The New York Herald Newspaper, September 7, 1872, Page 3

Burning of the Bienville On Her Way to Aspinwall. WORE THAN TWENTY LIVES LOST. The Slumbers of the Passengers Broken by the Cry of “Fire 1” _ Escaping from the Crackling se Decks in Small Boats. SUFFERINGS OF THE SURVIVORS. “Water, Water Everywhere and * Not a Drop to Drink.” | THREE DAYS OF THIRST. Five Boats Reach the Land-- e The Sixth Lost. Capsizing in the Surf Off Eleuthera Island and Loss of Nine Lives. CRAZED BY CARE. Anne Brahn Wanders Away and is Lost. SEARCH FOR THE MISSING BOAT. Captain Maury’s Report of the Disaster and the Story of the Chief Engineer. | FULL LIST OF THE SAVED. Forty-two Arriving Here by the Steamer Morro Castle, and Thirty-five at Baltimore by the Schooner William McGee. NAMES OF THE LOST. Heartrending Narratives of Dan- *- ger, Toil, Pain and Death. On the 3ist of August the disaster which hap- Pened to the steamship Bienville, of the Pactfic Mail line, was meagrely announced to, the. public through a brief telegram from Havana, where her commander, Captain Jefferson Maury, had just ar- Yived. The detailed horrors of this. event were for the time left to the imaginations of the friends of those on board the ill-fated vessel, who have been ‘unable for several days to learn their full extent, ‘and have been, therefore, kept in a condition of fearful suspense. The anxiety has been shared by the general public, and they will be glad to receive the news that by the steamer Morro Castle arrived yesterday morning Captain Jefferson Maury, of the Bienville, with thirty-one of her passengers and eleven of her subordinate officers and crew. Ip ‘NE FIRST DESPATCH from Havana, which it now appears must have been altered either by mistake or intention from the in- formation which was given by Captain Maury on his arrival there, it was stated that the Bienville, leaving New York: on the 10th inst. for Aspinwall, ‘waa discovered tobe on fireon the morning of ‘the 15th inst., in latitude 25 degrees 12 minutes, longitude 74 degrees 15 minutes. The first alarm was given at forty-five minutes past three o'clock. Smoke was seen ascending from the hatches. After ® few revolutions the steam pumps broke down and could not be worked. The hatches were then ordered tobe battened down, hoping to smother the fire; the steam was kept on, but the Names gained with such rapidity that at six o'clock the six boats were ordered to be nunched and the pas- gsengers and crew began to embark. Oaptain Maury Jeft the ship at half-past seven, after every one clse had gone. After pushing off one of the boats was capsized, and ten of the inmates, two of whom ‘were ladies, were drowned. After sunrise, how- ever, the boat was righted and bailed out, and headed for Cat Island or San Salvador, where she arrived in safety. The other boats, with the ex- ception of one, were reported to have reached the Island of era, the missing boat afterwards Noating to ach empty. Some hopes were at that time entertaincd that her load had been \\ taken on board some passing vessel. Nine lives ‘were lost by the capsizing of another boat in attempting to land at Eleuthera Island. From Eleuthera Island the saved escaped to Nassau, after being overwhelmed with kindness. by the poor negro inhabitants. One of their number, however— Anne Brahn—who had become insane from the terrible anxiety and suspense of their situation, had wandered away from her friends and was sup- poaed to have been drowned on the beach. At Nassau every attention was extended to the shipwrecked, asis testified by all of them. The steam tug Anna and the schooner Dandy were despatched by Vice Consul Saunders, to search for the missing boat, and the schooner William Mc- Gee, starting for Baltimore, took thirty-five of the @urvivors as passengers. ‘The news obtained after this first despatch was Of so imperfect a nature as only to increase the Public suspense. Hopes and fears were founded ~) wpon the supposed errors of the telegraph, and the | grrival of the next steamers from Havana or other Southern ports was looked for with an agony of anxiety. The screw steamship Metropolis, from Havana, has been overdue for two or three days, andthe Morro Castle, which went by way of Nas- aan, beginning her voyage at the same time, has beaten her in speed. 7 A HERALD correspondent went down the bay on ‘Wednesday on board the HERALD steam yacht, amd lying off the mosquito-breeding marshes of New Jersey he waited patiently for the earliest @ign of the incoming vessels, “Rocked in the | oradle of the deep” and swinging at anchor with the whims of the tide begot a sort of superstitions mood, and when out of the dense fog of yesterday morning sounded the deep-mouthed salute of the Morro Castle he would not have been any more mariner” if the ghost ofthe lost Bienville had Joomed up in shadowy gloom to haunt him with the sadness of his errand. He wanted to learn the fall story of her terribie annihilation from the Oap- tain, the pessengers and the crew. Every steamer q@hich specked the horizon was eagerly scanned with # glass until the mist set in on Thoraday night, when the.outward bound sailing vessels put Jp from fear of the storm and nothing ¢ Diu wl ai as surprised than would have become an ‘‘ancient | daybreak; however, the hoarse signal saluted the ear, sleep was hastily banished, clothes were hur- tied on, the rowboat was quickly lowered from the davita and men were sent to make ‘out the new comer. On their return it was announced to be tne Morro Castle. The HERALD representative em- barked in 4 rowboat, and was pulled easily along the sullenly awelling tide in tne direction of the “Monument,” near which she was lying. A few ngers were over the gunwale of the lack vessel, and C: Morgan stood at the gangway ready to receive his visitors, whom he shook warmly by the hand as they ascended the ost the first passenger encountered was CAPTAIN JEFFERSON MAURY, who was leisurely walking the deck, with acalm and cheerful countenance. Captain Morgan intro- duced the representative to him, when he exclaimed :— the HERALD? I knew you would be “Ah! froi first aboard,” Captain Maury is of pleasing appearance and has @ quiet, gentlemanly manner. He is of medium height, with light brown hair, mustache and im- perial. He was dressed in a bfue coat, checkered nd pants, and wore a loosely-woven Havana “This,” he seid polnang to the coat, ‘I saved from the Bien’ the rest I bought in Cuba,” Walking the deck the recounted in an un- embarrassed manner, as follows, the story of THE LAST VOYAGE OF THE FATED SiIIP: “The Bienville was a wooden vessel, and was built for Messrs. Livingston, Fox & Co., of New York. She was a very good steamer, about as large as the Morro Castle and similar to her. A short time be- fore her sail by fh Mail Steamanp pany and pi thorough re) ‘New boilers were put into her, and her safety gear orarnanied. On this point 1 insisted before 1 command of her. Her boats were all put rorder@nd her pumps examined and tried before she left port. She was 1,486 tons bur- den and 240 feet in length, with 38 feet beam, 25 feet