The Sun.
London, England, 1860-01-12 00:00:00

A BOUGH PASSAGE.

The
.magnificent ship Cherubim, of Baltimore,
which now lies at Market-street wharf discharging
her cargo, arrived at this port on the 19th ult., but
for many weeks previous to her arrival much
anxiety had been felt for her fate, as she left New
York early last spring. As she was known to be a
fast sailer and a staunch vessel, the probabilities
were even stronger that she had been utterly lost.
From her first officer we have gathered the story of
her long detention out, and it is a hard one. The
Cherubim left New York on the 9th of May ; it was
193 days afterwards that she entered our harbour.
But when she did arrive, she came in perfect order
and in capital condition. She seems to have suffered
all the nautical troubles that could possibly be
crowded inside of 193 days. She was 46 days drifting
through calms and beating against light headwinds
before she reached the equator on the other side.
Off Cape Horn the wind was a gale, and directly in
the teeth of the good ship, which plunged and
rolled and staggered under it for 56 days. On the
19th of August she sighted the island of Diego
Ramirez to the west, some 20 miles. Just 19 days
afterwards, after a prodigious deal of hard sailing,
they sighted the same island, bearing in nearly the
same direction about 15 miles off ! The wretched
Horn once rounded, matters were more moderate till
they reached Valparaiso, into which place the ship
put for water and medical attendance—for ti •
cruelest of the story is yet to be told. On the
morning of the 25th August, while things were at
the worst off the Cape, and there were some two
feet of water rolling across the main deck, it was
found that the top of the pipe leading down to the
water tank, in which the whole water supply is
kept, was gone. The salt water, of course, poured
down into the tank, and the 40,000 gallons,
upon which they had confidently relied, was
every drop of it ruined. It was impossible that this
could be the result of an accident. The pipe was
plugged up tightly at once, and a piece of canvas
nailed over it. Next morning plug and canvas
were both gone. Who perpetrated the villany it
was never discovered, but his object was readily
surmised; Some poor fellow, in his despair, hoped
by spoiling the water to compel the ship to put
back. Providentially, a single cask on deck, as
provision against accident, had been filled just
before the mishap. All hands, officers, men, and
passengers, among whom were Captain Skinner's
wife and ohildren, were put upon an allowance
of a pint a day,':from that time till their arrival
at Valparaiso, 35 days afterwards. Of provisions
there was an abundance, the ship having taken
a year's supply at Now York. The exposure
brought on scurvy, with which, one after
another, many were terribly afflicted. One man
died and was buried at sea. Four others were
left in the hosr,ital at Valparaiso, but were doing
well when lasi seen. Fresh supplies of water at
that place, and a tarry long enough to give all
parties fresh meat and vegetables enough, restored
health on shipboard. The ship had a pretty good
time from Valparaiso, arriving at San Francisco43_4ays.—San Frazto.
sco paper,