Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1846-09-22
Thrilling NnrrnnNc.

~ hAhhh hNeANSf
From te Nsr Orleans Bulletin.
MY DEAR Sra; Many items OF an individual character
might be picked up from tho Surviving passengers Of the
New Sotk, embracing their suherings and their fortunate
rescue irom n waiery grave. ! write you oil a few pagcs
principally connected with what came under my own obSer.
walton
The fins, night out l found the violence Of the wind
strained the upper works OF the boa, so much as to cause
the cabin TO leak badly, and indeed I was fearful that IL
would be blown of, and knew IL that should occur. that
II would no doubt cause our destruction, as our wheel rope
led along the promenade deck. and that some Of the ma.
ehinefy would probably be damaged by such an event. AT
about III, r. NJ, Sunday night, | was lying in my berth in
one OF the alter state-fooms ON the lGrbosrd side, aud OBJ.
served the quarter boat. expecting it 10 be earned away
every moment, when, sure enough, the alter davit parted;
some OF the hands were called ana every effort made to
save the boat. AZ VIC had a tremendous sea running. and
she was bringing up with a surge, 1 told The men. after they
had made several attempts TO secure Il, to cut away the
forward tails and let il 20 adnft rs the boat wss doubt
less stove. They however hcisted up the after part Of the
boat, and while securing 1t we were struck with a heavy
sea which carried away the boat and took away a portion
OF our bulwarks. We had two lady passengers on board
and a few children. AsI was near the lsoies' cabin when l
heard them crying out for assistance, | went in and tired 10
console them. Fnsy were in great distress. l told them
that all had been done an our power To save the boat, and
we mast rely alone Qua Divine Providence, and He would
40 what was best tor ms.
Capt. Philips came into the cabin at shout | O'Clock and
told the passengers, "Gcndemen, 1t you will 20 below and
light the chain upon deck We may save the boat; IL i. the
only shanee we have for our lives" l turned to several OF
them and urged them TO come. but on going below found
that most OF them had preferred 10 re maia on deck. Ifound
two or three hands below near the chain locker, which
was well aft under the ladies' cabin. After hard work we
got II on deck, when | returned again TO the cabin. Capt
Phillips came IN again al about ; o'clock. and told the pas
sengefs that We had but one chance for our lives, and that
was tor every one TO take his turn at the pumps. and to
help to bail out with buckles, and keep the boat afoat I'M
I'll daylight or until the sea went down. The passengers
Generosity turHcd out, but IL was with reluctance many of
them would 60 below to pass the buckets up tho cabin
haiehway. There was about two feet water in the over ca
bin. l worked until l was completely prosuated, and came
on deck, and afterwards took my turn in pumping and pas
sing along the buckets. proposed that we should clear
away the adder and n part of the buikhead rpund sho hatch
way and fix lanyards to the buckets, and draw the water
up. This was done, which left several spare buckets, and
we formed another party and went aft to the ladies' cabin
and there bailed for an hour or so, by passing the water up
the steps leading to the lower cabin. Coming on deck
shortly after was surprised to see such desirucuon; tho sea
was making at times a clean breach over the vessel; the lar.
board wheel-house ard nearly all the bulk heads forward
were gone, and the remainder tottering. / got a rope and
took a turn with 1t round the arch brace, aud held on to
prevent myself from being washed overheard. The boat
had seiued down vey much on her larboard side. Whilst
/ was forward Mr.. Jas. Phillips came up to me and said.
Captain, / did not know you with that rig on; have obser.
we'd you working about all night but didn't know IL was
you. requested him IL no should reach shore, and should
ever meet any Of my friends, TO tell Them that had worked
like a man, and felt perfectly reeonciled 10 abide the fu-
fure.
Wills, we were talking, Capt. Phillips came up, and i,
was thought if we could set the ioTesaili it would bring her
on an even keel, after a good deal Of difficulty we got the
sail set she soon nghted on an even keel, but in a few
moments / felt her settling down rapidly on The s,arboard
side; / then gave up all as gone; for | felt sure the heavy
sea which had been striking her whilst she was sagged
down TO leeward, hsa opened her ways. One or two hands
came forward and we lowered down the foresail. / then
climed up BY the pilot house, and was struck with the per
feet Destruction OF everything above deck. | walked aft
and found one OF the hands at work, repairing the only
boat we had left he was cutting strips Of canvass and was.
with them and his knife, trying 10 chaulk her seams. One
or two others cam, up to assist him; | examined the boat,
and told them, that 1t was loves labor lost. TO try TO get her
in a condition TO float; that she might save one OF two, but
as all hands would be for jumping in to her, / had no doubt
she would fill at once.
The passengers now assembled on the promenade deck.
| saw Capt. Phillips and remarked to him that if | could
get a bottle | would wnte n few lines and cork them IN
and throw 1t overheard. He replied, that's well, for none
OF Us will ever be seen sgsin. a bottle was brought. and
on the back Of an old manifest / wrote something ike the
following "SIeam vessel New York, total wreek-en
eountered 4 uemendcus gale-al hands did their duty like
men, Sept I, > o'clock, a. and signed my name 10 II.
