WRECK OF THE SHIP SAM. DUNNING. LOSS OP LIFE.

Otago Witness, Issue 658, 9 July 1864, Page 4

WRECK OF THE SHIP SAM. DUNNING. LOSS OP LIFE.

The following report, by the captain of the Chariot of Fame, from Auckland to Point de Halle, hai been placed at our disposal. It is dated the 6th of May. The Chariot of Fame picked up at sea a portion of fie crew ot the ?'am Dunning, an American vessel, which was lost on tbe 10th of April : — " Nothing worthy ot notice occurred during the passage until Sunday, April 24 (lat. lOdeg. 33min. 8., long. 8) deg. lmin. B ), at four p.m. Passed a ship's tip-gallantmast, apparently not long in the water (the ship was then before the [ wind, Peering N. W. W ) About live o'ctock the nun at the wheel informed the officer, of the watch that he saw something like a boat two miles ofi the port beam. Captain Clarke immediately came on deck, and on looking through a glais at the obj> ct pronounced it to be a raft, with several persons standing on it, and waving some kind of a signal of distress. • The ship-wa* at once hauled to the wind, and when half a mile from the wft, hove to and lowered a boat, which proceeded in charge of the chief officer to the raft. It turned out to be a part of the deck of a ship, wibh six poor fellows flinging to it by means of a piece of rope, which was made list to two ring-bolts. They were in a most distressing condition, nearly dead from hunger, thirst, and exposure to the elements, drenched to tbe skiu by the waves, which erery moment dashed over their frril support; and their handstand fest inflamed and swollen to an enormous bxzi by ihe action of the sua and saltwater. They were brought an board a? soon as possible. Everything that could be done to re'ieve them was vas done with all speed, and in a few hours tbe> had so far recovered as to be able to relate their sad story. It seems they are the sole survivors of the orew of the late- American ship Sam. Dunning, 1928 tons, which left Rangoon" for Liverpool on the 18th March, 186 i, with a crew of thirty-one men, all told, and under the com mand of Captain Alfred Whitehouse. Her cargo consisted of rice and dyeatuff. She left port with a ;fair wind and fine weather, which continued until crossing the Equator on April 12tb, in long 86den B. Prom that time until April 7th, the wind was variable nnd the weather squally, with heavy rain. There was also a very heavy cross sea running Jrom about N.W. toS.E. On the 17th, the wind was blowing strongly from the N.W, and gradually increasing in violence until the evening of the 18th, when it blew a terrific gale. The ship labored grsatly, and lay -over so much that the lee rail was frequently under water. About halfpast eight p.m. all hands v.-re called to take in the foresail and to wear Bhip. .The foresail was furled, but the lee braces beiug ioul of the spare mainyanls, wbich hid broken adrift they could not wear her, so hauled up agnin on the starboard 6ack, the vessel going 1 over on h^r side moreand more. The mainyard rolled about, starting the staunohions and bits, thus letting the water into the 'tween decks, and smashing the bulwa' k. until a heavy sea swept over and wavhe I it away, along with all the water casks and everything that was not a fixture on the deck, also taking the port aide of the forward house. Up to this time (one a.m., Tuesday, 19fcu April) the pumps had been tried nine times, but could not fett-'b. n afer, the ship being oa her beam ends. Shortly after two o'clock all haads weraoa'led aft on the p )op, and two or three men went below, through the lazwet They came up in about five minutes, and reportei the u^per 'tween decks to bifull of wafe r, the cargo shifted bodily to leeward, the Btorei and sails all afloat, and the water rushing in through the lee quarter, which had been stove by a heavy sea. They saii if the masts were not out away the ship would go down in half an hour. She then seemed to be gradually settling, and the waves were washing almost over her. Soon after three o'clock the captain gave orders to cut away tho mizen mast, which was

done, the ship going over at the same time. She did not remain above water more than three minutes afcer the mast was cut away As she went down a tremendous wave swept over her fore raft, washing all hands away from the weather rail, to which they were clinging. The ship appears to have broken up at onoe, as the poor fellows who have been rescued say that they ma-'aaed to get on a part of the poop deck, ia a very short lime after the sinking of the vessel, where they cluny to some riae-bolts and to the remains of the o»bin ak> light, which soon after was washed awat . Four men. supposed to have been the second officer and three seamen, were on the forepart of the p^op dpek, holdiner'oa to a large iron capstan This part broke adrift about half.past four a.m , thus separating them from their ship"it XcX cS * .m w y *4 ho ? eVB1 > tept in sight of each other until Wednesday night, which wa< the lnst seen d them ; it is supposed that the weight df the capstan hid caused their raft to caps za or tea to pieces, and that the men perished. All the survivor-) had to eat, until they were so providentially discovered by the Chariot of Fame, was one stmll cocoa nut which thej picked up the day after tbe wreck. 8 >me ate their belts, and even pickeJ the pitch out of the aearas of the deck and swallowed that. They caught a mouthful or so of water from one or two pacing squalls. During the whole time they were floating about several large, Buarks were swimming around them.

The names of the survivors are as follows:— Alfred S. Dunnimr, third mate, Maine, IJ.B J James ßaine, A..8., Boston, US.; W: Jones, A..8., Dublin; Geo. Seymour, A.8., Liverpool; Geo, Simpson, A. 8., London ; Douglas Burns, A.8., Drogheha. Two of the four men on the missing raft are Viiown to be Mr Charlei Hunt, second mate, Maine, U 8. ; Sichard Wheeler, A.8., Wat Point, New York. The names of the other officers and crew, &* far as the msu could recollect, are as follows, viz :— Mr Lemond, chief officer; W. Scholfield, bontswaio, Maine, U.S.; Joseph Burrows, A. 8., Brighton in England; Thomas Baines, A.8., Liverpool; Alex. M'Kenzie. A.8., Poplar, London; Hanson An* son, A.B , B,otterdam; Thomas Davenport, A.8. ; William White, A.8,, Giasgov? ; Louis Grerao, A.8.. Brazil; W. Boyce, A % Droffliedi; John Hill. A.8., West of Bngland ; Geo. loufe, A 8., Havre : John Brett. A.B . Lind»D; T .omas shields, cabin boy, Swansea ; lbert Sweeny, cook, North Caro'ina, US.; seven men, Dame* unknown."— Golemo Examiner, Moy 11. '