TOTAL LOSS OF THE MONUMENTAL CITY STEAMER.

Maori Messenger : Te Karere Maori, Volume V, Issue 118, 30 June 1853, Page 2

TOTAL LOSS OF THE MONUMENTAL CITY STEAMER.

THIRTY-THREE LIVES LOST.

(From the "Empire," May 30.) It is our painful duty to narrate the total destruction of the abovo noble American steam packet, Captain W. 11. Adams, commander, logetlier with tho loss of thirty three of the lives of the passangera and crew, occasioned by hor running on a rock in Malagoutta bay, at about a quarter to 4 o'clock, u. in. on Sunday May Istb, on her passage from Melbourne to Sydney. This teasel started from Melbourne on Friday, 13lb instant, and having a fair wind all on board were lighthearted nt the prospect of having a speedy passage to Sydney. She was progressing at the rata of about VI knots an hour, up to tho time of her Arrival at the fatal spot which will bo long remembered by tho frienda of those who are now no moro, as well aa those who fortunately escaped with their live-*. It appears that on tho Saturday night previous to the wreck, a gentleman who had been master of a vessel, and who, well acquainted with the coast, had cautioned those ia command that aha was hugging tho land too closely. This advice, however, was unheeded, and at the above time tho passengcra were awoke by the vessel running on the rocks. A scene of consternation immediately ensued, by the passengers and others running about the deck. Tba saa was then calm, and all might have been saved, but tho captain ordered the engineer to "back her" with tho intention of getting her off. This proved ineffectual; the sails were furled to allav tho incessant thumping on the rocks, the commander telling all that he hoped to get her off at day-break, it being then q lito dark. At six o'clock the scene entirely changed, a violent gale springing up from the eouth*cast. Tho pumps had been tried in the meantime, and no water appeared to bo made. Tho heavy heaving of the vessel now increased, and water began to gain rapidly on tho pumps. In n rery short time it bad extinguished tho engine fires—mado its way into ihe steerage apartments, and appearances began to , threaten very serious results. At this juueture tba foremast was cut away, which considerably eased the rolling of the vessel, until she seemed in a very shortlimes to settle sideways on the rocks, her forepart being cou-

sidernbly than Iterate™. The female passengers and children t tint had been taken on tlte poop to the captain's office, now went to tUa coot's galley. At about il o'clock, the first boat was lowered, and was us speedily dashed to pieces by the breakeis ; the second met ft similar talc, and the third was drifted away. The only chance of escape from destruction now left was by the life-Loat; this was drawn from the 'tern of the vessel to the bow.*, on which the majority o( the passengers were clinging ; into it jumped Charles l'Jummer, a sea* man, and in this manner, with a rope attached, it was i allowed to drift to the rocks, but not before the con--1 necting line bad broken before the eyed of the anxious , crowd who now stood on the bows ; and then, all chance I of escape appearing to he cut olf, as a hist effort another line was attached to a spar, which, after considerable 1 delay, floated to within reach of tho brave fellow who . had landed himself on the rocks. To this rope was attached another, ft finally the hawser, which he hauled in I and fastened to a rock, the other end of it being secured to the bowsprit of the vessel, and ul! those who had courage enough to venture, bad to disencumber i themselves of superfluous clothing, and pass themselves in a sling nlong the hawser to the rocks, where they were drawn out of tbo turi'hy Charles Plummer, whose heroic conduct saved fifty-four souls from a watery giave. So strong and fearful, however, was the sta raging at the time, that many a poor fellow was washed 1 off the hawser nnd perished in the sea. One, more daring than the rebi, being a good swimmer, trusted to his own powers, but his fate showed how vain it was to combat with tbo remorseless billows, 'ilio tea had by ihU lime made ftorful havock with the vessel; the under part of the stern bad been washed away, the engine work, boilers, etc. having passed through the bottom. Now came ihu last scene of all. The billows wero running mountains high, and breaking with tremendous force over her stem. Uy one of these her quarter-deck was separated from the forepart ; presently another sea split asunder the forecastle, and nothing now remained of the .Monumental City save the floating timber with which the sea was covered. At tho time eho separated, about n dozen persons { were standing on her hows, the doctor sitting on the , bowsprit, waiting an opportunity to descend the hawser i with n lady ; not one of thorn, however, escaped—all periphed in the foaming durge. The fifty-four who were forlunaU-ly saved had now to wade through a strong current from the rocks to a small island, where fires were lighted, and there they remained until Tuesday at inil-d.ty, when thclife-bnl, with 10 of the passengers and crew, made for the main land, not, however, without considerable danger, fur sometiiuos before laud-

iijj tlm boat irns filled with wutcr to lior gunwales l.y the hcuvy surf. 'l'lie nest morning an otlemiit was rmde to get tlie remainder over from tlm island, but it was (bum! to be impossible to get tlie boat through thu suif: therefore, drenche I with wet, ami with only n pound of flour each for prm-isioits, thu nineteen 6tarled for Twofold Hay, where they arrived in a most destitute nnd miserable condition on the evening of t'ridjy, 'J'Hh instant, nfter encountering many hardships, such as being furct-il to subsist partly on shell full, tml to sleep o.i the wet ground in wet clul'iing. A portion of them, however, were met not far fiom thu liay by .Mr. Allen, to whom notice had been giten by a por.iuiiof the parly who had arrived at Twofold lliy a short time before.— This eunllemati, with great kindness, brought them provisions, and led them on to his own house, where bo lodged them for the night in the most kind and hospitable manner, which net, ire have no doubt, will cause his name and family to be remembered long by those who were the reeipi. Nts of his generosity. The rest of the party who remained on the island constructed a raft, by which they all got safe to the mainland, ami reached Twofold Hay on Sunday 'J'Jnd instant.