After ! got through, It struck me, that II 1t was ever pick
ed up, they might think ! was very much aeitated. from the
hand writing, and | added the following postscript: 81 feel
as calm as a summers tun." After being properly SECURE
ed, the bottle with rs contents were thrown overheard.
Several passengers came to me and asked me what was
10 be done; | told them our only chance was to make a
raft, and we fell 10 work TO tear away the benches &c
| walked forward aud got hold Of the chicken coon: some
OF the passengers followed me. | told them this might
save one or two, as long as 1t would hold together, and
advised them TO lash il round securely with q rope TO pre-
vent it from iumbiing to pieces. Finding the hands cut
ting away the foremost, | went aft 10 keep out OF the wsy.
When ! gotult, near the boat. Judge Toler asked me what
| was going to dot try the boator a plankl stated had
cot yet determined what / would take, but should kocn
clear Of the boat, for ] was confident she would not float
and all hands would jump into her the moment she wa.
lduuCneJ. 1 iurt0er SAID tnat i would hang BY the wreck
until the last moment, and thought it best IN such cases to
keep cool, and not be IN a hurry TO leave. | saw the cad
line lying close by and cut Oft aiathom or so and lied il
securely around my waist; several others did the Same
/ saw Daniel Phillips repairing to launch the boat. and a
heavy sea striking Us at the same moment. the confusion
that ensuCd, made me think that il was no place for m.
and ! started forwards ! felt the promenade deck giving Way
under my feet. and sprung to the srsrbourd arch braces and
crawlcd iofwafd to the whcel-housc. In looking rouud
and seeing the total destruction that ensued, aud the shrieks
and groans OF the dyiug, ! heard the bell OF tho boat, as II
was falling, give one toll. 1t was the most aOieun, e,nnd
that ever fell upon my cor; I thought It the deuth.kndl 10
many. perhaps 10 all. ! cast my eyes TO the northSar d
and discovered dark aud dreadful looking clouds tumb.
ing up rapidly above the hOuzJn, threatening to sweep
the OCEAN with the bosom Of destruction. was Oh
the brace Tor a moment only, whon | felt II giving
way. In looking round calmly aud co.lectedIy. n.
every moment appeared my last, nearly every act of INV
life rushed through my mind-Ife felt perfectly reconcilsd 10
my condition snd was cheeruly looking upon every breath
as my lest! ] ssid TO myself, loud enough to be heard If
any one had been present, "Fearless let him be. whose trust
Is in his God" Discovering the pi OF house floating about.
! thought my best chance vas 10 Try and reach il. watch.
ed a favorable moment as the floating macs came M viii,
10 reach a piece Of the wreck; the moment | struck il Il
turned, and | suppose | must have gone down at least six
feet IL is surprising how rapidly one can think IT a mo-
ment when he feels himself done with time. As / was re.
ing TO the surface / thought to myself drownding is a preuy
easy death, but TO be Jammed, manRied and crushed hero a.
midst this mass Of iron and timber is horrible. When |
reached the surface | with great difficulty reached tho pilo,
house, which ! discovered made a rapid semi-cirele 10 and
fro, au ! Judged the tlicr rope was sul las': In reaching
oFtf ~ examining, / discovered lt 10 be the case. Hay-
ing a small peuknie IN my pocket, I got II out with great
difficulty and succeeded ~ cutting the rope. then H0ated
clear OF the mas. and swung down and caught hold Of the
wheel when the whole upper part Of tho house tumbled III,
! picked up a piece Of plank and showed myself out from
tie wreck as iaf o. possible. As we bad q very heavy sea
running, ] lashrd myself IN the wheel n prevent being
washed Of. a piece OF the promenade deck footing by
me, hauled IL towards me with a strip Of moulding which
was floating by me in my reach, and lsshod u Ia my raft
20 "a 90 make il more buoyant, for / found the wheel was
~ heavy as 10 watotlJg my nf. Atths tine, black dog
that Wnn floating On a uIrrQ NJ fn uvsrL Htra.-g..I -
lclt he raft und swan for mo. I gave him o hearty Tccap-
ton end assisted him on board. He appeared very grateful
and aficuonate, and would stuy no place but in my lap; I
uicd 20 make him Icy down. but he implorod me with such
besoochuR locke. that / thought I would lci him alone, snd
although he was but a dog, those lines In Pope's prayer
came iofcibly TO my mind, and / repeated Them loudly
"That mercy / 10 others show,
That mercy show 10 me-"
The wheel, I afterwards found. was too heavy 10 keep
ahoai, and ! cot my lashing uduft and got on the pioco OF
deck; the moment I did %, the wheel capsized and sunk.
Afor floating Tor few hours, I found q piece Of the deck
d the boat floating near mo. ! managed By using piece