Travel Diaries and Journals

8 am Pilot came on board & advised proceeding up by inshore channel to Hidgelee, saying that by starting at half flood we should carry nothing under 3 fms [fathoms] 9 am carted flood, hove short 11 AM weighed & procee- ded up easy 0.45 PM crossed ashore in 2 fms [fathoms] off the mouth of the Hidgelee river. 1 PM got good water gave full power into Cowcolly Roads 1.30 PM observed a wreck passing close by, found it to be the spars of the "Dwarkanath" (tug steamer) the hull being under water S by E off Cowcolly light in 5 1/2 fms [fathoms] water on the edge of the fishermans flat. 2.45 off Redgeree, the ship "Martaban" totally dismasted, signalled to be taken in tow. The pilot & Captain came on board & requested us to remain by him stow him up. All our provision being destroyed he offered to supply them to prevent our leaving him. Anchored alongside in 6 fms [fathoms] sent the boat ashore & brought off 11 hands of the "Devarkanath" the whole country being inundated & in ruins, the land & water strewed with dead bodies of men & cattle. Telegraphic communidcation with town being destroyed could not communicate with Calcutta. The brig "Salween" having

knocked the Telegraphic Office away & gone on the other side of it. The "Andrew Henderson" coming about 5 PM concluded to despatch all infor- mation by the same vessel regarding ourselves &c. The weather throughout since then has been calm & clear with light airs prevailing from NWest. under present circumstances made no agreement with the "Martaban" for towage.

Saturday 8th October. Daylight the "Andrew Hen- derson" having proceeded up to town with des- patches from ship & ourselves got steam up & took Mr. Vaughan pilot on board, & went sounding up the Auckland Channel at 11 am Took ship in tow & proceeded up, carrying 4 fms [fathoms] half flood. All tide ganges destroyed by gale. 0.15 PM Mud point at 1 PM sighted the wreck of an Arab ship on Rangafulla Island (The ship "Ally" with 400 coolies bound to Mauritius Mr Worthington pilot all drowned but two or three coolies) Sighted the "Megna" pilot vessel aground off Hulida river 2.30 PM Diamond Harbour. The whole place in ruins & the river so strewed with dead bodies & cattle as to

Balasore Roads on sending a boat ashore for provisions. The whole country was discovered to be devastated by the storm which had risen over the high sea dyke, sweeping everything before it. On steaming further up the same news was brought from Durreapoor; the people who were left, and had been without food for two days, were eased only by escaping to [Koutie?] the land was covered with the debris of the ocean, such as porpoises, sea shells, &c. mixed up with dead buffaloes & human bodies, & the stench already dreadful. The following day on arriving at Kedgeree where the "Martaban" lay dismasted. The news from the shore was the same. The Postmasters house was swept away, & himself & family with it The surveying Brig "Salween" was blown inshore off the Telegraph office which was entirely destroyed & the loss of life there was frightful. The river the whole night was emitting the putrid odour of floating carcasses, & the next morning while pro- ceeding with the "Martaban" the water all the way up was black with wreck drift bodies of men & cattle