One feels at loss how to commence the recital of the unfortunate ae the deplorable loss of life, which have just taken place in connection with the attempts that are being made to raise the sunken staumer Marie, but the conspicuous hervism displayed by the second officer of the German as, Alwine Seyd, makes the task less dificult, and the recording of his gallant behaviour almost a duty.
Summed up as briefly us possible the facts are us fullows:—Ou Sunday lust, the 7ti instant, Mr. Freitag, the chief engineer of the Marie, in company with fourteen Chinese workmen went on board the wreck, the forward part of which is above water except at very high tide, for the purpose of resuming their Inboura at the pups; while the Alwine Seyd lay off at anchor a few cable lengths to the eastward, As the afternoon progressed, the wind grew in force and the tea ruse considerably, so much so in fact, that work at the pumps became dangerous and they were at once stopped, the men employ ed seeking refuge in the rigging from the heavy waves which scun began to dayh all over the forward part of the wreck. A life-boat manned by three Chivese and one foreigner und in charge of the second officer of the Alwine Seyd, vow put off from that vessel with the object of reaching the wreck and rescuing those on board from their ion, After pulling a short distance in the direction of the wreck, he Chinese in the boat became totally incapable of using their oars though reextedly encouraged to make further etfurts the oticer in charge. The wind, wocompanied by heavy snow, quickly assumed the proportions of " full gale and the boat with ite crew was tossed about completely ey of the elements, The cold ight was advancing rapidly, trid, with every passing minute, the rose higher and became wilder, till, in a luckless moment, the lifeboat was capsized and her crew were left struggling for life in the freezing waves. Assisted by the chief engineer of the Alwine Seyd the second elficer, Mr. Hertzog, made a plucky effort and succeeded in rescuing two of the Chinese, both of whom would other wi most certainly have been drowned; they then swam with them to the overturned bout where they were able tu obtain uficient support. The unfortunate bowman was never sven to come to the surface after his fiver disappearance. After much dil culty the half-frozen and half-drowned at length succeeded in righting the capsized lifeboat and scrambling into her, after which she was carried tu the shure by the wind and sea, but only to be again overturned in the breakers which broke with great force all along the beach. It was here again that the pluck and hervism of the second officer, Mr. Hertzng, displayed themselves. Utterly regardless of the risk to his own life he went gallantly, for the second time, to the rescue of his buat's crew. Though physically not a strong mau, he yet was enabled to exert sufficient strength to carry up on the shore, well beyond the reach of the waves, the three other men, all of whom were quite prostrate and totally unable to even crawl.
Shouldering the chief engineer, Mr. Rippe, who at first besought him to' leave him where he was to die, the second officer commenced his weary trudge through the blinding snow with his heavy burden on his back. After walking sume distances in search of a habitation, and without encountering 4 soul, he at length reached a small native inn where he was enabled to deposit his charge. Leaving instructions with the innkeeper to make up " large fire, he returned along the beach and Drought up one of the Chinese sailors, afte which he again retraced his steps and carried the other native sailor to the inn. By this time a brilliant fire was blazing and, assisted by the innkeeper, Mr. Hertzog} removed the men's clothes and, after rubbing their limbs dry, wrapped them up as warmly as possible in the few blankets and old garments that were to be had in the place. Having completed this task, his! next thought was for the safety of the poor fellows on board the wreck. Though his clothes were one mass of ice and his limbs benumbed by the intense cold, Hertz never hesitated for one moment after the safety of his companions was assured, but at unco commenced his long journey to Chefoo on font, for the purpose of obtai ing if possible a rescue party for those on the wreck. The night was now well advanced, in fact it must have been early morning, when he set out upon his weary march, How tar he reached Mr. Hertzog does not know, being a complete stranger to Chefoo, but after covering some miles he found himself unable to proceed fu ther, and feeling utterly exhausted he fell prostrate in the snow by the roadside, where he was picked up some hours afterwards and placed upon a mule upon which he rode into Chefoo, arriving about 2 p.m. on Monday. The news quickly spread over the settlement and within xn hour or sca Customs' boat, with Mr. Ottaway and two foreigners on board, started for the wreck which was reached about 5.45 that {evening. As they approached the wreck a ghastly sight was seen by. the the Eight Chinese were observed lashed inthe weather rigging, their frozen bodies being completely cated with ice Not a soul was seen nor a sound heard, and at first it was thought that those Jott on board had perished, but. when the boat approached nearer, the noise made by the oars in the' water attracted the attention of sume of the Chinese men, who, together with a number of 6 in all), and the one foreigner before referred t, had sought refuge in a pall jocker in the bow. Their joy relief at seeing the buat after their lo experience, was naturally very grent, and no time was lost in rheic transfer to her.
