ACCIDENT TO THE STEAMER PLOUGHBOY -- FOUR OF THE CREW LOST.--The Canadian steamer Ploughboy met with a serious accident while on her recent trip form Collingwood to Sault Ste. Marie. A little after midnight, on the 11th of august, when abreast Barrie Island, the machinery became disabled to such an extent as to render the engine totally useless. Capt. McLean got his vessel anchored under the lee of the island, and started a boat, manned by five of his crew, to Detour, for the purpose of obtaining a tug steamer. On the way the boat was twice capsized, and four of her crew drowned. Mr. Duncan McLean, first mate of the Ploughboy, who had command of her, and was the only survivor, was finally washed ashore on Manitoulin Island. After an exhaustive walk of forty miles he reached an Indian village. There he procured the assistance of several Indians and two Mackinaw boats, and returned to the Ploughboy, which they reached on Wednesday the 12th, about noon. Meantime the jolly boat had been dispatched to La Cloche, one of the stations of the Hudson Bay Company, for provisions, and returned at 8 o'clock on Thursday, with two barrels of flour and a barrel of pork.
When the mate returned with the Indians, the latter immediately took the engineer of the Ploughboy in charge to conduct him to Collingwood. They reached this place on Saturday. The engineer gave information of the condition of the steamer to Mr. P. W. B[ ] of the Hudson Bay Company's service, who immediately sailed with his own yacht and that of a neighbour, for the scene of the accident. The two yachts were loaded with provisions. These were gladly hailed on their arrival at the steamer, as the passengers had been put on short allowance. The yachts then took the disabled steamer in tow, and conveyed her to a secure place under the lee of Clapperton Island. The steamer Nicolet, dispatched from Collingwood to the assistance of the Ploughboy, shortly made her appearance and towed the latter back to that port.