depth of hold and dra’ 16 feet of water. She was loaded with a cargo of general merchan- dise. 1 took particular to give orders to the mate and the stevedores not.to place anything over her boilers except dry goods, so that I am sure there was nothing stored in the quarter where her firc broke out which could possibly be Of an inflam- mable nature. There,was NO POWDER ON BOARD; and in this respect I think ‘that the despatch sent from Havana mast have been garbled, because I never made such a statement. I did not leave. the: ship from fear of an explosion, but simply because. it was becoming too hot on board to re) But Ege of that Ley ipo fst “We made gocd progress: on our voyage the coast until, onthe evening of the 9th inst., keeping steadily off our course, we approached Watling Island, which is directly north of Cape Marat, @ point that.marke the turning of vessels to make directly for Aspinwall. ~ THE NIGUT CLOSED IN | * and the passengers rotired, There Was nothing to disturb the Feneces quiet of the vessel except the steady sound of her engines as she moved swiftly along the waves. The trade wind was blowing from the cast, which ruffed the sca somewhat, but the stars were visible overhead, beaming brightly through the mellow haze, which was not dense however, to veil any of the horizon, It was a time at which one could scarcely dream of danger. And nothing came to alarm us until just before the break of day. We were in latitude 25 degrees, 12 minutes, ‘longitude 74 degrees 15 min- ‘utes, a little before four o'clock. At this time THE FIRE WAS DISCOVERED by the issne of smoke from the hatchway below the deck of the steerage, accompanied by the odor of burning wood. j ‘The ship was immediately alarmed and I gave all the necessary instructions in’regard to taking pre- cautions for saving lives. We stopped on our course and I had the forward hatch raised so that one could venture below and we closed the open- ing. I then ordered all the hatches to be battened down. The pumps were set to work and steam ‘was turned into the hold. The fire by this means was partially smothered and I hoped that all dan- ger would soon be past, Before this I had. begun the preparations for escaping ‘by the boats, oraering them to e provisioned and watered. Knoouraged, however, by . our evident power of Combating the flames, I went back into the cabin to gis @ little the searenansons which had been excited by the alarm of fire. Every one there was pale and -nervous, but the majority seemed quite collected in mind. Several women were seated about and were weeping, and to these limparted the information that the ship might be saved. TEARS WERE DRIED and from that time I saw few lose their self-posses- sion. They acted as if they had been used to such appalling ag all their lives. Shortly afterwards the a engine broke down and we had very littl 18 with which to fight the element. ene then came on deck; we the hand pumps and used buckets; of course the fire was not easily app! ¥f the hatches were lifted the danger was increased a hundred iold, and wo had to be contented with letting thie merciless mon- ster be unseen bencath while we kept all the wood work that we could. reach wet with salt water. There would have seemed to any one not Knowing the great danger very little excitement on ; but the anxiety and THR AGONY, OF SUSPENSE were deeper the less tt was betrayed. On the upper deck the passengers were served with their break- fast, The crew were at work making ready the boats. Some of them, with such of the passengers as realized the need of tending helping hands, were stationed in a linc, dow™™ which buckets of water were passed continually. Sometimes the fire seemed to subside, the steam that was poured into the hold almost smothering.it; but the decks grew hotter and hotter despite the deluge of water that ‘was thrown upon them. I knew that the fire was growing every moment less governable; but if the accident had not happened to our main pump, I think it might have been entirely subducd, As it was, we were FIGHTING AGAINST FATE; the imminence of the danger grew and grew upon us; but the boats were meanwhile [od aring. All of the passengers and crew. hi been congregated ‘on the after deck. The first boat was then launched and was loaded with as many of the ladies and children as I could put into her with safety, and also the second, each being manned with good seamen to manage her. “In one of these was Mr. Rufus Mead, the United States Consul at Nicaragua, who displayed great bravery in commanding the boat and kindness in ool after the welfare of the passengers. It con- tained fourteen persons, and was the smallest craft belonging to the vessel. The other boat, which contained the ladies, was Josded with thirty- among whom was a_ babe weeks old. She was the starboard quarter-boat, and was in charge of Mr. » an old seafaring character, who knew best how to manage her. After she put off there remained only the ee quarter-boat and one which had been capsized in ATTEMPTING TO LEAVE THE STRAMER. “This boat, through carelessness on the part of the men who attempted to bail her out, was stove in against the ship’s side. There was, after this - dent, but one hoat left for the remainder of the passengers and crew. She could not carry all, and therefore took séme to the other boats, which were still in sight. She we the starboard quarter-boat a col 88, he bearing and distance to the nearest land and written instructions like those which I had given to all the others, as ory re likely to become separated. She put on the starboard boat three more men. Immediately afterwards it be- came evident that the number of her passenger was too great, and before she cquid be reached for the rescue of le she Was swan: When she bay hye some were clinging to her sides, others were floating off on their life-preservers and the boat’s mast, spars and oars. ey were in this condition for some time, when they succeeded in reaching THE BROKEN BOAT, from which, after the quarter boat was bailed out, they went on board her “After the four boats had left the ship the last boat was brought alongside and the persons remaining got into her, excepting the purser and myself, who Were still busy on the deck. The heat had become intense, and before we shoved off the whole for- ward deck began to burn. THR FLAMES BURST FORTH just as we stepped from the gangway, and the upper portion of the vessel blazed with great fury. As I entered the boat I took out my watch, which when! first entered my room in the morning I had placed tn my ou ‘hbrough habit, and I found that it ') half-past seven o'clock. Just three and @ bm! hours elapsed since the danger was first discovered, We had twenty-two persons on board. As we pulled away from the Bien- ville she looked grand in the burning magnificence of her fate. Our boat at first had o mast and a large gall, but it filled @ good deal of her room and mate italmost impossible to ship all with tt aboard, So we threw it away. We did not think after that that we could make very great speed. 