ENGLISH VESSEL IN DISTRESS. 
Cl 
Just as we were on the point of leaving, intelli- 
gence reached the port of an English vessel (of about 
1600 tons) being in need of assistance. Instructions 
were given from the Consulate, and on the morning 
of March 23rd we steamed in search of the derelict. 
After a short time the vessel was discovered at 
anchor, taken in tow, and brought into harbour. 
It proved to be an iron ship, named the Varuna , 
of Liverpool. We learnt she left New York in 
January last, and through falling in with very 
stormy weather had lost her main and mizen masts, 
and nearly all her sails, before she was abandoned 
to her fate. 
Eventually it appears she was boarded by another 
vessel, a prize-crew sent on board, who jury-rigged 
her, and thus she reached within 15 miles of St. 
Thomas, where we discovered her. 
On the morning of March 24th, we left the an- 
chorage under sail ; with the light prevailing winds 
we made but little progress, and the next day sounded 
and dredged in shallow water (390 fathoms) off the 
north coast of Culebra Island (near St. Thomas). 
During the operation of heaving in the dredge a fatal 
accident occurred, by the parting of a rope span used 
for securing the iron leading block for the dredge-rope, 
which in its flight across the deck struck a seaman, 
named William Stokes, so severely on the head as to 
produce concussion of the brain, from which he died 
in a few hours. 
