THE LOSS OF THE AMAZON STEAMER.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume IV, Issue 95, 12 August 1852, Page 2

THE LOSS OF THE AMAZON STEAMER.

NARRATIVE OF THE CATASTROPHE. (Continued from our last.) The fire first appeared coming up the fore hatchway, and within two minutes of the first cry,before the bell was sounded (for I wis wide awake), I saw the fire rushing tip (lie main engine I latchway. When oil deck the second time I had intended to leap overboard and swim to the lirst boat that got clear of the ship, ami I stood there for a short lime before turning to the life bout in which I escaped, and bail therefore ail opportunity of watching the heroic conduct of Captain Symons and several of his officers anil men in attempting to suppress the flames, ill which, if human exertions could have availed anything, he would have succeeded,

Fate, however, had decreed otherwise, anil unless Uie oilier life-bout was got away, or the gig escaped, I have too much reason to fearlhal our party of 21, who were landed at Plymouth on Tuesday morning, are nil that are leil of those who sailed from Kugland on Friday afternoon in the ill-laled Amazon. 1 am, Sir, your obedient servant, Uoiikut Nkii.xon. to Tin: KiMTOii of tiik moiim.m; eimo.Mcr.K. Sir—Having oidy .jusL arrived in England, I have not at present time to give a detailed account of that part of the wreck of the Amazon which I witness'd; hut I feel it my duty not to lose a day in slating my impressions as to the fate of some, at all events, of the passengers and crew of the ship, yet tmatrounlcd for.

I was the last person, 1 should think, to arrive on deck. At that lime (li.ev were attempting to lower some of tin! starboard boats, and some of the larboard, I fancy, were already in llie water. I remained for some lime looking round, and seeing boats lowered I'aoui both sides in tin; greatest confusion. Presently I heard the captain give an order to lowerllie larboard life boat; bill the answer was, " Sheison lire." On going to see whether this was the case, I found it was so. The caplain llien ordered the starboard life boat to be lowcrrd. Again the iinswcrwas, " She is on lire." Jus! then I saw tlu! only remaining boat, except the two life boa Is reported to be burning, being lowered, and without waiting lo ascertain whether the second lifeboat was really on lire I heaved a rope over and slid downbyil, with the intention or droppiiiginto this boat asslie cleared away from the vessel. I did not succeed in Ibis attempt, and fell into the water. Ilappilly the next wave brought her within reach of inyarin, and I got in. As (lie steamer, at Ibis time, was proceeding before the wind verv rapidlv, we were immediately swept behind. At the time I slipped down, llie captain and another man were at the wheel; and I saw Mr. Warlmrloii, with whom I was aci|iiainted, but whom 1 had uol perceived before, completely' dressed, and walking (piick)y towards the starboard life boat. In two or three minutes from the lime I reached ; the boat, I again looked at thewreck. I saw the caplain and man still al llie wheel ; and Mr. Warhurion had returned and was stand ing beside them. That was llie last I saw of them. There were several oilier persons oil deck al the same time, ami I thought [ descried oik! of the odlcers among them, .judging from the gold lace which In? wore on his cap. Just then, being obliged lo make a breakwater of spars, ill order to prevent our being swamped, my attention was turned away from the wreck, and when I again saw it, which was perhaps in the course of something more than half an hour, there was no- 1 body on deck, though two or three were on the bowsprit ; and the lire seemed to have spread from stem to slern. The steamer at this lime, was moving broad-side towards us, and must have been lo windward, as the smoke came down upon lis. We were al lirst apprehensive she would run us down, when .suddenly she changed her course again, ami we gol clear i>f her. We. then began to pull, anil soon lost sight ofherhull, and were only able lo distinguish her position by the strong light above and around her. About three horn's afterwards she blew up. From my own observation, and from information that I collected from those who ell'eeted their escape in the same boat with myself, it appears beyond a doubt thai, besides llie ; three boats already saved, other three got : well oIT from the vessel. Their several crews would probably act as we did, viz., run before the wind," but perhaps they would not observe that at about three o'clock iu the morning the wind gol round to the north. . In this case the said boats, running always i before the wind, would be driven lo tliej southward, and, if not picked up by some ] vessel, would, iu all probilily, mala; the north coast of Spain. { It also appeared tome that the captain and others Icilon deck were collecting materials j for making a raft, or bad devised some plan for their escape, should the starboard lifeboat not be available; and with this object in view, 1 myself had assisted in removing some of llie settees all.—l am yours, Sc., Fiu'.mur.K Ciu.nmi.. .-,0, Park-street, Grosvonor-sipiare,Jan 11.