1 gave my final orders to the other boats before BS J fully under way, and ours took the lead. I hi ved & part of a canvass Swning from the ship, and this we hoisted on an oar. It filled with the ze and we then began to sail quite rapidly. THE NIGHT HAD PASSED and {it was quite light, but the gray twilight had not enurely disappeared. We seemed to out- sail our companion cratts and left them behind although wo did not desire to dasa, The see. had been rolling a good deal when we embarked, but Rot enough to cause any real di iT, ‘Were away from the .ahip the tradewind, which was blowing from the eastward freshened up and made it so ph that we soon lost sight os any- thing else on ee THE BURNING SHIP. “Tt was afterwards ted by one of after ween parapet at 2 cr tt o ¢ at Half past one o'cl “ #? ten Jost sight of her forever. It ts that her boilers became 80 ite steam faster than coud’ diva ven a iver and a) val that they exploded and ve her through, ‘80 that she quickly Aled with water. “Watling’s Island ‘was the nearest land that we could have mage, it being oply about seventy miles of ‘The find ene bere: blew too arene ve southeast, and the sea running 80° fas found impossible to ki ‘any course Dut it teat and wo only escaped ir by constant balling yy cons: , “We did not have much water on board, altho there was plenty of provision. The weather was es clear and the sun shone with great intensity, that OUR THIRST BECAME FEARFUL, Many of those with me were despondent, although wwe Were gaining land faster than any of the other boats. We were all fatigued with bailing and row- ing, and cramped from the crowded condition of the boat. During the day, however, there came a heavy squall of wind and rain, which drenched us through, but revived our spirits, We sailed all the night, and on Friday forenoon, at about ten o’clock, we descried THE ISLAND OF ELEUTUERA. which lies about one hundred and a 3 thirty miles from the scene of the disaster. At half-past three in the afternoon we landed at James’ Point, and hauled the boat on the beach. One of the negro inhabitants was there to receive us, in company With others who had dts- covered our tiny craft in the distance, as she fluttered in, as if affrighted, from the broad bosom the ocean. “On this island we received every kindness that the inhabitants could afford. Our hunger was ap- peased with fruit, and our thirst with water. le were all very much exhausted, and felt weak and sick, Assoon as we found strength enough to walk about, taking steps on the sand, which, de- spite the shortness of our privations and sufferings, seemed as untried at first as those of the infant, ‘we were escorted to the village by negroes, where everything that the people possessed was placed at our disposal. It was very aifecting to see the SPONTANEOUS HUMANITY which was shown by them; men, women and chil- dren vieing with one anotner in ministering to our necessities. “The passengers were /odged in some of the huts, which, rude as they were, seemed most pleasant retreats from the angry sea which beat on the beach. I did not remain here long, but that very evening, with six of my crew, walked three miles across the neck of the island to James’ Cistern. Boston Johnson, who ha been first among the natives to aid us, went wit! us, and I borrowed a sail boat from him, in which we-embarked at James’ Cistern for Nassau, which is sixty-five miles distant. We arrived there the next morning, Lg the 17th instant. At Nasgan I chartered jug, the Anna, from the American Underwriters’ Agent, S. 0. Johnson, and with him went to sea to SEARCH FOR THE BOATS. “We were absent until the morning of the 234, but could nottind any traces of them. During that time 1 also,despatched a schooner from Harbor Island, where we touched, to assist in the search, The Vice Consul of the United States at Nasgau, Mr. 8. P. Saunders, also sent two more schooners to join in the search, I also made ar- rangements' with the captains of two schooners bound for Watling Island to search over the ground. “After, on the 23d, returning from the search I proceeded to Havana on the 26th, inthe Morro Castle, and telegraphed the news of the disaster to New York. A schooner sailed for Baltimore and one for Wilmington, N.C., on the 24th, from Nassau, which took sdme of the passengers and crew. They should have arrived ere this. The name of the first Was the William McGee and of the second the Carlton, All of the other boats except one reached land. The missing boat has been supposed to have been lost, but she has been reported as floating in at Eleuthera Island empty, and J do not doubt that she has been discovered by some passing vesse] and relieved of her burden, “At Eleuthera Island I sent couriers to all the authorities with written strips, requesting the building of P BEACON FIRES and day signals on the coast to direct the boats to saie landings. The boat which capsized saw the light at night on James’ Point, where I landed, but before morning drifted by it, and: In attempting to Jand at another piace was capsized in the surf, All except nine were saved. Three of the boats besides my own succeeded in wees landings on M4 island, and the fifth boat landed at San Sal- vador. NASSAU’S HOSPITALITY. “At Nassau the citizens have overwhelmed the -passengers and the crew with hospitality and gen- erosity. The government administrator, Captain ‘Strahn, used every means in his power to aid us, and offered, a8 soon as @ man-of-war, which was expected daily, should arrive, to send her to assist in the search, The people of the town, which ts rather a poor place and has declined in Dronperiey, subscribed over six hundred Collars to clothe the passengers, Captain Strahn giving $50. Vice Con- sul Saunders took care of the crew, and [ had the Per aith lodged and fed at the expense of the acific Mail Company.” Captain Maury, in closing hia narrative, lavished enthusiastic praises on the kindness of THE NEGROES OF ELEUTHERA ISLAND, and the Purser of the Bienvilie, Mr. W. A. Smith, remarked in facetious earnest, “If you want an angel after this, eee him black.” 