New-York daily tribune., 1846-01-14
MORE ABOUT THE BELLE ZASE.-We find in the
Telegraph the following letter from Rev. DR..
Maclay TO his son

Macay TO his son
NEwORLEANs. Dec 90 lS45.
Mn Dear Sir-Knowing how deeply anxious you must
feel 10 from me- in consequence OF my having taken
passage in the Belle Zane for New Orleans,
which vessel snagged in the Mississippi river and out OF
hundred and TWENTY-FIVE passengers on board sN'
five lost their ves hasten TO communicate to you an
account of the disaster The steamer Belle Zane, OF
Zanesville Ohio left that place for NewOreans-ehe
ran on snag the 18th instant about one CLOCK IN
the morning, five miles below the mouth OF Wne rver,
and about IS above The mouth of Arkansas rver.
Nearly all the passengers were asleep at the time sn
struck upon the snag, which went completely lnrougn
her bottom She careened first on the one slde and
then on the other, the boilers rolled Oft which righted
her little and the vessel then went completely over on
her side and filled with water. was asleep when She
struck but reused by the shock and the rolling Of
the empty barrels on the hurricane deck into the rver
instantly sprang from my berth. The vessel gave
heavy lurch the water rushing in at the same tme' up
10 my chest struggled across the cabin floor ana ald
ed by the handle of the door between the ladies cabin
and ours reached the on the opposite side
of the boat and both doors providentiay open
passed through them the outside the boat was then
on her beam ends. The scene was truly awful, the
night intensely cold and those who had escaped i'm
mediate death, clustered together on the wreck
destitute of clothing bareheaded and barefooted the
hurricane deck separated from the cabin and the cap
tain and four others oated ashore on it, Three OF these
were frozen 10 death
The hull OF the boat became detached from the cabin,
and turned bottom up; fifteen OF the passengers climbed
upon the hull and saved Some OF the passengers
ciuug to the side of the cabin and taken oil BY
small boat ! hoated with others on portion oil tne
wreck about ten miles down the river, near Napoleon,
at the mouth of the Arkansas Rrer From some OF the
berths which constituted portion of the wreck we
were on a few quilts were obtained. gave mattress
which had procured to Mr.. Chapnan who had the
child of Captain Hins in his arms. put the mattress
over him aud the child With some difficulty ob-
taned another, but planter from Kentucky, whose
name think was Burns suffered excessively from the
cold and being in danger Of freezing to DEATH gave up
TO him the second remained atterward four
hours on the wreck Some of the boats crew who had
reached shore obtained small boat and came 10 our
relief The ladies very properly first taken from
the wreck. was brought to the shore with Mr. Burns
the planter before mentioned who had suffered so uch
from the cold Almost the instant he had rsacned thc
shore he gave groau and expired. COL kiVes rel
alive of Mr. Rves of Washington, on board OF the
steamer and was the first who reached the shore
He great energy OF character ana was exceed
ipcy kind attentive and the rest oi the passen
gers He Travelled along the ehore through the WOODS
number of miles, and obtained small boat and came 10
the wreck AS the of the passengers were taken on
We walked about mile To the house OF dr CooK' an
overseer TO Mr. Hibbard OF Napoleon by whom we were
RECEIVED aud treated with the utmost kindness Judge
Sutton and other citizens from Napoleon ana ZEN
dered us every that wants required Inc
cantan states that there 10 passenger6 % were
los, of the number frozen 20 death. attribute
my powers of endurance sutcenty put to the test on
this terrible night my constitution and temperate
habits have lost my watch money, ciothlns &C. out
my life has been graciously spared
During The four hours was on the wreck spent most
of the time in mental prayer and resigned and COM
posed would with gratitude raise another Eoenezer
and say hitherto hath the Lord helped me-what sha
render unto God for all his mercies toward me =
am at the house OF Cornelius Paudine Esq. who mas
always exhibited toward me much kindness and Chrls
,an sympathy and has fpoSsibe, on this occasion man.
iested more kindness to me than ever Write 10 me-
and dit ect to his care Your stfectionate 1ather
ARCHIBALD MACLAH.