Corpses of men, women, and children, some of them fearfully mutilated, were dashed against the beetling crags, and as rapidly borne back again by the relentless surge, while here and there, heads or limbs which had been torn off by repeated concussions against the rocks, were thrown up as if in jeering mockery by the very element that had caused their destruction.
The sea was strewn with portions of the wreck, bedding, and wearing apparel; in fact, it was impossible for a vessel to move a yard without encountering fresh evidence of the extent of the heart-rending calamity."
At about noon, it was reported that a solitary survivor from the wreck had been seen alive, far below, under the cliffs, and that exertions were being promptly made in the hope of rescuing him from his dreadful situation. Coffins were sent off down the harbour by the Washington, for the dead, and such mangled remains as could be recovered, and tackle &c., to draw up the living man, if such there were, to the top of the precipice. This report as to one poor fellow having escaped, proved true, but it gave rise to many others, as to three or four similar cases having occurred, which were unhappily without foundation. More than four or five brave hearts signalized themselves in this affair, and in their hazardous and often successful efforts at rescuing the lifeless bodies from the action of the waves. The man thus found alive and comparatively uninjured (although of course in a very exhausted state) gave his name as James Johnson, one of the crew of the Dunbar as soon as he came a little to himself. An interesting account of this will be found subjoined in the form of a letter, from the Mayor of Sydney, published in the "Herald" Newspaper of Monday. He seemed to think that the Captain must have mistaken the Gap for the true entrance to the harbour, as he went on all sails set. He remembered little or nothing after, until he found himself on the ledge of the rocks, stunned and stupid. Further particulars were now constantly received of portions of the wreck, which, from want of space, we cannot here state in detail. The following particulars appeared in the second supplement of the "Herald" of this day (Saturday.)
[FROM A VISITOR TO THE HEADS.]
Having arrived at the scene of this melancholy disaster—the South Head—about quarter to eleven, this morning, I, like most of the spectators, mingled in the general excitement then prevalent, which may be far more easily imagined than described; and, after walking about for some time, listening to the fears here and hopes there—hopes that some one or more might yet be found living to clear up the awful mystery that must ever hang over such a disaster uncleared by such testimony—when behold, the joy of everybody was expressed by a shout of "A man on the rocks! A live man on the rocks! There he is! there he is!" And sure enough there he was. This was about eleven o'clock. It was soon reported that four others, among them a woman, were seen; but up till about two o'clock it was not definitely known whether any others were there or not, although it was very prevalently believed there were.
SCENE IN THE GAP ON SATURDAY, AUGUST 22nd, AT SUNRISE.
Of course the authorities were soon upon the spot, with ropes and a boy to lower to him; and, after much anxiety and various attempts to bring it within his reach, they at last succeeded, and soon brought him on terra firma. He was then brought to the Marine Hotel, where he was immediately attended to by Dr. West.
The following were some of the particulars elicited from him, in reference to the sad disaster. They were coming in under close reef topsail about midway between the two Heads, at a few minutes before twelve o'clock, on Thursday night, when the Captain ordered the foresail to be hauled up, which being done, she lost head way so fast that they drove over, and struck the rock, and almost immediately broke up.
In answer to inquiries he said, "There were no cannons fired, but blue lights were burnt. I (James Johnson) believe all the others are lost. I have seen no others alive—only their dead bodies. I had a little sleep on the rocks."