Wreck of the Tyendenaga

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume IV, Issue 91, 17 June 1852, Page 2

Wreck of the Tyendenaga

The Tyendenaga has been wrecked while on a voyage from Quebee to London. The wreek, which was of the most appalling character, took place on the Caribou Island, near Point dc Mont, and ended in the loss of seventeen ol .her crew. The ship left Quebec about the 17th ult., with a light favourable wind from the westward, which continued with her down the St. Lawrence to the Gulf. On the evening of the 22nd it blew a violent gale. The sea was running very high, and, to add to the dinicullics of tho'crcw, the weather was exceedingly cold, with a heavy fall of snow. Several poor fellows were sent aloft to furl thcforetopsail, but the gale having increased to a perfect storm, and the fall of snow, hail, and sleet becoming thicker, they, after two hours' struggling, were compelled to abandon the task. The fury of the gale and the sea then threw the ship on her broadside, and the. waves making a clean sweep over her, the crew suffered severely from the intensity of the cold. As the night advanced, their sufferings became more severe. The storm 5 ncrcascd in violence, and for several hours the ship lay on her broadside, with the sea breaking over her. About Iwo o'clock iu

ihe morning an attempt was made to wear her. In doing so however, the rudder was rendered unmanageable, and ere the injury could be made good a heavy sea struck the vessel and hurled her on her beam ends. An order was then given to cut away the topmasts, but the tools had been washed overboard. The master and five of his men who had sought refuge in the main rigging were rallied away by a sea which dashed over the vessel. The inasterwas thrown on the lee side of the poop, and succeeded in regaining Ihemi/en-rigging, but nothing was afterwards seen of the five men who unhappily perished. I!y this period the ship had struck heavily. Several of the crew secured themselves to the fore and main rigging, and others lashed themselves to the mizenmast. Some ten minutes or so after she had struck, the mainmast was carried away close to the deck, forcing with it in its fall the ini/.eutopmast, foretopmasl, and jibbooni, when all the unhappy creatures who had secured themselves on these spars were thrown overboard, and as quickly perished. No attempt could be made to preserve them. Daylight disclosed the position of the wreck. The decks had been complclly swept, bulwarks, stanchions, spars, bolts, &c., being all gone. The master, near whom a poor creature had perished in the rigging in the course or the night, could not see any of the crew, but the sea somewhat moderating, he contrived to get to the poop, when he observed a man lashed to the mizenmast, and the two mates near him. They the" secured themselves on the lee side of "the mizeninasi, and at lowwater they got to the topgallant forecastle, and discovered there sheltered two men and a boy. There they remained for two or three hours; and at the llow of the tide the sea again began to beat over the wreck. They then removed themselves to a more safe position |oulside. the rail, when the ship began lo break up. H'T bottom was knocked out, and larboard side carried away, with portion of the poop, *e. Some, of her cargo was also being washed up. The preservation of the, remainder of the crew, who were clinging to the wreck, then became somewhat doubtful. At length sonic of the natives (Indians) of the island, who had apparently observed the poor creatures, made two large fires on the coast, and gave oilier signals lor them to leave. They accordingly determined upon making a desperate effort to reach the shore, and, although much exhausted, thev jumped into the sea and struggled as well as possible towards the beach. The surf carried them inwards, and the Indians being prepared lo meet them, they were all dragged ashore. As it was however, one of the men and a boy nearly perished from exhaustion, and bin" for the aid of ihe natives they would have been lost. The survivors were then treated in the most friendly manner on Ihe island, Ihe natives furnishing ihein Willi drv clothes, hot tea, and such refreshment as' ihey bad. On the following day it was learned' that the bodies of twelve of Ihe unfortunate creatures who had perished had been washed ashore some three or four miles from the place or the wreck. The master, with the remainder of the crew, and a party of Indians, proceeded to the spot, and digging a large grave, the bodies were duly interred. Nothing, however, was seen of the other live. The natives described Ihe gale lo have been one of the. most severe that had been experienced there for some lime. The sea, it seems, was so high as lo break over ihe tower of the light-house at Cape de Mont. The survivors were taken oil' the island by a schooner which happened lo touch nt'thc place of wreck, and were conveyed by her to Quebec. The Tynulciunja was a new vessel.