No preface
The introduction [1-4] presents “Uncle Hardy” as the narrator and a seaman himself who frequently tells stories like those in the book to his nephews and grandsons:
[4] […] One word as to the plan of the book. I have carefully bound myself down not to make any shipwreck an excuse for mere story-telling. My aim has been to give you facts; and you will find plenty in them for your own imagination to fed upon. In these days public attention is being specially directed to our immense loss of life at sea. It is a frightful loss. Much of it I have no doubt might be prevented; and I have here endeavoured to furnish you with plain narrations of the mishaps, errors, ignorance, and incompetence which lead to these deplorable disasters.
Contents
Introduction 1Chapter I. Wrecks of the olden time
A very old Shipwreck – Adventure in the Tartarian Sea – Frozen to Death – The Wonderful Voyage of Captain Thomas James – Icebergs and Storms – Drinking the Prince’s Health – Death of the Gunner – Frozen Noses and Loosened Teeth – The Ice Unblocked – Captain Engledue amongst the Africans – Strange Adventures of a Somersetshire Boy 5
Chapter II. An ill-fated couple
Superstition and Mystery – The “Royal George” at Spithead – Heaving Down – Serving out Rations – The Interrupted Dinner – “Drowned like Rats in a Hole, Sir, they was” – Kempenfelt and his Coxwain – An Old Advertisement – What the Diver Saw – The “Royal George” Blown Up – The “Queen Charlotte” in the Mediterranean – The Cry of Fire – Fearful Odds – Drowning and Burning – The “Victory,” the “St. George,” and the “Defence” – Reign of the Storm King 26
Chapter III. Wreck of the “Halsewell”
New Year’s Day in the Downs – A Premonitor of Disaster – Snow and Tempest – Sails Reefed and Water Shipped – Toiling at the Pumps – Misfortune follows Misfortune – A Dangerous Coast – The “Halsewell” on the Rocks – A Wintry Morning – The Ship spans a Cavern – Narrow Escapes and Shocking Deaths – Captain Pierce and his Daughters 43
Chapter IV. Wreck of the “Earl of Abergavenny”
Sailing in Company – A Dire Foreboding – Disappearance of the Convoy – A Galloping Tide – A Dismal Prospect – Attack on the Spirit Room – “God’s Will be Done” – Sudden Sinking of the Ship – A Joyful Sound – Benumbed in the Rigging – Noble instance of Self-denial – Military Honours – The Village Grave 52
Chapter V. Burning of the “Kent”
A Good Ship and Sea Room – Close-reefed in the Atlantic – The Spirt-cask Adrift – The Afterhold on Fire – Soldiers and Sailors at the Pumps – Fate of the Weak and Sick – Resignation and Self-possession – A Sail on the Lee-bow – Minute-guns and Flags of Distress – A Brig in Full Sail – Funeral Order – A Solemn Procession – A Trying Passage – Leaving the Burning Ship – A Solemn Sunset – The “Cambria” to the Rescue – Welcome Sabbath Bells 62
Chapter VI. Wreck of the “Rothsay Castle”
Boarded by Evil Spirits – Off for a Holiday – The Last Passenger – “Move her ahead” – A Head Wind and a Sullen Ship – Dirty Weather – A Liquor-loving Skipper and his Mate – Slow Progress and Rapid Leaks – An Unworthy Ship-Master – Like a Broken-down Steed – A Suggestion of Home – Drifting to Doom – “There’s no Danger” – Staggering along the Shoal – A Terrible Picture – Ringing the Alarm Bell – The Fall of the Funnel – Disorder Running Riot – The Carpenter’s Wife – “Won’t You come to Me, Father?” – The Boy Hughes – Miss Whitehead on the Raft – A Dispute Settled – The Grasp of the Dying – Ultimate Deliverance 82
Chapter VII. Lost on the reef
A Remarkable Coincidence – A Gale in the Gulf of Mexico – Breakers Ahead – The “Tweed” on the Reef – Wishing for Day – A Melancholy Line of Witnesses – Nil Desperandum – Seventy Miles in a Boat – Preparing for Night – Short Allowance – Washed from the Bowsprit – Drowned in the Surf – Life on the Raft – Uncertainty, Cold, and Thirst – The Fourth Day – A Generous Spaniard – A Dangerous Embarkation – The “Forth’s” Last Voyage – Lieutenant Molesworth’s Story 98
Chapter VIII. Burning of the “Ocean Monarch”