'The Purser stated that the Bienville carried out with her $20,000 in silver, all of which is lost. One passenger said that he had lost $3,000 in his stateroom, and another that he had lost $500. All of the baggage on the steamer wag burned. While Captain Maury was recounting the disaster the Morro Castig had left Lower Quarantine be- bind the fog, which was slowly gor thinner, and was terry oe sh the Narrows; But an hour remained before she could land her living freight, many of whom would gladden anxious hearts by their returned presence aiter their ter- rible ordeal on the ill-fated steamer, THE RESCUED RETURNED. The followingss a list of those of the passengers of the Bienville who arrived on the Morro Castle:— G@mtn—H. Anthon, W. H. Woolrich, Mrs. Backer, Nora Sullivan, W. Burroughs, Jr., Rufus Mead, United States Consul at Nicat na; George W. Bafty, P. Stoker, Christof Ortega, Plo Rosada, Mr. Berry, Mr. Lawlor, Mrs. Engleten. Steerage—Ellen hyan, Maggie Ryan, Maggie Jones, Piney Beatty, Kate Dalton, A. Goldwater, A, Ville- gas, Alexander Willtams, John Brunner. and ‘a son five years old, Mr. Albertson, Julius Frank, William Thompson, Mr, Pool, J. Oliver, H. Scherf, Charles Zugza, Claus Engleten. Crew—Captain Jefferson Maury, W. A. Smith, rset; Mr. Wright, chief engineer; Fred Harger, rst oficer; Eliza Stuart, stewardess; William Gar: rison, captain's man; Peter Barry, seaman, and four others of the cabin crew. Total, 42. THR FIRST BOAT SAVED. The narratives of the survivors in each of the five boats which reached land are given best in the order in which they arrived at Nassau. The one which made the quickest time d touched Flen- thera Island first was commanded by Captain Maury, whose narrrative has already been given. Sho contained the following persons :—J. Maury, captain; W. A. Smith, purser; Frederick Harger, first officer; John Goff, second officer; —— Weehs, third oMcer; William H. Wright, chief engineer; Daniel McGregor, carpenter; Charles Tighe, second master; William Logan, second master: Thomas Grittin, William Westial'and James Williams, sea- men ; Daniel Drew. waiter; George Outhan, pantry- man; David Lewis, second steward; Olivér Sweeney, porter; Thomas H. Woolwich, P. Stoker, Col. Pio Rosada, William Chapman, Patrick Daily and William Pool, passengers. THE SECOND BOAT which arrived at Eleuthera Island was the one which was capsized and from which nine persons were drowned near the beach. A gentleman who was saved in her gee the following story :— ‘The second boat, which was filled with passengers from the ship, contained the surgeon, chief stew- ard and steerage steward, first assistant engineer, one quarterinaster, one sailor and four engineers? men, a8 crew. “Passengers—One German and wife, with four children, one an infant of thirteen weeks; one Irish familly with two children, one English woman and an Irish woman, making in all twenty-two. “We pulled. y from the ship and waited until the captain's boat started and _ then followed, over- hauled it and got some water from it. Course west by south. Lost sight of captain's boat at dark; during the night steered, as near as we could ‘ell, a little north of west. Heavy sea, Had to run be- fore thesea and wind, Saw one boat behind us; she kept in sight tii between one and two P. M. of the first day. We rigged a sail with two oars and a coat and ran with that during the night. SIGHTED LAND abont four P. M. on Friday. Endeavored to land at eight P. M., but found the breakers too heavy. Ran along the shore for about a mile till we struck a rock, then 1 put to sea and lay off in a heavy rain squall till daylight. a “Saturday morning at daylight we made again for Jand, could discover but one place free from rocks; the men were exhausted and we could for no other place than a little strip of sand neach in front of us, As we neared it the first breaker filled the boat, the women jumped up and the next breaker capsized the boat and nine passengers lost their lives—viz., The German woman with three chil- dren, the entire Irish famity and the English LYING COMPLETELY EXHAUSTED ON THE SAND for atime we started for help. Were met by & colored George Lee, who brought us what we most n |, Water and food. “Mr. Phillip G. Pyfrom and two sons conducted us to Gregory Town, on the other side of the island, where we were met with every demonstration of kindness by Mr. Pyfrom’s family and the entire population of the place. Everything in their power ‘was done to relieve us in the way of dry clothing, food, lodging, horses for those who broke down on the road, &c. Every one in our Fed will alwi remember with the greatest gratitude, land: the Cove a Eleuthera, and the great kindness we Teceived there. aaa ik morning we left'tn the schooner Ripple, = Captain Sweeting, and arrived during the after- ae XJ wee Where the samwe treatment wall The names of t! Persons save in this-boat are a8 follows :—W ill H, Best, first assistant engi- rT, M. D., surgeon; George W. ward ae Neg d ne second master; Thomas james Gough, Geo! jor- Gon ana Jolm Stanton, firemen; Wobert Beckett and Sy McMillan, stee! stewards; Fanny Beaty, Joseph Branner and ‘on Branner, paa- who were drowned were Mrs. Joseph Bran- ner and her three children, a man, two women and two children, whose names are nown. TUR THIRD BOAT was in ch of United States Consul Mead, Ricag ve js here given as taken from his New York on Saturday, aguse 10, for Seawen ‘all, under the command of Captain Jefferson Maury, aa hihiee ee Meer opt yly passengers and a crew of sixty-five and laden with general merchandise. The ‘weather was very fair and the sea calm, and no- Occurred Worth of notice until the morning of , August 15. Atabout 4A.M. I was awakened by the stopping of the engine and an unusual tramping on the deck. I wana and dressed myself, At that time the ship’s sur- geon, Dr. Badger, passed my door, and in answer to inquiry, informed me that THE SHIP WAS ON FIRE, and that all must go immediately on deck. Wait- bee! only to put on a strong pair of boots, I went up id there found on the quarter-deck the greater part of the persons on board the ship. Whatever excitement might have been felt it was wholly without manifestation, All were busily, but quietly disposing themselves for the dreadful emergency that mone doubted to be immediately upon us, though none knew whether the interval was to be meastred by moments or longer space of time. Meeting the ceptain, he told me that the fire was forward; that the steam pump had proken almost at the starting, but that they had succeeded in throwing the steam into the hold, and he hoped With some success in smothering the fire. Heé re- quested me to remain in the gangway and to do all in my power to quiet any excitement that might arise among the passengers, Preparations for disem- barking the passengers and crew were progressing rapidly and smoothly. So far as I could observe every man knew his duty and did it with all his energy. It is to be presumed that at that hour and “under the circumstances no one thought ef refreshment. but by direction of the captain the steward prepared and piaced on deck colfee and food, and the passengers were directed to take it, and I think that most of them did, ABANDONING THE SHIP, “Preparations to abandon a ship im mid-ocean is not the work of a moment, sir. To detail the of- cers and men to their several pests in their re- spective boats ; to give the information and instruc- tion that are to assist and guide them; to pro- vision the boats for a voyage of uncer- certain duration; to provide instruments implements, &c., required time, Al went forward rapidly, smootly and quietly, The composure of the Captain seemed to inspire both the crew and the passengers with a like spirit, and when the time came to lower the ladder there was apparent among the passengers little disposition to make unprofitable haste, All were toid that they could take with them only what they wore on thetr per- sons, and none demurred. Life-preservers had been provided, and were Renee worn, “The directions were each boat was filled to proceed to windward and keep oif and