SHIPWRECK AND DREADFUL SUFFERINGS OF THE CREW.

Wellington Independent, Volume XVI, Issue 1496, 12 February 1861, Page 4

SHIPWRECK AND DREADFUL SUFFERINGS OF THE CREW.

The following- particulars of the barque Branscombe, which sailed from Bristol on the Bth of November, and Penarth Roads on the 2lst November, last year, have been written to a lady in that city by one of the crew: $LEUt: Consulate, Amoy, China, Sept. 20, 1860 „ We left Shanghai on the 3rd August, hnd proceeded on our voyage to Manila, nnd all \vent well till Sunday, the 12tb, when it began blowing-fresh. Soon after midnight the wind, increased, and we tried to close reef the top. finite, when both split to pieces, as did the fore"

topmast staysail ; we then put preventive gaskets on the yards, but wherever tbe wind could catch a bit of the sail it was gone directly. On Monday the 13th of August, the typhoon was upon us at half past eleven, a.m. Starboard was called,. and immediately land was seen straight a-head. Vv c squared the foreyards, in the hope of wearing the ship, but it was too late ; we were not a bundled fathoms from the shore. Her starboard bow struck on a rock, and we cut away the mainmast in the hope of easing her. We could not get out the boats, as there was a tremendous sea running. AboHt five minutes after she struck she broke ber back, the foremast and mizen-topmast weut, and she canted over to starboard, when Mr. Gomer, second mate, and three of us took to the water; none of the others would follow. When I was leaving the wreck the suction was so great that it nearly took me down, but I had the good fortune t 0 catch a rope, solhuDg on till I saw a piece 0 f timber, which I made for, and took fast hold 0 f Tbe seas were now making a clean breach o Fer the wreck- I was washed among the rocks when I got terribly bruised and cut ; at length a heavy sea washed me high and dry, and I contrived to crawl along the rocks, where I found two of the others, the second mate having mmc down. We then saw the captain and mate on the bottom of the longboat, and helped t_em : ashore. We got under the shelter of a rock, and could see six hands clinging to the stump of the mainmast, the sea making a clean breach over tbem ; then five of them got on to the raizenmast, where they remained for about two hours; the ship then broke up, and we never saw them more. We climbed the rocks for two hours, but could not reach the top so we came down again and made a hut for the nigut. Next morniug we tried again, but it was no use. We looked among the wreck for provisions, but only found four bruised pumpkins. We then set off to explore the place, and that we were on the uninhabited island of Agincourt, after which we lelurned and set to work building a large but. Next morning we found a boat with ber bilge and stern stove in, and commenced to try and repair her. Two bands went to Jook for provisions, but found none, so we were careful of our pumpkin, that being all ihe provisions we had, with the exception of a little pig. We finished the boat by bunuay, but could not launch her owing to tbe contrary winds and a heavy sea. Our pumpkin being all done, we had the luck to pick up two bits of pork which the fish had turned up. We had some of that to eat, and cut the rest up to dry. On Thursday, the 2nd, at coon, we launched the boat and got clear of the island On Saturday we killed our pig, which was almost starved to death, and drank the blood and ate the liver on that day, and the heart bram, lights, and entrails on the next. On Sunday morning we saw a brig, but directly she saw us she braced up and went away from us. We then hove to the boat, it blowing very hard all night. The captain stuck at the lee oar eighteen hours to keep her head to sea. Ou the 31st we made the island , of Formosa, and next morning the natives took us round to Lahan m a boat, where we jrot on board the brig North Star in a dreadful state, being so weak that we were unable to walk. The captain was very kind to us, supplying us with with clothes, tobacco, &c. We left Cuban and reached Amoy on the 17th of September, so you see we had ten days ashore on an uninhabited island, and eight days in an open boat, almost in a sinking state, keeping two hands continually baling her out. We lived all this time on about three ounces of rotten pork per day, so that we were nearly done for.