The bark Harvest Queen, Captain James Wheeler, from Buenos Ayres for Boston, with a cargo of wool, went ashore, at an early hour yesterday morning, at Scituate, at the South end of the Fourth Cliff, during the thick snow storm.—Fearing that the vessel would break to pieces very soon, all hands left her for the shore. The boat containing Captain Wheeler, the two mates, a passenger, and two seamen, succeeded in landing safely; but the other, containing six seamen, was unfortunately capsized in the surf, and all in it were drowned. As soon as the intelligence of the disaster was known in this city, the steam-tug R. B. Forbes, Captain Baker, left to render, assistance, but, after getting outside the harbor, it was deemed best to return, as no aid could be given, owing to the thick snow storm and heavy sea.
At sunset last evening, the Harvest Queen had been driven higher up on the beach by the tide, and at low water would be high and dry. She has not thumped very hard as yet, and, it is supposed, will receive no damage by the storm. She lies broadside on to a hard sand bottom, heading southward, and all spars standing. Capt. Barker, the wreck master, thinks that there is a good chance of getting the vessel off when the weather moderates. The bodies of the drowned seamen have not yet been recovered. Had they remained on board the vessel, they could have walked ashore at low water.
The Harvest Queen is a new vessel, of 315 tons, and owned in New York by Mr. W. H. Webb. Her cargo consists of 487 bales wool to F. Skinner & Co., and 6 bales hair to Daniel Deshon & Son. The cargo is fully insured in Boston.—Boston Courier, March 20.
The Daily Exchange, Baltimore, MD, March 22, 1861