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Story
November 5, 1873
The Fairfield Herald
Winnsboro, Fairfield County, South Carolina
What is this article about?
The steamer Agra wrecked off Calcutta, allowing passengers and crew to escape in boats as waves swept away an invalid sailor and released menagerie animals like tigers and elephants into the sea. One elephant swam ashore, terrorizing locals.
Clipping
OCR Quality
95%
Excellent
Full Text
Extraordinary Scene at a Wreck.
A correspondent, describing the wreck of the steamer Agra, off Calcutta bound from Calcutta to London via the Suez Canal, says that after the vessel struck on the rocks the passengers and crew had barely time to escape into the boats, as the seas came tumbling over the sides, sweeping everything before them, carrying away one poor invalid sailor and bursting open the cages and dens of an extensive menagerie on board going home from the Zoological Gardens.
The escape and striking out among the waves of a crowd of tigers, elephants, etc., and their roars and screams adding to the terror of the wrecked passengers, presented a spectacle that will not soon be forgotten. One elephant managed to swim ashore, as did one of the inhabitants of the adjacent coast, who are said to be living in a state of siege, not daring to venture outside their barricaded doors.
A correspondent, describing the wreck of the steamer Agra, off Calcutta bound from Calcutta to London via the Suez Canal, says that after the vessel struck on the rocks the passengers and crew had barely time to escape into the boats, as the seas came tumbling over the sides, sweeping everything before them, carrying away one poor invalid sailor and bursting open the cages and dens of an extensive menagerie on board going home from the Zoological Gardens.
The escape and striking out among the waves of a crowd of tigers, elephants, etc., and their roars and screams adding to the terror of the wrecked passengers, presented a spectacle that will not soon be forgotten. One elephant managed to swim ashore, as did one of the inhabitants of the adjacent coast, who are said to be living in a state of siege, not daring to venture outside their barricaded doors.
What sub-type of article is it?
Disaster
Extraordinary Event
Survival
What themes does it cover?
Catastrophe
Survival
Misfortune
What keywords are associated?
Shipwreck
Menagerie Escape
Tigers Elephants
Calcutta Wreck
Animal Terror
Where did it happen?
Off Calcutta
Story Details
Location
Off Calcutta
Story Details
Steamer Agra strikes rocks off Calcutta; passengers and crew escape in boats amid waves that carry away an invalid sailor and release menagerie animals including tigers and elephants, which swim and roar, terrifying survivors; one elephant reaches shore, causing local residents to barricade themselves.