on till all were disembarked, when proper adjustments would be made and all would follow the lead of the cap- tain’s boat. To provide for the contingency, wherein it would be impossible to follow out this Pesreane, information was given as to the bear- Ing and distance of THE NEAREST LAND, , “The ship was in latitude 25 17, longitude 74 15, and Watling Island bore seventy miles south one- halt west. ““There were boats enough to comfortably and, in not very rongh sea, safely float every soul on board, and there were none to spare. About sunrise the ladder was lowered, the boats brought to it as they were needed, and the work of disembarkation com- menced, One boat, In command of first engineer Best, was filled successfully and pulled away, when Captain Maury asked me to go in the next and take charge of a lady passenger, Mrs. Barker, of New York. It was a wooden boat, and the seams were s0 much opened as to take in water some- what. In addition to this, as 1 have been informed by the first officer, the boat was, on being put into the water, struck under the counter of the ship, partially flied and seriously damaged. However that might have been, 80 it was that there was a good deal of water in it, and when filled with persons the vigorous etlorts to bail it out were not successful, but, on the con- trary, the boat continued tosink. From the failure of this boat, so far as human vision can extend, re- sulted the loss of life which followed, She went down rapidly to her thwarts, and was momentarily in danger of upsetiing. Fortunately, at that in- stant snother boat was hauled alongside of her, and in a few seconds it was ililed with her passen- gers, although some falling tnto the water were RESCUED WITH SOME DIFFICULTY. “No sooner was this done than the swamped boat turned bottom upward, The new boat—a stanch, iron Iffeboat—then contained fourteen adult persons, six women aud eight men, and in command of Second Assistant Engincer Sid- ney Baurhite. As directed, we went to windward a proper distance and held the boat to the wind. Presently another followed, in com- mand of ‘rhird Enginee: Christopher; and still an- other, in command of Mr. Baffey, apassenger in the employ of the company, who took the responsibie position at the request of the captain. And it will appear that his contidence in his man was hot (tips Following this came the stile dingy, quite the smatiest of all, and having on board ten men, The captain’s boat only remained, “After the swamping of the boat at the ladder it was found necessary to temporarily overload some of the remaining boats in order to make it possible to take ail from the ship, the design being to make proper redistribution after all were afloat; and still, after the five boats had left, there were more ay mgr! than could be put in the captain’s boat. ‘he first officer was then sent to distribute where it was poasiblo to take more, the captain and a few Others remaining on the ship. Mr, Baifey’s boat, which was a large one, and overloaded with thirty- one leer telyed three more, and slinost im- mediately: rrr aie when was presented the hor- rible spectacle 01 THIRTY-FOUR SOULS STRUGGLING IN THE WAVES. “Cries and prayers arose, mingled with shrieks, and were responded to by prayers from all in sight that God would help, for human aid was impossible. For a loaded boat to go to the ald of those was to certainly involve them in the same destruction. ‘There were strong swimmers among them, who Strack out with desperation for the eagsmgee go boats, and those in them, yiclding to the law of self- preservation, pulled away. The captain’s boat re- turned to the ship. The smothered flames had by that time broken out, and-were raging aft rapidly, and it was with difficulty that they escaped. “The boat in which I was had puiled away to tho southeast and fallen in company with the dingy, which was ip command of Charles Weich. He was wellknown and conided in by ai] the men in our boat who beionged to the ship. In our own boat there was no seaman, and not a man, except Mr. Baurhite and myself, who had ever pulled an oar. Under these circumstances it seemed more than folly to part company with the only man who possessed the knowledge and expe- rience which seemed our last hope. There was no reason to doubt that the remaining boats afloat would proceed in the direction we were taking, which was that of Watling’s Isiand, the bearing and distance of which the captain had given to Mr. Welch, This, however, proved not to be the case, e were destined to see no more of any of the 8 My Narrative must now wholly pertain to our- selves, it is time to make you better acquainted with my companions. Besides Mr. Baurhite there were in the boat three men—Peter Grant, Michael Hallwood and myself; and six ladies, Maggie and Ellen Ryan, sisters, about eighteen and twenty op old; Mag- gie Jones, about fifteen; Mrs. Baker, an old man, with his wife and his wife’s sister. We had a ten: lion cask of water, @ bailing dish, a smal! pail, two beat-hooks, six oars and a quantit, halyard Jine. The wind was blowing st pretty nearly from due cast, and was what is “the northeast trade.” THE WAVES RAN HIGH and seemed to us at least to almost constantly im- peril our lives. Bailing was almost constantly needed, as the combing waves were frequently dashing over us. In this condition we foilowed our leader in a general southward direction—though it seemed to me his movements were very erratic— the whole day. Mr. Baurhite steered, with an oar lashed to a bi ted The rest pulled four - changing for relief. It was plain to me tha we were making very little headway, and, taking robable tide into account, perhaps none. The ob- ject we aimed at—Watling’s Isiand- peared to me, and certainly was, hopeless of attainment, for Thad jearned from the captain that the wind had for weeks blown fromthe same direction, and it most certainly would for weeks or months to comte. The case seemed in the last degree desperate, but I, ‘was not yet prepared to thrust in my counsel, espe- cially as the rest, both men and women, were dis- posed to be hopeful. During the afternoon we re- ceived from the other boat a ham and a haif pail of crackers, and during that time I made from ie Ryan’s skirt @ sail, which with a string | fastened to the two boat hooks. The work was done in a very cramped position, and when lifted proved to be worse than useless in the course we were taking, ond was laid aside, “At night Mr. Welch decided to lay to, though we thought it unnecessary, but there was no other way to keep with him. This gave us A NIGHT OF STEADY TOIL, it was so dificult to keep our boat to windward with no steerage way. Constant pulling was neccs- sary, Mr. Baurnite and myself taking turns at the steering oar. During the last hour of night I was reclining, and when day broke I heard the remark that our leader had resumed his course. I in- stantly perceived that his course was due north, and we decided at once no longer to follow him and turned to the south. Not long after he did the game. It was absolutely necessary that the men should