A Dangerous Enemy – Fire under the Main Cabin – The Ship Mastered by Flames – A Heroic Captain – What Frederick Jerome did with his Rope – A Yachting Party off the Welsh Coast – The Mystery Solved – Burnt to the Water’s Edge – The Brazilian Frigate’s Experimental Cruize – Appearance of the “Prince of Wales” Packet – A Young Irshwoman’s [sic] Remembrance – Six Friends – The Stewardess and the Gunpowder – A Story of Disgrace 116
Chapter IX. Burning of the “Amazon”
A Scene on Coronation Day – A Triumphant Trial Trip – Twelve Knots an Hour – Cooling the Engine Bearings – Discussing the Probabilities – A Cloud of Apprehension – “Do you Hear how she Whistles?” – Fire in the Night Watch – The Sleepers Roused – Quick Work – Sea and Flame in Unison – Flying across the Bay of Biscay – Clamouring for the Boats – Launch of the Lifeboat – A Brave Woman – Leaping into the Burning Hold – Escape from the Fire – Vincent, the Plucky Midshipman – Mrs. McLennan and her Child – The Governess and the Belgian – A Curious Coincidence 126
Chapter X. Perils of the Scotch coast
Picturesque but Dangerous – The “Exmouth” Brig at Derry – Looking for the Good Time Coming – Sunday Night in a Gale – The “Exmouth” on an Iron-bound Shore – The Captain and his Boy – Scrambling up the Rocks – Destroyed in Darkness – Perishing of the Emigrants – The “Anna Jane” Disabled – Running before the Wind – The Ship Strikes the Ground – Swept into the Watery Waste – A Dismal Burial 145
Chapter XI. Wreck of the “Birkenhead”
Steaming in a Smooth Sea – Sleeping in Calm Security – A disputed Beacon – The “Birkenhead” Strikes without Warning – Drowned in their Hammocks – Perfect Order and Heroic Silence – Horses pitched Overboard – At the Pumps and Boats – Breaking off of the Bow, and Disappearance of the Funnel – Waiting Calmly for Death – The Waters go over their Head – Glorious Picture of Dauntless Heroism – Sharks, Rocks, and Seaweed – Adventures in the Boats 154
Chapter XII. Wrecks on the Irish coast
The “Queen Victoria” nears Dublin Bay – A Blinding Snow-storm – “Stop her! Stop her!” – Crashing into an Island – An Unsecured Boat – Commotion and Death – A Brave Lad – The “Roscommon” to the Rescue – A Drowsy Lighthouse-keeper – The “Tayleur’s” Frist Voyage – Tossed in the Irish Channel – Wrecked on the Isle of Howth – Consternation and Anger at Home – Mr. Jones’s Narrative – Verdict of the Jury – Wreck of the “Dusty Miller” on Ireland’s Eye – A Merry Party on Board the “Pomona” – The Rival Music of the Storm – A Lost Reckoning and its Results – A Day of Wretchedness, and a Fearful Evening – Engulphed by the one Wave – The “Cambria” ashore at Innistrahull – Death-cries in the Dark – Narrow Escape of a Solitary Survivor 166
Chapter XIII. Burnt at sea
A Beautiful Sight in Cardigan Bay – A Year of the Ship Fires – The “Golden Gate” in Flames – A Shore Lined with Corpses – The “Sarah Sands” a Thousand Miles at Sea – Searching for Fire – Rescuing Colours through the Smoke – Glourious [sic] Courage of Sailors and Troops – An Army of Sharks – Saved at Last – Burning of the “Montreal” – A Brave Mother – Fumigating the “Austria” – Overturning the Tar – “What will become of us?” – A Terrible Ordeal – Graphic Picture of the “Austria” in Flames – The “Eastern City” on Fire at the Equator – Suffocated in his Berth – Battling with the Flames – “We are on Fire, will you Stand by us?” – The Reply 186
Chapter XIV. Short narratives of great wrecks
Havoc on the East Coast – The “Floridian” in a Snow-storm – On the Long Sands in a Gale – The Dutch East Indiaman – An Oft-repeated Scene – The “Petrel’s” errand of Mercy – A Stormy Good Friday – Loss of the “Royal Adelaide” Steamer – A Christmas Gale in the Atlantic – The “Staffordshire” runs Aground on Seal Island – A Christmas Gale in the Gulf Streams – Loss of the “San Francisco” – A six Day’s Storm – Wreck of the “Powhattan” on the American Coast – Loss of the “Charlotte” Troopship in Algoa Bay – A Black Narrative – “Fishing-Boats Ahead” – The “John” becomes a Wreck 198
Chapter XV. Wreck of the “Royal Charter”
