The Killarney steam-boat sailed from Cork for Bristol on the
19th ultimo, with nine cabin and a number of steerage passengers. The wind soon blew hard; and the Captain was obliged to put back in a storm of snow, after having got about twelve miles from the harbour. He ran up as far as White Point, where Ile dropped anchor. At this place, two of the passengers came ashore ; but one of them, Mr. Nicolay, son of the Governor of Mauritius, returned to the vessel ; arid the Captain went to sea about five in the evening, although the weather had not moderated. The vessel got as far as Youghall ; when one of the pipes of the engine became choked ; the engine.room was filled with water, and the tire put out. The captain set suits, but they were shivered in the gale; and the vessel drifted at the mercy of the waves, till she struck, on Saturday night, upon a rock called the Ren- nits, to the westward of Robert's Cove. About twenty persons got upon the rock : where they all remained till Sunday morning, except a Mrs. Law, who was washed off, her husband having previously been drowned upon the wreck of the vessel. On Sunday morning, great efforts were made to rescue the persons on the rock ; and a rope was passed from one headland to another, till it could be thrown on the rock. Unfortunately, two men got upon the rope together, when it broke, and the poor fellows were drowned. There was no time to pro- cure better apparatus, and the passengers were obliged to spend ano- ther night in their dreary quarters. Next day, they were taken off by means of a rope and a basket. There is not a vestige of the vessel left ; twenty-live persons went down in her. The cork Standard gives the following description of the rock, and the perilous situation of the persons who were on it.
"The rock upon which the poor sufferers alighted rises into a peak about thirty feet high from the sand at low-water. It is the last and the next to this shore of a chain of black craggy rocks, separated from each other by deep chasms, into which the sea lashes its terrific volumes. No one can adequately imagine the agonizing desperation and alternate hopes of the poor victims, when sticessive attempts were made without effect to relieve them. Sunk with exhaustion, and in total despair of relief, three of the number drooped and died in the agonies of thirst. Hunger had cea.ed at this time to cut keenly ; the maddening rage for water succeeded ; awl the violent rain that poured the night before, and soaked their clothes, would then have been grateful. But they had no alternative save the poor one of extracting the liquid from their moistened and scant garments. The evening was tine, yet a violent gale blew ; and the sad rose over the cold, bleak, barren flint, upon which the poor sufferers lay.
All was darkness then; and those who had been attracted by curiosity, or a more benevolent motive, to the cliff dun bug the day, retired gm adually, save a few
peasants, who, to their honour be it told, gave evely assistance, aunt dial not cut away the rope that was endeavowed to be made List as was stated. It is out easy to represent the condition of the t ire re rs at this period, yet the certain assurance of relief the next day buoyed them up partially. They had become now so exhausted with extreme cold amid thirst, that they were unable longer to keep together, but lay ap art from each other, silent and motionless. Mr. Dire°. lay had only just returned from a visit to his father, to join his tegitnent now quartered in Palmy."
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