have some rest, and we commenced reeds nown as two oars only for this purpose. By the scaweeds made careful note of progress, and made it not mucl more than one-half mile an hour to the south and drifting to westward quite as much. I ‘then considered Af justified in taking what re- onsibiiity { might, and soon convinced Mr. jaurhite of the hopelessness of this course. The boat was put it, the sail put up, and we were going before the wind at the rate of eleven mfics an hour or more. It was no longer possible for the men to assist with the oars and aside, Allday WE DROVE ALONG DEFORE TITE GALE over and through mountains and valleys of water, consta.itly er and balling out, hopeful and 8 cheerful a8 might be under the circum- stances, but bemoaning the loss of the previous day; which,I certainly regretted more than all the misspent 8 of my previous life, and they are many. “it would be impossible to speak too highly. in raise of our men. I had told them on starti hat, theugh our case was now far more hopeful, we still had with us and before us is such as few are ever Called to encounter. It was ony ‘sible to survive them by every man doing his whole duty. If the waves did not overwhelm us we night bo several days at their mercy, and reduced to the last extremity for food and water. My hope, qn on the .western coast of the Wind- ward Islands, in the direction of Nassau, which Isiands [believed not_more than 200 miles fstant ie that in thirty-six hours, if the wind held good, we ey were laid | might hope to be in the track of where we might be up. Itis little teh wens say that ¥ gave ample proof of possessing all the qualities that ft men for the desperate circum- stances in which we were pes. always ready for any Pate ge satisfied to receive the pittance of water and Ijudged it prudent to give them twice a day. PEMALE HEROISM, “It was plain to me that there was for them a Po. tent inspiration in the pageye of the young giris who sat facing them the stern sheets, Some- times a son; m Ellen, when her intervals of dis- tressing sickness would permit, and the firm faith of all that God designed to bring us through can never be forgotten, The burden of steering tell on Mr. Baurhite and myself, as there were no other men that could be trusted fora moment at the helm, and when, utterly exhausted, we took our intervals of rest, there being no room for reclining elsewhere, the girls would insist on pillowing our heads, And how else we, neither of us strong, could have survived that seventy-two hours of ted hard work and uninterrupted nervous ten- ny WITHOUT FOOD OR SLEEP, Iknow not. At one time when, with her wonder- ful facility for making a bolster of herself, Maggie had given my head position, she said in brogue, “Ye sweet angel of heaven! ye saved my life.” I then remembered, for the first time, that it was she that I had pulled out of the water, when our first boat foundered. God bless those noble girls who, having left in the fated ship the earnings of all the toil of their lives thus far, eagerly gave us their last dress skirts with which to make sails! “At four o’clock P. M. of the third day out, greatly to my surprise, WE SIGHTED LAND ON OUR PORT BOW, Our sensations none can understand until the are in like circumstances. We hauled up as muc! as we could and made for land. This made our progress less, and there was evidently a strong tide against us, With sail and hard pulling we reached it at eight. In the dim moonlight we could find no break in the surf sufficiently Samurinig to make an attempt to tand in the night, an judged it Beene to hold off till daylight, and, if ossible, keep the same position, as one place in the coast Offered some hope that @ landing might be made. Thunder showers with violent wind, for nearly the whole night were pressing us toward the beach, and it was only by the united energy of every man that we could keep ourselves OUT OF THE JAWS OF DEATH yawning and roaring close behind us, Our imme- Qiate peril here was far greater than had at any time before threatened us, and it seemed only an interposition of divine grace, giving us more than natural endurance, that enabled us to wear out the storm and the night. We gave a full drink of water all around, and nothing remained in the breaker. This gave heart to the men and materially served to quiet the two old women, who had become «e- lirious and were continually making attempts to g0 overboard. “At break of day we put the boat about with dim- culty and pulled for the shore, at a place where there seemed to be little surf, She went in, not without dimiculty, bus safely, On that Sabbath morning and solitary beach our thanks for deliver- ance were as sincere as ever went up from the hearts of men and women rescued from impending destruction, es slight exploration proved the land we were on A SANDY ISLAND, with no signs of water, but with evidences that men had recently been there—patches o! plucked corn and cocoanut trees loaded with fruit, Nothing could have been more suited to our wants than the grateful milk of the cocanut, and we were as comfortable a8 we could be fn our wet and ex- hausted condition, More extended surveys de- veloped nothing new. About ten o'clock A. M. we saw a steamer about twenty miles to the north- west. At twelve o’clock it had approached and passed us. Our signals were not observed. I was uncertain what land we were on, but was very positive of our relative position, and concluded that the steamer might be the Royal Mail, making her last port on her homeward passage. Not a thought had we that it was our own fide look- ing for us, thinking, as we did, that he was long before this on Watling Island, “When the heat of the day began a little to abate and strength was somewhat restored, Mr. Baur- byte took three men and a small ratica of ham each and started for an exploration toward the northwest, proposing, if necessary, to continue through the night by the light of the moon. The hours wore drearily away tll twilight, when what was our joy to hear the ‘hum of humai voices and to see a crowd of dusky faces coming toward us. Presently we were surrounded by THE PEOPLE OF THE ISLAND, men, women and chiltren, Whose joy at the mect- ing Seemed not less thin ours, Ina few minutes the procession was on its way to the landing, on the leeward side of the island, the ladies supported on each side by a gallant and sable islander. Then they were putin boats, and in less than two hours these warm and noble hearted people had placed us in their homes and bestowed on us all the comforts they possessed at theo little village of James’ Cis- tern, Island of Eleuthera, We now learned that the cuptuin’s, with two other boats which had left the burning ship directly on this course, had made the land twenty-four hours betore, not far from where we did, and landed tary all his passengers; that another, tn landing, had lost nine persons in the surf, and that the survivors had all gone on to Nassau without @ moment’s delay. fhe captain had chartered a stermer and gone in-search of the missing, We remained through the night