Loss of the HIBERNIA from Liverpool

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From the Liverpool Mercury newspaper May 10th 1833

A most dreadful account was received from the agent at Lloyd's, at Rio de Janeiro, on Thursday morning se'night, of the loss of the Hibernia, Captain Brend, from Liverpool for New South Wales, which was burnt on her voyage out. This ill-fated vessel had on board 232 souls, of which eighty males, eighty females and fifty children were passengers emigrating.
The fire, it appears, originated in the spirit room, and spread so fast that only a small quantity of provisions could be saved in the boats, with eighty of the souls on board.
This remnant of the numerous passengers, after enduring the greatest privations were picked up on the 11th of February by the "LOTUS" and the "ISABELLA" and carried into Rio de Janeiro.
The following are the names of the survivors, which we give for the relief of those having an interest in the fate of the hapless passengers:

William BREND, commander: James GEDDES, second mate: William GRACE, attorney, James JEVIDE M.D. Peter SINCLAIR Esq, Richard MURRAY Esq, Mrs RIDLEY widow, Mrs WATSON, John TOOLE, wife and children, John BYRNE, George MEAZAN, Cosmo WEBSTER, Patrick DONELLY, Thomas HORAM, George BASHTON (or BOUGHTON) and two children, Patrck CONNELLY and wife, James TAYLOR, Henry PALMER, George HOWARD, Thomas ELLIOT, James EBES, Nathaniel HARTLEY, William HARTLEY, William BROMLEY, Mrs Thomas MOULTON widow, Mrs Edward MATTHEW widow, John JAMES, James MQUADE, Samuel BEAN, Henry LLOYD, Henry GELTON, Henry DUGGAN, James MAHONEY, Charles LEIGHTON, and James DAVIES seamen, Isabella SMITH, Emily SMITH, Elizabeth BUNKER, Elizabeth ELRING, Anne COLBERT, Elizabeth WOODS, Mrs THOMPSON and Mrs LOGAN, who lost two children, Thomas GRAHAM, James EASBY, Thomas GRIFFIN, John MURPHY, Peter DEE, James SLY and wife, James BRYSON, Timothy MOORARTY, Henry GILLIS, Henry RICHARDSON, Vincent and William BROOMHALL both orphans, the parents being lost on the wreck, Henry TAYLOR the first mate, Charles ATKINSON, James CAMPBELL, wife and four children, James PERRY, Robert HOLMES, William RAY, John WILLIAMSON, Robert CHEAF, William MEAGE, James TENNANT, George RICHARDSON, and Edward GRAHAM

A more detailed narrative of this melancholy event is contained in the following extract of a letter from a gentleman of Bristol, dated Rio de Janeiro, 26th February 1833, and which we copy from the Bristol Journal:-

"The Hibernia, Captain BREND, sailed from Liverpool for New South Wales, on the 6th of December laast, with about 232 souls on board, of whom 208 were passengers going out as settlers. On the 5th instant, in about 22 deg west lon, and 4 deg south lat, at about eleven o'clock in the morning, the second mate went below to draw off the usual allowance of rum for the people, and by some means set fire to the spirits. Various endeavors were used to extinguish the flames, but they increased alarmingly, till they were obliged to batten down the hatches, leavingonly small apertures, through which water was continually poured. All, however, was unavailing, and they were compelled to beatke themselves to the boats. These shameful to say were not sufficientfore the reception of more than one third of their number, and the long-boat, which was the largest, was so old that great fears were entertained of her going to pieces while hoisting over the ship's side. The other two boats were the pinnace and the gig. The long boat contained more than 52 souls, the gig 11, and the pinnace 17- about 30 more got on a raft, but have not since been heard of. The boats lingered near the ship till about eight in the evening, when she was burned to the water's edge, and several of the wretched passengers were seen still clinging to to the bowsprit and the main chains, scorched and burnt, and invoking assistance by the most pitiable and heart rending signs. But is was in vain: those in the long boat could not, and those in the pinnace(on whose conduct severe censures have been passed, but I will not undertake to say how justly) did not attempt to save any of them, although in the latter there was avowedly a great deal of luggage, & c, which might have been thrown overboard, and have made room for a fellow perishing creature.
Unfortunately there was a prevailing desire to secure luggage and property, which caused many to jeopardize their own and their fellow creatures lives for the sake of an old box or a bundle.
The husband of one of the female passengers furnishes a singular illustration of this mania: the wife had secured a place in the long boat and her husband was seated by her side when suddenly a child was thrown from the deck and fell on her leg, the pain caused by the contusion of which was so great that she fainted
On recovering she missed her husband and seeing that the boat had pushed off from the vessel she inquired in great alarm what had become of him. "oh" said another, "he is gone on board to look for a bundle". The deck at that moment fell in, and he most probably perished in the flames.

Those in the long boat and gig were picked up (after six days and nights of suffering) by the Lotus convict ship, and those in the pinncae by the brig Isabella, from Guernsey. Both of these vessels put into port, the former on the 20th, the latter on the 21st. A subscription was immediately commenced by the British merchants, and about one thousand four hundred stirling was speedily raised for the sufferers.
Many of the passengers were invited to the houses of the merchants and larger contributions were made from their wardrobes. The ladies were also more active in preparing various articles of dress for the unfortunates. It is in contemplation to charter a vessel to take them on. The number lost was about 150"