LOSS OF THE BARQUE RIENZI. SUFFERINGS OF THE CAPTAIN AND PORTION OE THE

Colonist, Volume III, Issue 237, 27 January 1860, Page 3

LOSS OF THE BARQUE RIENZI. SUFFERINGS OF THE CAPTAIN AND PORTION OE THE

CREW —THE MATE AND FIVE SEAMEN LOST. [From the Panama Star, October 27.) The American Barque Rienzi, 442 tons, of Boston, Captain Seabury, sailed from Arica (Peru) for Rotterdam on the 19 th of August, with a cargo of nitrate of soda. On the 29th, when in lat. 27-4 S., lon. 96.30 \V., a strong gale blew from the E.S.E., and the vessel was put under double-reefed topsails, but the gale increasing with a heavy sea, the vessel labored heavily; she was next day put under close-reefed topsails, and though she shipped a great deal of water, the pumps shewed that otherwise she made no water. At 4 p.m., on the 20th, the pumps were tried, and she was then light; but at 6 p.m. she was found to be leaking fast, and though both pumps were kept going, at midnight she had 4% feet of water in her hold.

Finding the leak increasing, the vessel's course was changed to the eastward, with the hope of being able to keep her afloat until some point in Chili or Peru was reached, and every effort was made to prevent the leak from gaining on her. On the morning of September 2nd, the gale still continuing, the vessel became unmanagable, and was settling down on the water —whereupon preparations were made to abandon her. By 2 p.m. the two boats were lowered, and a small quantity of bread and provisions placed in them, and the captain, with five of his crew and a passenger, embarked in one, whilst the mate and four other men entered the other. This was about latitude 25 40 S., longitude 98-17 W.—the sea running high, and the ill-fated vessel's lee waist already under water. The boats set their small sails, and kept tQgether, being in sight of the ship until 4 p.m. when she was seen on her broadside, and her bows under water. Owing to the heavy sea running the boats came too with a drag, and kept together until 2 o'clock on the morning of September 3rd, when the mate's boat was last seen and spoken by the captain. At daylight the boat was not visible, and Captain Seabury supposes it almost certain that it foundered in the heavy sea. All day on the 4th, the boat with the surviving crew had to lay to, and when the wind moderated she set sail, hoping to make the coast of Peru or fall in with some of the homeward-bound vessels, in whose track she was crossing. Owing to contrary winds, the boat was unable to head up better than N. to N. N. E., until latitude 12 S. was reached, when she succeeded in making more easting. The provisions running short, the crew were now reduced to half a biscuit and half a pint of water a day, and this was again further reduced to an ounce and a half of bread each, and a gill of water. On the 22nd, George Wilson, seaman, a native of England, died from exhaustion, and all the men were so overcome with fatigue, exposure, and hunger, that they could scarcely manage to steer the boat. On the 3,oth of September, after twentyeight days in an open boat, and as the unfortunate sufferers were reduced to their last day's scanty supply of bread and water, the coast of Peru was reached, about seventy miles helow Tumbes, and fortunately at a spot where there was a small Indian village. On being perceived from the shore the Indians put off in their balsas, anchored the boat, and conveyed the now helpless crew on shore, where they afforded them every relief in their power. After four days' rest, the party again started for Tumbes, which they reached in safety, and were kindly takea on board the whaling barque Edward, of New Bedford, and received every attention from the cap-

tain and crew. Captain Seabury in a few days started for Paita, in the barque Clara Bell, where he also received every kindness: his men he left sick in Tumbes. Edward Sweeney, seaman, of Brooklyn, was very ill, and not expected to live. The captain and all his men were covered with boils from head to foot, and suffered the usual consequences from long exposure and starvation.

Captain Seabury arrived in this cijty in the steamer Valparaiso, and is onr'his way home. The following is a list of the men losit in the mate's boat :—

James Frailey, mate, native of Liverpool; John Hargraves, steward, Liverpool; Geo. Williams, Eobert Warren, Thos. Cunningham, seamen, England; Franklin Coast, seaman, France.