A DISASTROUS VOYAGE. 137 



such speed and safety that her real use appeared to have been discovered at last. This 

 success inspired confidence, and when she was next announced to sail with passengers, 

 nearly 400 persons engaged first and second-class berths. Among them were several 

 parties, and an unusual proportion of ladies. A very considerable cargo was also sent 

 on freight. She left the Mersey on the 10th September, and commenced her voyage 

 with every prospect of success. But, when about 250 miles westward of Cape Clear, she 

 was caught in a tremendous gale. She appears to have been in the very centre of a 

 cyclone hurricane. In the midst of this whirlwind one of the forward boats broke loose. 

 The captain ordered the helm to be put down, in order to bring the ship up into the wind, 

 that the boat might clear the wheel. The ship refused to answer her helm. Some hand- 

 sails were then set with the same object, but they were instantly blown to shreds. Soon 

 a terrific noise was heard, and it was clear that something had gone wrong with her 

 machinery. The waves had struck her paddles with such force that they were bent, and 

 scraped the ship's side at every revolution, threatening to shear away her iron planking. 

 Under these circumstances it was necessary to stop the paddle engines and trust to the 

 propeller for progress. This, of course, did not add to the power of steering; for, if the 

 helm was insufficient when the power was amidships, it was, of course, still less effectual 

 when the power was all astern. The ship, therefore, lay exposed to the tremendous lashing 

 of the sea, which ran mountains high. One by one the floats were struck away, and at 

 daybreak the next morning nothing of the paddle-wheels was left except twisted iron 

 rods attached to the shaft. Nor was this the extent of the misfortune. The stress upon 

 the rudder, now that it had to control the entire length of the ship, was tremendous, and 

 about 5.45 a.m., during a terrific sea, the top of the rudder-post, a bar of iron ten inches 

 square, was wrenched away. The ship had now entirely lost steerage power, and lay 

 utterly at the mercy of the waves. She rolled tremendously. The hapless passengers 

 were dashed from side to side; the cabin furniture broke loose, as well as the cargo, 

 crushing everything they touched. In the hold, tallow-casks, weighing many hundred- 

 weight, and a chain cable of many tons, got loose in one of the compartments, and 

 threatened to burst out the ship's side at every roll. Many of the passengers were 

 severely injured. The decks were swept, six boats were carried away, and two were broken 

 to pieces. In this precarious condition the ship lay from Thursday to Sunday evening, 

 a waif upon the ocean. At length, on Sunday afternoon, the violence of the wind abated, 

 the sea went down, and chains were got out and connected with the rudder, so that some, 

 though a very imperfect, purchase was obtained. . Some apparatus was constructed and got 

 overboard, by which the ship was steadied and the steering power increased. By these 

 means her head was got round and a course was made for Cork Harbour. On Tuesday 

 she was off the Old Head of Kinsale, and in the afternoon at the entrance of Cork 

 Harbour, bxit she was unable to enter. She therefore remained outside in great peril, for 

 she was blown out to sea again, and drifted to some distance before she was enabled to 

 enter. Her subsequent history, in connection with the laying of the Atlantic cable, belongs 

 to another section of this work. 



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