WRECK OF THE STRATHMORE.

FURTiiEB PARTICULARS.

By the Second Mate.

June 30th.— Thick foggy weather, with drizzling rain and a moderate breeze from the S. W. Between the hours of four and six p.m. Captain McDonald gave me orders' to make fast all fore and aft canvas except the foretopmast staysail, and also to clew up and furl fore and mizzen topgallant sails, which I accordingly did, at the same time seeing all braces and running gear clear for use. 6 p.m. — I hove the log, and found the ship to be going six knots, which, as soon as I was relieved by the first mate, I marked down on the log slate, along with the course which had been steered while I had been on deck. 8 p.m' — I came on deck and relived Mr Ramsay, getting the course which I was to steer and strict injunction to keep a sharp look-out, as we were getting into the proximity of tfie Crozet Islands. I accordingly passed the word forward for the man on the look-out to keep a sharp look-out, and to report anything he saw or heard, and I also told the quartermaster to be very particular with his -steering. During the first watch Capt. McDonald very seldom left the deck, the fog being so dense that we could not see the length of the ship ahead. After a few questions which I asked him, he told me that the courso we were now taking ought to take us well to the southward of the Crozet Islands, having hauled the ship half a point more to the southward since the last dogwatch. 10 p.m.— Wind and weather the same, the fog being still as dense. . I hove the log, and found the ship to be going six knots. Midnight. — Wind and weather still the same. Hove the log with the same result, and on being relieved by the first mate I gave him the course we were steering, and then went below and marked up the log slate. During my watch below I was partly aroused by a cry of " Breakers ahead," but my berth being well in off the deck the cry did not reach me distinctly enough for it to startle me, hue soon after, when I heard the sailmaker shout out, " She'll clear it, boys, she'll clear it," I knew that there was something in the way, of which I soon hadf uither proof by the ship striking on the rocks.

Next comes an account of the striking of the vessel, and the consequences, a 9 related by Mr Crombie. The second mate having taken a second boatful of survivors on the island proceeds : — During the time we had been away those that were ashore had built a wall before an overhanging ledge of rock, so that with tho boats' covers for a roof we had a little better shelter than we had the night before, although the place was so small that we could only sit huddled together as close as we could possibly pack. After serving out an allowance of spirits all round, we tried lo sleep ; but owing to our cramped condition and the bitterly cold weather we were unable to get repose. During the night we had the misfortune to lose our boats, which were moored in Bmooth water and a watch set over them on the shore, but the wind chopping suddenly broke them adrift, and we had the pleasure of seeing them floating bottom up completely out of our reach. If there had been a beach anywhere on the island we might have saved them by hauling them up, but the island was so steep and rugged that we could scarcely scramble ashore ourselves, much less get boats ashore. The losing of our boats was a great misfortune to us, as we were unable to pick up any more firewood or go back to the wreck, which I intended to do in the hope of picking up some provisions when she broke up. During the day Borne of us walked over the island to have a look at the wreck, but nothing was to be seen of her but a few small Bpars entangled by some of the gear, and so kept floating over the side of the wreck. During the remainder of the time wo were on tne island we were miraculously provided with food. Though sometimes it seemed as if there was not another bird on the island, we always managed to catch a few to keep us alive until they got more plentiful. We also ate a sort of herb, the top of which resembles carrot tops. Our tirewood lasted a month. After that we found a substitute for wood in the shape of birds' skins, which answered pretty well.

Five of our number died on the island, and I may mention as a curious incident that the corpses never got stiff, but were as pliable when we buried them as they were before they died. The first one that died was on July 2nd ; the next was Thomas Henderson, who died on the 2nd September ; the next who died was William Husband, A.8., who died on the 23rd October ; and the last was the little child, who died on Christmas Day. Tho first one that died I can't give any idea of the cause of his death, unless it was from the shock which the shipwreck had given his system. The next three that died were all troubled with sore feet, having got them frost bitten the first night wo

were ashore, and for the want of proper shelter and care they mortified, parts of the toes having ratted clean away, and the little boy died for want of proper nourishment. Although four ships had passed pretty close to the island, none of them seemed to see our signals ; but on the 21st of January we had the sat;sfaction of seeing a ship heading in towards the island, which as soon as he had come under the lee of, the captain lowered two boats and pulled towards us, and on hearing our story, agreed to take us off, but could not do so that night, a3 it was then getting dark. However, he took Mrs Wordsworth and son and a few more of us into the boat, and after passing some bread and pork ashore, pulled off to the ship, which turned out to be the Ameri- , can whaler Young Phoenix, Captain D. L. Gifford. As soon as we got aboard we were treated with the greatest kindness, being supplied with new clothes, which we stood greatly in need of ; and after haviiig a good warm water bath, we went to bed, but were unable to sleep for thinking of our good fortune in falling in with such kind people. On the next day, as soon as the ship was conveniently placed, boais were sent ashore for the remainder of the castaways, into one of which I got myself, taking with me crosses to plant at the heads of the graves of onr less fortunate shipmates ; also a sealed bottle, into which I had paced a short account of our vessel and hardships, which I planted under one of the crosses. The rest of the crew were treated with the same kindness which we had received the night before, being all supplied with a warm bath and new clothes to put on. There are now 44 of us all in good health except the engineer, who is troubled with a sore chest, and Mrs Wordsworth, who is getting well rapidly under the kind hands of Mrs Gifford the Captain's wife, who was fortunately on board. We are all provided with sleeping accommodation to the best of their ability, tobacco being also served out, which is a great treat to us smokers after being over six months without it. The second mate adds that " when telling Captain Kennedy, master of the Sierra Morena, of the loss of tho Strathmore, he gave it as his opinion that the Crozet Islands affected the compasses of iron ships coming into tho proximity of them, for in his experience in five different iron ships, they had been more or less affected when coming near that group of islands."