THE WRECK OF THE JOHN KNOX.

Hawke's Bay Herald, Volume XXII, Issue 7826, 19 August 1887, Page 3

THE WRECK OF THE JOHN KNOX.

HEARTRENDING SCENES. The following dcgpa}ol|, headed St. John's, N.I' 1 ., appears in a New VmV paper:— One of those dreadful marine disasters which too frequently happen near rock-bound .shores, occurred at Southwest Island one recent -Sunday morning. The island lies to the westward of this place, and is situated off Channel Harbor. The male residents of the island are almost all hardy lishermen, and frequently jut out to sea in their fishing lioats evnn in threatening weather when the fish aic running; high. Early on Sunday morning the noise of a powerful foghorn and the sound of a steam whistle were heard. As the latter noise j indicated that a strange vessel was oil' I the coast, the majority of the inhabitant*

left their houses and gathered on Wie bench. Kaiu was falliu<j m almost impenetrable sheets, and a thick wall of fog obscured objects at a short distance. Gradually the io<i became less dense, and then rockets could he seen ascending at short but regular intervals. At once the islanders uejian to burn tar barrels, and men waving lighted torches ran along the beach. The flight of rockets ceased, and in their stead blue lights were burned continuously by the crew of the unknown vessel. It was impossible to distinguish the exact position of the. stranded vessel, and even the most venturesome of the fishermen declared that it would he suicidal to attempt to reach the vessel, as no boat could live in the roaring surf, which was pounding upon the beach as though it would hammer it into fragments. AVhen the sound of the sea diminished, as it occasionally did, heart- j rending shrieks could be heard. Rugged men cried, mothers wrung their hands, children wept, and the mental suffering an the shore was as great as though the vessel was known to be bringingdearbnes to those who stood there powerless to help them. All that eould be done was to pray for daylight and that the elements Would not crush the vessel until succour could be given those on board. That the vessel could withstand the shock of the seas which every moment were thrown wp against her sides and down upon her decks was thought, improbable, and the worst was feared. Suddenly a tremendous clash sounded loud above the howling of the wind, the roar of the sea, and the hammering of the surf. Every man and woman on the shore knew what that meant. Many of them had heard that awful sound" before during their residence on the rock-ribbed island. They knew that the vessel had sunk, and that ail on hoard had gone to a sndden and horrifying death. As daybreak approached the fury of the storm waned. Preparations had been made to go out to the wreck, and dawn disclosed it about 400 yards from the shore. Floating wreckage now began to appear, and it was learned from it that the wrecked vessel was the steamship John Knox, bound from Glasgow to Quebec with a cargo of lire-brick, manufactured iron, and assorted liquors. She was commanded by Captain Krolly. and had a crew ot 29 men. Fortunately, she had no accommodation for passengers, and thereby the loss of life is probably made less horrible than otherwise it might have been. Of all this crew not one lived to tell the tale of sufferim;, hardship, and horrible agony which they must have endured from the time the steamer struck. The liodies of Captain Brolly and of 15 of the crew were recovered. One of che bodies was identified by a certificate of discharge found in a coat pocket as being that of John M'(4uire, a fireman on the ill-fated vessel.