Several bottles of brandy and blankets that had been wisely me into requisition and was done to restore
unfortunate men, all of whom were ina back warmth to the sad plight. Mr. Freitag, the chief engineer of the Marie, was for over fourteen hours in the ig exposed to the full gi fury of the storm before the sea subsided sufficiently to allow of his seeking shelter on the deck forward.
The Alwine Seyd disappeared myster nously from the view of those in the life-
on boat and those on the wreck about 8.30 iny night when the storm was at its height. All throughout Monday and up till 3 p.m, on Tuesday, when she steained into port, it was the geveral opinion that the Altoine Seyd and all on board of her were lost. In all, eight Chinese employees of the Old Dock and one sailor belonging to the Alwine Seyd perished, some of the former number being drowned and the remainder frozen to death, I hea that all those who were exposed to that fal blizzard on Sunday night are suffering more or less from frostbite, and that a few of them may perhaps lose some of their fingers and toes. I may mention as a further example of Mr. Hertzog's manly pluck that in spite of his forlorn and exhausted condition after reaching Chefoo, he wished to return to the scene of the wreck in the Customs' boat containing the rescue party. He was, however, forbidden to do so by the German Consul, Dr. Schrameier, who im behalf of, and sympathy for, his de. throughout has shown the greatest ener;
tressed nationals.
Té is to be hoy recognition will that duo and fitting made ut Mr. Hertzog's gallant conduct. For less courage than he Ins shown, men have been rewarded with the Victoria Cross; but I have no doubt the circumstances will be brought. to the notice of the proper authorities, Work at the wreck was resumed on Wednesday, but I believe some dificult; was experienced in obtaining extra nati workmen. lith February.
As to what occurred un the Altoine Seyd another correspondent writes us As many of your readers ure doubt terested in the welfare of the expedit which left your port to raise the German teamer Marie, I send an outline of the sad incidents consequent on the storm of the 7th and 8th inst, Until the 7th the work of raising the wreck had proceeded with energy and success inasmuch as the forehold was pumped out, that end of the vessel floated and measures being taken to commence freeing the after holds from water and sand, Had fine. weather continued, in another twelve houra the Murie would certainly have towed to and beached in a sheltered situation. The cainness of the day inspired prophetic spirits to remark, "e's too good to last long," and apparently in aymnpathetic response the wind came along from the N.W. soon after dark wud by 9 o'clock was blowing a hard gale.
On the wreck the attention of all w probably devoted more to the raise operations than to the weather. Numerous mechanics and coolies were busily employed under the immediate superintendence of Messrs. Reeves and Freitag; when it was noticed the wind was increasing Mr. Revves thought it advisable to return to the attending steamer Alvcine Seyd recommend the cessation of operations, 'The sampan he went in reached her with great difficulty. 'The lifeboat was ut once oont to ko the people from the Marie, manned by me of the crew of the Altoine Seyd, her ind officer and chief engineer; but' they had not proceeded far when she caps and drifted helplessly past the wreck, With much labour she was ultimately righted but too late to be of any assistance to the unfortunates on the Marie on to the beach, all being Chinese sailor.
Seyd had to slip her cable to seek " more sheltered anchor-aye, but being too light became nearly wu-manageable. Every effort was made to keep her head to sea without avail, the difficulties being increased by the absence of the larger tion of her officers and crew in the life-but the contractors' staff, Messr Reeves, and Fyfe, with the late captai and chief officer of the Marie, lent willis hands. By that time the wind had increased to hurricane force accompanied with blinding showers of snow, and the cold sv intense. that the seas from they broke on board covering every th with ice. The violent rolling with the decks lumbered with wrecking plant rendered locomotion extremely dangerous, and in this miserable predicament it was found the steamer was drifting rapidly on to the rocks outlying Cape Cod, sv that the sole resource was the anchors; but one was lost and the other in board. Tt took almost superhuman efforts to get it cleared and a spare one shackled on and let go and this was completed in the nick of time and they fortunately held with the assistance of the ves which were kept full speed ahead the gale abated. Although an appalling catastrophe was thus happily averted, the captain of the Altwine Seyd, the late captain and chief officer of the Marie, and Messrs, Reeves and Fyfe were all more or less severely frost-bitten on their hands and feet.
The gale continued until Monday evening, by which time news had reached Chefoo from the villagers in the vicinity of the wreck that men had been driven
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.