Homeward Bound – Going Ashore at Queenstown – Rise of the Hurricane – An Ugly Lee-shore – Midnight Alarms – Struck by the Hurricane – Parting of the Anchor-chains – Reassuring the Terrified – Moelfra Bay – A Plucky Maltese Seaman – Tumbling to Pieces like a House of Cards – Swallowed up with Machinery and Gold – A Chain of Welsh Peasants – The Sea gives up its Dead – A Temporary Deadhouse – A Hardworking Clergyman – Letter-writing Extraordinary – Sovereigns, Ingots, and Corpses 221
Chapter XVI. A chapter of collisions
Steamers versus Sailers – The “Arctic” in a Fog – “Hard a-Starboard” – A Collision – Searching for Injuries – The “Vesta’s” Boat Stove in – A Display of Selfishness – Panic and Desertion – Young Holland’s Last Gun – Running Down of the “Charles Bartlett” – Collision between the “Favourite” and “Hesper” – Narrow Escape of Sir Robert Peel – The Little Schooner “Ondine” – Dreadful Exposure in a Boat – Drowning of Mr. Herbert Ingram, M.P., on Lake Michigan – Collision between the War Sloop “Amazon” And the “Osprey” 234
Chapter XVII. Loss of the “London”
Taking Odds in Plymouth Sound – Warning given by the Barometer – A Chopping Sea and Head Wind – Poor Progress – Two Passengers Leave the Ship – In the Bay of Biscay – Loss of Spars – “She Frightens Me” – Destruction of the Hatchway – Discomfort between Decks – The “London” Helpless in the Gale – “Death was Staring us in the Face” – Mr. Draper’s Ministrations – Touching Scene – Captain Martin’s Coolness – Gustavus V. Brooke Undaunted – “Don’t Die Cowards” – Escape of the Pinnace – The Captain’s Heroic Resolve – Foundering of the Ship 256
Chapter XVIII. Loss of the “Captain”
A Terse and Terrible Despatch – Captainites and Monarchites – The Squadron at Sea – An Invitation Declined – A Farewell Signal – The “Captain” Struck by a White Squall – A Missing Ship at Daybreak – Anxiety in the Squadron – Admiral Milne’s Report – The Sad Truth Revealed – Captain Burgoyne’s Fate – Preservation of May, the Gunner, and his Companions – A Faithful Seaman – “Jump and Save Yourself” – Decision of the Court Martial 272
Chapter XIX. Missing Ships
An Old Lady’s Fancy – The “President” – Doubts and Fears – An Idle Story – Ominous Comments – The Prolonged Suspense Ended – No News of the “City of Glasgow” – Disappearance of the “Lady Nugent,” Transport – The “Pacific” amongst the Missing – The “City of Boston” – Hopes, Rumours, and Excuses – The American Widow and her Son 282
Chapter XX. Wreck of the Megæra
Overcrowded, Overloaded, and Leaky – The First Stage – Questions in Parliament – Patching up at Queenstown – Amusements on Board – In the Middle of the Ocean – The Invisible Leak – The Point of Weakness Discovered – Eaten by Rust – Hours of Sleeplessness – Drifting to Sea – The Engineer’s Report – A Welcome Sermon – Landing the Stores – Ready to Leap for Life – The “Megæra” Run Ashore – Filling the Coal Bags – Life at St. Pauls – Fishing and Shooting – “Look Within” – Appearance of the “Aurora” – Waiting for Assistance – The Sailors’ Belief – The Breaking Up of the “Megæra” – The Island Abandoned 292
Chapter XXI. Wreck of the “Northfleet”
The “Northfleet” off Dungeness – “What Steamer is that?” – Struck in Midships – A Thief in the Night – Manning the Pumps – The Foreigner Concealing her Figurehead – “Come Up; she’s Sinking” – The Captain’s Wife – Wild Rush for the Boats – Terrible Confusion – “Get Back if you are Men, and Let the Women Pass” – The Argument of the Pistol – The Captain’s Farewell – Clinging to the Rigging – A Drowsy Dutchman – Mistaken Signals – The Tug, the Cutter, and the Lugger – Maria Taplin – Splendid Behaviour Rewarded – Mr. Brand – Escape of the Destroyer 303
Chapter XXII. Wreck of the “Atlantic”
In the Equinoctial Gales – The Captain in the Chart Room – A Dangerous Coast – “Breakers Ahead” – The Ship on the Rocks – A Bridge of Ropes – Drowned in their Berths – Leaping Headlong into the Sea – Deaths in the Wreck – Courage of Mr. Brady and the Quartermasters – Ten Hours in the Rigging – The Rev. Mr. Ancient – Frozen to Death – Mr. Firth Rescued – Warmhearted Fishermen – Robbing the Dead – Bill, the Sailor – Wrecks of the “Hungarian” and “Anglo-Saxon” – Loss of the “City of Washington” – A Final Word 321