WRECK OF AN EMIGRANT SHIP. [From the Times, April 13.]

New Zealand Spectator and Cook's Strait Guardian, Volume IV, Issue 327, 16 September 1848, Page 4

WRECK OF AN EMIGRANT SHIP. [From the Times, April 13.]

The Omega, besides 3J5 emigrants on board, had a crev/ of about 30 hands* During. the first two weeks of her voyage the weather was extremely fine. On the 4tb of February she encountered the first of a. succession of heavy gales, in which she lost her spars and sails, and eventually her rudder. The vessel became unmanageable, and for a week drifted 1 at the mercy of the waves. On the 17th of February she was fallen ' in with the barque Aurora, from Wales, bound to St. Jobn.'s, New Brunswick, in ballast. It was decided that the passengers and crew of the Omega 1 should be put on board the barque ; about 130 of the passengers got on board, but the weather became tempestuous, and one of the boat* of the Omega, containing the second mate and four of the crew, was swamped, and all in her perished. For several days more the Omega continued to be driven about, when she wasfallen in with by the brig Barbara, of Nov* Scotia, on her passage to Cork from New York, with a cargo of Indian corn. The master instantly offered all assistance in his power, and, to render that assistance most effective, he caused part of his cargo to be thrown overboard to make room for the emigrants, of whom 150 were got on board, together with two casks of water. This had hardly beenaccomplished when a gale sprang up, and the Barbara, for her own safely, was obliged to leave the Omega, with the master, mate, and 8 seamen and 25 passengers still on board. The Barbara was soon lost sight of. Two days afterwards a third vessel bore down to her assistance, namely, the British barque Highland Maty, from Liverpool. With considerable difficulty the remainder, of the emigrants, with M-r. Caisrick, the commander, and bis crew, were rescued from the ill-fated vessel. She was then in loug, 52 24, and little doubc is entertained of her having afterwards foundered. The most distressing event, however, is yet to be detailed When the vessel Barbara met with the Omega, the former had but a few days' supply of water ; and as they succeeded in getting only two casks from the wreck, the large addition to the number of her crew caused the waut of this most necessary article to be immediately and seveielyfelt — so much so, indeed, Tiiat many were compelled to eat ice and drink salt water. At this critical period a homeward-bound steamer hove in sight, when signals of distress were made. The steamer bore down to within 10 or 15 yards, of the Barbara, when the master of the latter vessel acquainted the steamer that there were 150 persons on board dying for want of water. The reply from the steamer was, "There is land — go there and get it." The wind wa» blowing off the land so strongly at tha time that it was impossible to make it. She then bore for the small harbour of Rencios ; but in the course of the night, in wearing ship, she lost two boats. On the weather somewhat moderating, she succeeded in gaining the harbour ; and the captain, seeing several boats near, requested them to obtain the assistance cf some pilots, in order to place the vessel in safe anchorage. The boats went ashore, and on their return announced the refusal of the pilots to come off. The captain then attempted a course for St. John's, and in doing so it is supposed mistook Heart's Point (near Petty Harbour) for Cape Spear, where they became becalmed, and were carried by the current ashore. Twenty of the passengers contrived to gain the cliffs by crawling along 7 the bowsprit. The tide and the wind carried the vessel further up the coast, she struck heavily on the edge of a rock, and stove her bottom in. Thirty more passengers managed to, reach the rocks in safety, but immediately afterwards the vessel fell over on her side, went down,' and carried with her 115 men, women, and children, all of whom, met with a watery grave. Many of those who succeeded in gaining the shore before the vessel struck perished in the course of the following night from exhaustion and exposure to an intense frost: About 70 bodies had been found up to the time of this information being' despatched. Respecting the Aurora,, which- took off from, the wreck of the emigrant ship 130 of its passengers, we learn that she arrived at Halifax about the 29th of February. Upwards of 7fr of the emigrants had 1 , however, died from th# dreadful privations they enduced, and' it w** considered impossible for several others fejs, survive. }