at. vis Pillage, and on the fellowing day our arrival came to the knowledge of Mr. Preston, United States Consular Agent at Harbor Island, some three hours’ sail distant, when he promptly came tv our relief with @ schooner and sent us to Nassau. Daring the afternoon of the day of landing, the TWO DELIRIOUS OLD WOMEN got astray in the bushes, and I am pained to say that only one was found, With the remaining man 1 made the best scareh I could till darkness and the islanders came, when the work was taken by them, Scores of men were in search during the night and following days, but without success. The old gentleman and his wife remained at the point to await the result, but afterwards sailed fur Nassau, aud took passage on the Morro Castle, A sail of sixty miles ee ‘us in port at six A. M., where we were received in the arms of our rescued fellow passengers and to the abounding hospitality of the peopleof Nassau. This town, though famous for its Christian charities, has added luster to its fame. By spontaneous impulse the immediate wants of THE BALF NAKED, BRUISED, SUNBURNED AND SICK PEOPLE were promptly met. Mr. Saunders, the American Vice-Consul, received and provided for, all, seamen and passengers, with zcal and promptness, which will make him be remembered by all who were thrown upon his care. A subscription was com- menced and headed by the Acting Governor with $50. It has now reached nearly $600. The St. An- drew’s Benevolent Society gives $100. All, high and low, in Nassau seemed to vie with each other in their endeavors to give us comfort and to help us forget the experiences of the past few days, We saield for New York in the steamer Moro Castle, on Monday, September 2.” ‘The sister of Anna Baker, the woman who was lost on Eleuthera Island, was seen on board the Morro Castle and confirmed the above account, although she denied that her sister was insane. She said that during the nights she sat in the beat with the water above her knees, and suffered ter- ribly from thirst. The husband tells the same jearfal story. The young Jrish women, Maggie and Ellen Ryan, who showed such womanly courage and fortitude, were also among the passengers yesterday morning and are quite comely. ‘THE FOURTH BOAT made land at Cat’s Island, or San Salvador. The narrative of her voyage {s toia by Mr. William Thompson in a very connected manner. He said :— “] sailed in the Bienville from New York on the 1oth of August as steerage passenger. My destina- tion was San Francisco. Un the morning of the 16th, while lying in my bunk, I was awakened by some one foughly seizing me and saying, “Get up, the ship ia on fire!” I got up and sawa thi smoke in the steerage. 1 went immediately on deck and saw the crew trying to get hose, The fire was supposed to be in the hold, and every effort was made to direct the hose to the fire. ‘The scene on deck wus quite orderly. The passengers and crew were gathered aft. Owing to the break- ing of the donkey en; all efforts to subdue the fire were useless. order was then given to me tarpaulins over the hatch, which was done. reparations were then made to launch the boats— seven in number—which was done successtuliy, with the Soe ag of one, which was stove in and swamped, @ captain then gave orders for the passengers and crew to get into the boats, ‘This was immediately done, and it was found that the boats were considerably crowded, The one to which I was detailed was especially, there being thirty-one in her, her capacity being only for twenty-five. Our boat was in a very bad condition and LEAKING FEARFULLY. “There were five of the crew, three ladies and the Test male passengers. We got away from the ship, and we found we had no room to work her or even bale her out, and as she was in a sinking state we called to the ship to send another to take some of us off, so a8 to lighten her. We saw a boat approach, commanded by the second mate, named Gough, and on reaching us he ordered three others in instead of lightening us. One of them was very unwiiling tocome, but the mate threatened witl oaths to throw him in, The man then jumped in and immediately the boat swamped and turned keel uppermost. Some immediately swam to other boats, others clung to the spars anc TEN PERSONS WERE DROWNED. The conduct of the second mate. was heartless in the extreme. Although he saw women and men struggling in the water for their lives he ordered his boat away as fast as possible, not attempting to save one of them. We swam around the boat, try- ing to right her, for some time; at last we suc- ceeded, She was then full of water, and we had no means of baling her; so ten of us got on each side, supporting ourselves by chnging to the boat; and’ we remained in that condition over eight hours. We then saw a wreck of a boat, containin, five men, We made towards it, and abandone our boat, which, being, Hepeened, enabled us, with the assistance of other boat, to bail her ont. At ti time @ heavy shower fel, which somewhat caimed the ‘sea, and made it easter for us to get our boat right aga! We were in sight of the burning ship all this time; the other boats were all away. During this day we were en; cd up our beat, with an oar for a mast the ’ dresses for sails. We broke up the old boat, and from a stave of her bi ajib sail. Towards evening the ship ex- d and went down. We were about two miles tant from her. We then sailed beiore the wind to what we believed to be the nearest land, which ‘oes, Who Were very kind to us—ex! nehing us with everything they had. THE LADIRS WERE IN A SAD PLIGHT, being without food water all time and under a scorching sun. Their arms were very badly blistered, bt vided bore up vel well. e were then for by Mr. Stuart, the magistrate of the island, until the following Tuesday, when a fifteen-tom sloop was chartered, which conveyed us to Nassau,’ a distance of 125 miles, Our safety in reac! Salvador is entirely due to Peter Barry, an able seaman on the stip, who displayed admirable! courage and wonderful contrivance in riggn and navigating our small craft. Had it not for this man’s intrepidity we should certainly neve! have survived. I have now reached New York pel niless, all my clouiing gone, watches, jewelry ani everything I poxsessed. Just previous to closing hatches of the iii-fated vessel I endeavored to get at my trunk, where my money and jewelry wel deposited, but the smoke was 80 dense I was unabl to do so, and, hearing the order issued to close tl hatches, 1 Immediutely returned. On board ship, under the captain’s eye, everything was ducted orderly and well; but in the boats I nev witnessed such heartless cruelty a8 practised the subordinates in command, However, it 18 nov over, and 1 thank God for my safe deliverance fro! this terrible calanmuty.” ‘The names of those who were 8. AVED on board this boat are:—George W. Bai end Norah Sullivan, cabin passengers; Eliza wart, stewardess; Kate Dalton, steerage passenger > Arthur Howland, . quartermaste! Peter Barry,! seaman; W. Berry and £. H. Lawler, cabin passen~ gers; John Gilland, second cook; W. Garrison, captain’s steward; W. Stuart