'History of the Indian Navy. (1613-1863).' [‎38] (57/622)

38 HISTORY OF THE INDIAN NAVY.
chased a supply of wood, they proceeded on their course, risifl?
intending to bring up at Anna for the night. But this day, the tie wi
21st of May, was destined to be a fatal one to many brave and sc
hearts of the Euphrates Expedition. The following despatch tiewa
to Sir J. Hobhouse, written by Colonel Chesney, on the 28th the foi
of May, 1836, off Anna, gives the details of this sad cameti
catastrophe:— immedi
44 It is with feelings of the deepest regret that I do myself instant
the honour of informing you that the 6 Tigris' steamer was the ap
totally lost during a hurricane of indescribable violence, which, seemed
after the short struggle of about eight minutes, sent a fine skewe
vessel to the bottom in five fathoms water, and deprived remain
His Majesty of fifteen valuable men, with five natives in at this
addition. awning
"My reports up to the 17th instant, at Deir, will have in- closetc
formed you that all was going on as successfully as the most obeta
sanguine could possibly desire; w T e found the Arabs well within
disposed, and quite ready to form depots for us of wood, Lienter
charcoal, bitumen, and lignite coal, all met with in abundance starboa
and tried with complete success. In addition to these marked feet of
advantages, the survey has been carried 509 miles down ' the clear ii
Great River,' which seemed in all respects favourable; in short, having
all was continued prosperously up to the afternoon of the 21st Dessw(
instant, when it pleased God to send the calamitous event, of "Wl
which it is my duty to give a feeble sketch. lynch,
" A little after one p.m. on that melancholy day, the flat Messrs.
boats being a little ahead, and the 4 Tigris' heading the already
4 Euphrates,' a storm appeared, bringing with it, high up in the shoo
air, clouds of sand from the west-south-west quarter. At this brave c
moment we were passing over the rocks of Is-Geria (deeply instant
covered), and, immediately after, we made the signal for the stern);
4 Euphrates' to choose a berth and make fast, which was done bottom
more as a matter of precaution, on account of the difficulty of a pivot,
seeing our way through the sand than from apprehension that other e
the squall would be so terrific. The 4 Tigris' was immediately sides v
directed towards the bank, against which she struck without speedy
injury, but with so much violence as to recoil about eight yards, momen
leaving two men on the bank who had jumped out to make scarceb
fast; the wind then suddenly veered round, drove her bow off, itself c
and thus rendered it quite impossible to secure the vessel to the jalewj
bank, along which she was blown rapidly by the heavy gusts, vessel,
her head falling off into the stream as she passed close by the . already
4 Euphrates,' which vessel had been backed opportunely to avoid littleoi
the collision. The engines were working at full power, and consort
every endeavour made to turn the vessel's bow to the bank; rafter
one anchor was let go, but the heel of the vessel made it theint
impossible to get the other out. She was then nearly broadside enablei
to the wind, with the engines almost powerless, and the waves, anj