Page:Familiar letters of Henry David Thoreau.djvu/245

 2ET.33.] TO R. W. EMERSON. 221

they could. Every wave lifted the forecastle roof and washed over those within. The first man got ashore at nine ; many from nine to noon. At flood tide, about half past three o clock, when the ship broke up entirely, they came out of the forecastle, and Margaret sat with her back to the foremast, with her hands on her knees, her husband and child already drowned. A great wave came and washed her aft. The steward (?) had just before taken her child and started for shore. Both were drowned.

The broken desk, in a bag, containing no very valuable papers ; a large black leather trunk, with an upper and under compartment, the upper holding books and papers ; a carpet-bag, probably Ossoli s, and one of his shoes (?) are all the Ossoli effects known to have been found. Four bodies remain to be found : the two Ossolis, Horace Sumner, and a sailor. I have visited the child s grave. Its body will probably be taken away to-day. The wreck is to be sold at auction, excepting the hull, to-day.

The mortar would not go off. Mrs. Hasty, the captain s wife, told Mrs. Oakes that she and Margaret divided their money, and tied up the halves in handkerchiefs around their persons; that Margaret took sixty or seventy dollars. Mrs. Hasty, who can tell all about Margaret up to eleven o clock on Friday, is said to be going