Daily Event for February 19


February 19, 1860 the Allen Line steamer Hungarian was wrecked on the rocks off Cape Sable, Nova Scotia. The ship had been built in Scotland in 1858 and had only been sailing since May 18, 1859. She was a single screw, iron hulled passenger ship with a gross tonnage of 2,200.

Like many wrecks in the frigid waters off Nova Scotia the Hungarian had no survivors of the two hundred and thirty seven on board. (This number however may not be correct.) So there is no way of knowing why she went aground. What is known is that the next morning only one of her masts was still visible. Bystanders could see several people clinging to the mast but were unable to send a rescue boat due to the rough seas. Soon however those on the mast fell into the sea.

The ship was completely broken up in the waves taking any evidence of why the Hungarian and all on board her met their end.

© 2006 Michael W. Pocock
MaritimeQuest.com