CHAPTER VII.

PERSONAL NARRATIVES OF THE SURVIVORS.

"Some on boards, and some on broken pieces of the ship; and so it came to pass that these escaped safe to land.”—ACTS xxvii. 44.

THE REV. W. Scoresby observes, in commenting upon the disastrous events forming the subject of this work, that there would be "a solemn satisfaction in pursuing the melancholy story, as derived from the verbal communications of the several survivors ;" and that it would be "interesting to follow out the personal adventures of each individual sufferer:" and so fully do I coincide with such opinion, that I have taken considerable pains to extend and render authentic the matter under this head, though I have been tempted in my progress to deprive it of not a little of the information obtained for that purpose, by incorporating it with the body of the work; as in the instances particularly of Mr. Coxhead, Mr. John Duck worth, Mr. George Hammond, Mr. Martin, Mr. Marsden, Mr. Nuttall, Mrs. Payne, Mr. Whittaker and his sister, and Mr. Wilson, who have severally communicated much of interest with reference to the catastrophe in general, as well as to themselves. The "Narratives," however, will still be found for the most part original: very little indeed of either Mr. Lawrence Duckworth's or Mr. Martin's has been hitherto published: and Mr. Broadhurst's has only been partially circulated; as it was at first

written, to use his own words, "with the view of occasionally sparing himself the painful necessity of describing verbally those circumstances about which friendship might induce inquiry." In some few points, the narratives will disagree with what I have advanced elsewhere; but, in such cases, the reader may be assured that I have acted advisedly such scenes can only be described by carefully comparing the statements of eye-witnesses, no one of whom can be competent to supply a perfect whole: for if every survivor of the carnage of a field like that of Waterloo were truly to relate all that came under his own observation, every account would be essentially different, and present new features of interest. The narratives follow in alphabetical succession.

MR. WILLIAM BROADHURST.

Having had occasion to leave Sheffield on business, I proceeded to Chester, where my two daughters met me on Tuesday, the 16th of August, from Macclesfield, at which place and in the neighbourhood they had been spending some time, for the benefit of their health. I was very

happy to see them in the full enjoyment of that inestimable blessing, and we calculated together upon the gratification which each would derive from a trip from our native shores to the Welsh coast: and especially upon the satisfaction with which we should presently return home to the family circle.

We arrived at the Wellington Arms, in Dale-street, Liverpool, on Wednesday, the 17th of August, about a quarter before eight o'clock. Having breakfasted together, I requested my two daughters to hold themselves in readiness for setting out, by the time that I should return from making a brief call upon a friend of mine (Mr. James Marsden, jun.), whom I then hastened to see. This gen

tleman went with me to the packet-office, to ascertain the precise time of the vessel's sailing: we were informed the time would be ten o'clock in the forenoon. My friend afterwards walked with me to the Wellington Arms: it was then about a quarter past nine, and we were ready in a few minutes. Mr. Marsden accompanied us to the vessel, and on the way called at an office to write for us a note of introduction to a friend of his in Beaumaris, desiring him, if he could not himself accommodate us, to procure for us comfortable lodgings elsewhere. Our friend also requested that, when we returned, we would make his house our home during our stay in Liverpool. I accepted his kind invitation, and purposed to be with him on the Saturday to spend a few days, little apprehending what an awful end was fast approaching!

We were all in good health, and my dear children in the highest spirits, in the anticipation of our promised excursion; and they repeatedly expressed their wishes that their mother could have been with us to make our little party complete. We were on board before the appointed time, as I was very anxious on this point, having on other occasions witnessed great punctuality in some of the commanders of packets, as to the time for sailing. In this instance it was the very reverse, being within two or three minutes of eleven o'clock when we actually sailed; and but for remonstrances made to the captain, it would, in all probability, have been still later, as there was another boat following us, containing a gentleman for whom the captain was waiting; when a passenger, I believe Mr. Leigh, of Liverpool, standing near the captain, said he would report him if he stopped. Orders were, therefore, given to proceed.

When we got round the rock, several of us remarked that the noble packet, the Mona's Isle, for the Isle of Man, was nearly out of sight: she sailed about a quarter-past ten. I merely mention this fact to show what a serious disad

vantage it was to us to have lost the hour at starting. We had not been long afloat before remarks were made about the apparent weakness of the vessel; it was observed that she required almost constant trimming. The wind increasing, it was two o'clock in the afternoon, and we were still considerably to leeward of the floating light, a situation in which a skilful captain would not have placed his passengers in a bad vessel, the wind and tide both against us. At this time, the Rev. Owen Owen, of Beaumaris, and I were sitting together in conversation and anxiety on the quarter deck. We calculated that unless the wind abated or changed, it would be at the least past eleven o'clock at night before we should reach Beaumaris. The wind continued to increase, until it blew tolerably fresh, but not so as to have impressed any experienced persons with the idea that there was anything like danger, supposing the vessel to have been seaworthy.

We were so exceedingly crowded with passengers, &c., that I only left the quarter deck some five or six minutes during the whole voyage, and those occasions were when my daughters became sick, and I went down to inquire how they were, and to ask them whether they would take any refreshment, or could venture on deck. I went down once, intending to have dined, but the cabin was so full of sick people that I returned. I mention this to account for my knowing very little about what was going on at the forepart of the vessel.

We entered Abergele Bay about four in the afternoon. The wind continuing to blow much as it had done for some time past, I frequently mentioned to a gentleman near me what I considered extreme want of attention in the captain to his duty. When about half way across the Bay, and nearly half-past six o'clock, the tide was running in our favour, but, being neap tide, was evidently not of much assistance to us. I asked the man at the helm what

he thought of our situation: he intimated that he did not like it. I then asked him whether he thought we could continue our voyage, or should be obliged to return: he shook his head, and replied that he did not know, but thought it would be better to return.

When the lamp was put into the binnacle, I noticed that there was not a light either placed a-head or upon the mast-head. I asked the mate the reason, and whether there was not to be one hoisted: he answered "Yes," and went a-head, as I supposed, to order it; this, however, was not done. Some time afterwards I again spoke to him, remarking that it was very strange, especially considering all the disadvantageous circumstances under which we were labouring, that there was no light put out. About half past eight we were off Little Ormshead, after which we were nearly two hours making Great Ormshead. While making the distance between the two last bearings, the mate came and assisted the helmsman to hold the wheel for near half an hour. I thought we were much too near land, especially it being a lee shore. I should think we were not more than about three hundred yards from the point of Ormshead. Here I was several times greatly afraid the packet would go down altogether. I asked the mate his opinion of the vessel; he replied he had been at sea twenty-two years, and never had a better ship under him.

We were frequently obliged to steer W.N.W. and within half a point of that course for a considerable time together, on our passage through Abergele Bay, and from Little to Great Ormshead, as well as from the latter point to Puffin Island; notwithstanding which we drifted to leeward.

may here observe that there were only three passengers beside myself on the quarter deck or poop, for some hours before the vessel struck. When about two or three miles from Great Ormshead, the captain, who had not been heard or seen for some hours, called out, enquiring “What

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