There was such a nice, family on board; the
father, mother, and four children. The mother was blown up; her body
was found yesterday, scarcely recognisable, but the husband had to go
and identify it. Poor man! he was here, and in such an agony of
distress. The last order I heard the Captain give, was thundered out,
'Send all the women and children up from below,' and Miss Macpherson
came herself, and dragged me up. Captain Button says there have been
the most wonderful providences.
"It was wonderful how calm every one seemed at the time of that
terrible crash. There was no panic, but the peculiar wailing of the
poor Sardinians rings in my ears still, and the groans of those
sufferers. Silence must be cast over the scenes of that sad day.
"If I thought of anything at the time of the accident, it was of
Miss Macpherson's _Bible,_ and I know her thought was for me and
the children. It was most sweet at the time to see the way people
thought of others more than of themselves; there were many little
acts of kindness done then which will never be forgotten.
"Miss Macpherson said to me as we were starting on Thursday, 'I
think this is going to be a most unusual voyage.
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