and G, Tyler. sal waiters; H, Anthon, Arthur D. Tempe J. Be! Wood, G. W. Rhea, A. S. Berney and W, Burroughs, cabin passengers; H, Scherf, W. cee Amel Villegas, C. Luygra, A. Goldwater, J. Oliver and J,’ B, Alviston, stecrage passengers. THE FIFTH BOAT landed at Russell's Island, which is @ portion of Eleuthera Island, at its northern extremity, ne: Spanish Wells, ut six o'clock on the morning o fonday, the 20th. The rescued by this hoat wel as follows:—Altred Coethen, second pantryman: Joseph Macarthy and Kobert Crosby, mess boyy: Frod Johnson, steerage waiter; Bernard Barrow, second porter; John Welsn, seaman; Robert Thompson, baker; Julius Franklin, steerage senger| Obyistat Otega, cabin passenger; A. Wild aig, steerage passenger. ; On board this t there was a good deal of sufd fering from lack of food, but she reached land with, ttle didiculty, drifting with the wind, THE MISSING BOAT. i, The sixth boat has not yet been heard fronm/ News reached Nassau that such a boat dri ashore near Harbor Island, sixty miles northwest It is supposed that the persons she contained mi have been picked np, but it is just as like! that her passengers perished, as her condi tion was not very safe after she was stov against the ship’s side. According to Ca) Maury’s account she must have been abandons altogether after that occurred; yet some one the boat which swamped may have succeeded gulning her, as many had life-preservers on. She ta undonbtedly the boat which was seen to capsize astern of tlie Bienville when all of the rest werd putting off. The number supposed to have been in he missing boat is twenty-four. A passenger who was saved in the boat ma f landed at Russell’s Island sald to the HERALD porter that the new boilers placed in the Bienvill were not covered with felt, and attributed the or! gin of the fire to tlus cause. The Survivors. The following is a full list given by the pia landing in New York of the survivors of the ter:— Jefferson Maury, Captain. W. A. Smith, Purser, First OMcer. cond ONiecer. — Weeks, Third Onicer. George wae M. D. fa oe Wilham H. Wright, Chief Engineer. William HL. Best, First Assistant Engineer. Sidney Barleyte, Second Assistant Engineer Daniel McGregor, carpenter. ay Arthur Howland, Quartermaster, * Charles Christerpherson, Second Master Charles Tighe, S H. Anthon, cabin passenger. Arthur D. Temple, cabin passenger, J. B, Wood, cabin passenger. G. W. Rea, cabin passenge:! A.S. Barney, cabin passenger. W. Burrougiis, cabin passenger. Rufus Mead, United States Consul, Nicaragua George W. Batey, cabin passenger, Christof Ovega, cubin passenger. ‘Thomas H. Woolwich, cabin passengers P. Stoher, cabin passenger. Colonel Pio Rosado, cabin passenger, Willian Chapman, cabin passenger, Patrick Daily, cabin passenger, Willian Pool, cabin passenger. Wilitam Berry, cabin passenger, E. H. Lawler, cabin passenger. H, Scherf, steerage passenger. W. Thompson, piceraee passenger. Amelio Villegas, age passenge! C. Luygta, steerage passenger. A. Golwuter, steerage passenger. J. Oliver, steerage passenger. B. Alviston, steerage passenger. Margaret Ryan, stecrage passenger. Ellen Ryan, steerage passenger. Margaret Jolnson, steerage passenger, Muggic Barker, steerage passenger, Kate Dalton, steerage passenger. Fanny Beutty, steerage passenger. Norah Sullivan, cabin passenger. Oliver Sweeney, porter. Thomas Bel, fireman. James Gough, fireman. George Gordon, fireman. John Stanton, fireman, Wittiam Logan, second masten ‘Thoimas Griffin, seaman, William Westfall, seaman, Jumes Williams, seaman, Peter Barry, seaman. Peter Grant, seaman. i ‘Thomas Flaherty, seaman. ‘ acl Hollywood, seaman. John Waish, seaman, George Outhan, pantry man. David Lewis, second steward, Robert Beckett, steerage stewara. Angus McMillan, steerage steward. Joseph Branner, steerage passenger, Aaron Branner, steerage passenger, Alfred Coethen, second pantrymen, Joseph McCarthy, mess boy. Robert Crosly, mesa boy. Fred. Johnson, steerage waiter. Bernard Barrow, second porter. Julius Franklin, steerage passenger, A. Willlams, steerage passenger. Adotph Holin, third cook, Burney Shield, waiter. Eliza Stuart, stewardess. John Gillaud, second cook, William Garrison, captain’s stewart, W. Stuart, saloon waiter. G. Tyler, saloon waiter. Daniel Drew, saloon waiter, Robert Thompson, baker. George W. Close, steward. The Lost. The loss from the Bienville cannot be positive! estimated, as the passenger list was burned and statements of the eye witnesses of the drowning’ accidents area little conficting. It is supposed,, however, that the number is over twenty. THANKING THE ISLANDERS. ) Before the Morro Castle left Havana, the rescued! passengers and crew addressed a letter of thanks’ to the inhabitants of Nassau and the t islands ake United States Vice Consul Saunders, for! their kindness and sympathy in relieviny | their wants and extending to them comfort and hospi« tality. . The Morro Castle arrived at upper quarantine at nine o’clock, and Captain Maury and the HERALD BoHed went Cag a a ee yacht along with Uncle Sam's mats. e other passengers deg about an hour afterwards, oot Captain Maury’s Official Report. Captain Maury, upon his arrival in this city, snbe Mitted the following report to the oilicers of the Pacific Mall Steamship Company :— NASSAU, N. P., August 26, 1872, F. R. BaBy Esq., AGENT Pacirio Marl ‘STEAMSUIP Company, New YorK:— DEAR SiR—I have to report the total loss by fire: of the chartered steamship Bienville, under my command, on the morning of August 15, at sea, in latitude 2 deg. 5 min. 12 sec, Nerth, longitude 7 deg. 4min. 15 sec. West by account. At forty-five minutea past three A. M. the otliccr on deck called me and reported that the vessel was on fire. I gave the order to call the crew to the five quarter pumps, and had the steam turned on to the lire extinguishes ers leading to the forward freight room. 1 kept th ship before the wind, hauling down the head sail, leaving the head of jib up, and had = th engine stopped. I had hose led down to fore hatch, one of the hatches taken off made the attempt to get below with the water, but the volume of smoke was so great that { had close the hatch immediately. I had water led to the forward ventilator and started it below, at the same time having the hatches battened over withy wet awnings and Dad he closed below. The steam pumps were disabled @ few moments afte: ward, caused by breaking the working arm, ipply of water was entirely cut off from tl source. I then detached the chief oficer an second officer in order to get the boats pre; Thad the hand pumps and fire buckets got out, In eg? Kein bag I nad four, lower ey were astern. vided them with im tb ket bag of the lifeboats were mani All the passengers by t! time were on the deck in torward davits., I water and provisions furnished them all, There w: full supply and life presei cat and I had ex! ones, ag well as provisions, on the q deck. At hali-past five o' M, only, could be discerned, and I had Watling’s Island, about Pi sped miles ‘Two boats wore hoisted at the after davits, and CONTINUED ON TENTH PAGE, - pee RS a