The Daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1845-1850, 1849-09-22
SUFFERING AND STARVATION.

VIC eAFdct the IolloWlng from IeUef 10 tue
Boston Times, by Julius L. Clark, of tits city,
who, with several others from this vicinity, was
passenger in the British Barque Cucassan,
tom Panama for San Francisco.
PAclFtc OCEAN, July 20, 1910
Mr. EpTTOR:-We are, to-day, in lon. lSS
min. % sec. west, and lat 35 min. AZ sec north
having soiled from Panama on the 9th OF May on
boad the British bark Circe ssian, of Liverpool
and bound Tor San Francisco with ITO passengers
who were made up from the people of eighteen
different nations, the French and American com
prlslng about two thirds OF our whole number.
Our ship, which has proved to possess fair sail
ing qualities, was less crowded according TO her
tonnage, and far better provsioned than any 9th
er vessel out OF Panama before we sailed But
there is probably no other port 10 the world where
more difficulty and cost attend the fitting out OF
ship. The bare item of expense for provision
ing our ITO passengers for trip which none sup
posed could exceed 40 or As DAYS at most wcs
upwards oil $4,000! For instance, our water
casks, which were made in Panan cost 80 cents
per gallon, or $50 for cask oil two hundred and
sixty eight gallons
At the island OF Toboga we stopped to take in
our water for the voyage In consequence OF
this delay, we were unable to proceed to sea be
fore the 18th OF May. AT the mouth OF the Bay
Of Panama, strong head wind drove us still
IuiNueT SOulIs I'LL We were nearly UuQPF the
equator, and. here we were becalmed almost two
weeks with the sun directly above our heads, and
| roasting us with singing heat. While thus en-
| Toying an atmosphere that had not motion sniff
cient to ripple the water flap sail, the ships
provisions were rapidly spelling under the effects
OF scorching sun, and barrel after barrel OF pork
and beef, which had been cured in the best New
York style, was thrown overheard to prevent the
! ef1uvia from breeding pestilence and disease -
/ This mi fortune her it'll tho 10 ND,
slant draughs upon our store OF water, demand
ed to satisfy the cravings OF so many thirsty men,
threatened us with dilemma Of serious, and to
some, alarming consequences; yet the hourly
Iexpecta'ion OF favorable wind unfortunately de.
iayed the adoption Of limited allowances for each
man. While our chances OF escape seemed daily
less promising, our ship was constantly surround
ed by army of vOracious sharks-the regular
man eaters. Shark fishing became the order Of
the day, and many OF these cannibals of the deep
paid dearly Tor their temerity
At length, one of those sudden and violent hur.
rcanes.pecuar to these seas backened the dis
tant horizan, anu almost before we had time to
welcome its approach W were dashing away to
the north under reefed topsails After few avs
OF Gains and variable winds, we found ourselves
off the Mexican coast, with new misfortunes STAR
ing US in the face. We found our safety at the
mercy OF drunken creaO. who, from the deck.
boy up ward, (the hrst mate exceptedO were
frequently too intoxicated for duty, SO that the
passengers were sometimes compelled to interfere
for the suppression Of nutnous and b. utua strife
in which, in one instance, a sailor came near
being stabbed to death by the second mate, whom
he had previously knocked down. The contnu
ed spelling OF provisions, and our diminishing sup
ply OF water, rendered it necessary to put every
man on half rations. Here, also, as il to add to
our perple xities. the ship sprgng leak, in con.
sequence, as was supposed, OF plank having
. been gnawed by rat in pursuit of fresh water
: This was some five weeks ago. and from that day
to this, the ship has made FIVE feet OF water every
twenty-tour hours, and as the leak could not be
found, the pumps were our only resort, the work
: iEg Of which, once in every two hours has thus
! far kept her clear.
On the 23J OF June, after an almost endless
r succession OF Gains and head winds, and almost
destitute OF water and food, we made the coast OF
California, and even approached within fifteen
miles OF the shore. This was wenty seven DAYS
, ago, and we have not seen land since We were
y driven of the coast by heavy land breeze, and
e falling in with the trade winds, which at this sea
d son, blow ftom the north and northeast we were
a compelled TO steer in directly opposite course
from that which we wished TO pursue; thus, at
the mercy OF wind against we could make no
progress, we have been forced nearly t,Oo thou.
sand miles tIom our direct course, and subjected
Tor four weeks to various dangers and prvations
Cold, thirst, and starvation, have been our con.
slant compan ons. During the latter part OF June
1 and the whole of July, up 10 the present time,
we have found it extremely difficult to keep COM
Portable with overcoats and fires; the trad ,.wind<
which now blow strong in these latiludes, gath.
ering their chilly blasts from the snow topped
peaks OF the Rocky Mountain range AS our
water and provisions became exhausted, and our
ship thousand miles from the nearest land.
must confess that circumstances looked little
desperate.
To sustain life, it became necessary from time
TO time to curta our rations. For the three weeks
preceding the 18th OF this month, the average al
Iowance per man was one quart of water, two
ounces OF jerked beet, so wormy thatit would
literally crawl before being cooked, aud also
four ounces Of bread which had become musty,
and like the beet, infested with worms, some OF
them large and fat This was our daily allow.
ance. though sometimes one d0ughnut would
be substituted for the jerkenS which we Usually
threw overheard, while the bread was retained,
as il could be easily Invested of its H. e
stock. Our salt pork shd beef had long been
thrown overheard, though some OF it was cooked
and eaten in its spoiled condition Our water
was also bad, and it was necessary 10 impregnate
| it with lime TO render it in any egree palatabie
to the taste or smell. A passenger could draw
all his alton OF water, or relinqush a part tor
the same quantity OF coffee
The Fourth Of July came, with all its multi,