unfortunate fellow-passengets were dropping: into their watery grave from sheer exhaustion. Those who had; life preservers did not sink,but floated with their ghastly faces upwards, reminding those who; still remained aliv_ of the fate; that awaited them. In the midst of all this I thank Heaven I never lost hope,'..but retained-myjcourage:to the last. One by one I saw my, unfortunate companions drop off; some of them floated ;oiß^:ahdi wereekten; arid gnawed by fishes j: while others were washed under the raft, arid remained with me till I: was rescned; I couldi see their faces in the opening as they were swayed to arid fro by the waves, which threatened every mbmeut to wash me offi The raft at one time was so erowded;that many bad to hold on by one hand. Very -few words: "were spoken by any, arid the only sound { that we .heard was the splash of the waters or the heavy breathing of the poor sufferers, as they tried to recoyer their breath after a wave had passed over them. Nearly all were submerged to their armpits, while a few could with; difficulty keep their heads above the surface. /The women were the first to go ;; they were unable to stand tbev;exjposnre more";thaufthreerdlr/foUr "hours;. They all fell off the;raft without-a brie poor girl, who cried outin; intense agony, 'Oh, my poor mother and- sistereX'/v'.'^ben.-;!--' had been on the raft about 18 hours there were not more than three or.four left. One of these gave me what appeared'to be a small map, but which I understood him/to say was a sort of title-deed to his property* In a few morrients after I took: it he too unloosed his hold, and was added to the number who floated about the raft. I endeavoured to get tlie paper into my pocket, but found this impossible on account of my cramped position, so I placed it between my teeth, and held it there till I was bversvhelmed by a. wave, when I lost my hold of it and it was washed away. Another, who had an oiled silk coat on, called on me for heaven's sake to save him; as his strength was rapidly failing, and he must fall off if not relieved. As he was abont four or five feet from me, it was difficult to reach him, but after considerable exertions I succeeded in doing so, and helped him with one of my knees until I became quite faint, when I was obliged to leave him to his fate. Poor fellow, he promised me if ever he got to New York alive he would reward me well. He clung with terrible tenacity to life, but he too dropt off in histurn. I was now left alone on the raft; not a solitary being was alive out of seventy; but still my hope continued strong. The night of the second day was about closing on me, and during the whole time I had been in the water I had not eaten a particle of anything or drank a drop. My strength I found was beginning to give way, and my sight had become so dim that I could not perceive objects a few feet off—even the ghastly faces of the dead that looked up at me from under the raft were hardly discernible. I determined on making one more effort for life; I raised myself on my knees upon the raft, and through the dusk of the evening I saw, or thought I saw, a vessel. My strength seemed to revive, and in a few minutes I heard the voices of persons in a boat approaching me. Ten minutes more and I too should have gone, but Providence had mercy on me,

and after 26 hours' exposure I was by its mercy preserved from a watery grave. The boat,; I afterwards learnt, belonged to the Huron, and was manned, by Mr. Dorian, tbe third mate of the Arctic, Captain Grann,one of the passengers, and some of the sailors. One of the men caught old of me by the collar, arid dragged me into the bow of the boat, where I lay in the last stage of exhaustion, till ; I was transferred on board the Huron, from which vessel Iwas piaced on board the ; Lebanon, an d finally on th c pilot boat Christian Berg, on board of which I arrived at this port."