The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1838-06-27
Office Of the Baltimore American,
Baltimore June %.

J
In less than an hour after the explosion, the boa
parted in TIVE, and the larger portion of it, to which
the machinery, was attached, sunk Immediately
carrying with il many passengers, particularly the
ladies who were in the cabin. IL was subsequently,
ascertained that four portions Of the wreck conlin
oed to float. all of them supporting greater OF
lesser number Of sufferers. On the part Of the
wreck which our informant was, there were
about thirty. The portions Of the steamboat remain.
ed for some time near each other, but were finally
separated by the waves, and were not afterwards
seen.
OF Captain Dubois nothing was seen after the
explosion of the boiler, and the suppostion is tina;
he was Immediately killed.
To the great presence Of mind Of Major Heath The
persons on the wreck with him most probably own
their safety. lie once suffered his eourage
10 flag nor did he ever allow for a moment that
those with him had no hope Of safety, The suffer.
ings they endured were dreadful indeed, Thirty
human beings, Unused to hardshps, suddenly set
atloat on rough sea- their only dependence the
| fragments Of ifal vessel, to keep which togcthe,
required all their exertions-immersed in water te
their knees, exposed to the sun with scarcely any
clohe upon them and suffering the agonies Of hun.
ger and thirst for four days and nights, is situation
more easily conceived than described To add to
their distress they described four vessels which
passed near them, but they could make no signal
they were not perceived by theuI. and they were
ready TO yield T., despair they saw them keep on
their course regardless Of their feeble cr.es. They
were al one period with N a haf mile Of the shore
but again driven out TO sea by the violence Of
the wind. On the morning Of the fifth day a schoon.
er hove liz sight and made sail towards them The
prospect of immediate relief now cheered their
droop ng spirits but il only for a moment, for
she made tack which led them to suppose that she
too was about TO abandon them. She soon, how
ever again made towards them with all sail set and
when she came within halling distance, the captain
called 10 them TO be Of good cheer as he would take
them of, which he did with the Utmost care, Major
II. being the last who leit the wreck.
Whilst they were on the wreck several died oi IA
tgue and hunger, and at period proposition
made to draw lots who should be killed for the
ses'enance Of the rest but il was at rejected
and never afterwards renewed.
Nobaggage Of any kind saved. All the pas
sengers had money, which was in their trunks, and
il is estimated that at least $I50,000 in bank notes
and specie have been lost, aud upwards Of $4,000
in watches and jewery.
In tho account in the Wilmington Advertiser ex-
ira, we learn that the survivor Lamar, is lad ~
Ia years Of age and tha, he has since gone stark
mad from orety and suffering. with no hopes Of
recovary.
Besides the sixeen passengers saved in the boats,
and the thirty picked up from the wreck. as above
detailed the Norfolk Herald states that thirteen
OF the passengers had been picked up making hfty-
nine saved as far ascertalned
Major Heath heard OF the arrival Of one Of the
other wrecks, but he knew not what became Of the
two missing ones.
From The Baltimore Patrio, Of Saturday.
The surviving passengers, Major II. represents
are unanimous ia charging the Chief Engineer with
having caused the dreadful calamity. He Is re-
ported to have declared previous to leaving savan
nah, that 1t should be the shortest irp ever made
between that port and Norfolk.
There were four parts OF the wreck to which pas
sengers ciung-two Of them il Is supposed went
down; from the other two, % we're thrown over
board having died FROM fatigue and excitement