SS Hungarian

The ship

On November 9, 1859, the Hungarian rescued the crew and passengers of the schooner in distress John Martin. 08.00 clock sighted the Hungarian the sinking ship before the Grand Banks. The John Martin struggled with heavy seas and fierce gusts. A rescue boat with seven men of the crew, including the first officer William H. Hardie, was on his way to John Martin and took on its 43 passengers and crew members. The following day, the Hungarian arrived in St. John's, where a thank you celebration was held and each of the Savior, a silver cup was presented.

Downfall

On the evening of February 19 the ship fell off Cape Ledge on the west coast of Sable Iceland in a blizzard that brought fierce strong winds and a stormy sea with it. The storm pushed the ship on the cliffs known as Great Rip. Due to the heavy seas and winds the lifeboats could not be lowered into the water. The stranded Hungarian was spotted on the banks of the inhabitants of the island, but they could not penetrate to the wreck. Against 03.00 clock in the morning on February 20, lights and people were still seen on the ship, but the ship sank around 10.00 clock in the high waves.

It has been reported that even a diary was among the debris flushed ashore, whose last entry " Lizzie tonight this " ( Lizzie dies tonight ) was. The American songwriter Stephen Foster picked up on this story and wrote the song in 1861 Lizzie This Tonight. In the U.S. state of Pennsylvania appeared shortly after the sinking of a textbook for children of the Sunday School, which had the same title. The sinking resulted in the establishment of the Sable - Iceland - lighthouse in the following year.