The North-Carolinian. [volume] (Fayetteville [N.C.]) 1839-1861, 1850-06-08
DISTRESSING SCENE!

LII ~ 1CAZC ~ ASU M A4N Il .
Dro,c,.iar off:vs rasa within c fcu hs..::-ea
uaras a. he sHy~s - 81 ae~:2g Gs..-xc-
hon IN .i9he q rescue.
San journal Of Commerce, April 20
The bri. Arabian. Capt. Blunt. left here
on the IOth ot last month, on trip OF ex-
ploraton to Trinidad bay, taking along a
! number of good men. provided with every
thing to secure the object they were IN
search of--namcly. the location Of new
town in some good harbor midway between
here and Columbia river. The Arabian.
after pursuing her searching along the
coast, arrived here last evening, and from
Capt. Common, brave soldier, who dis
t;ngu she'd himself at Buena Vista. Mexi-
CO, and who was one of the party. We have
obtained the following account of the me
lancholy termination Of their expedition !:
On Wednesday. March 9Th, 1850. in
latitude 4 1 deg. S5 min. north. | left the
br, Arabian, Captain Blunt, in a whale
boat. accompanied by Lieutenants Bachc
and Browning, United States navy, John
IL. Peoples. esq. Messrs Johnson, Ches-
hire, Baker, Robertson, aud two seamen.
belonging to the brig. for the purpose of
examining the shore, being led to suppose,
Ivy seeing schooner near the land, that
there was river or bay in the neighbor-
hood, which afterwards proved to be mis-
take Lieutenant Bache was in command
of the boat; and, after pulling some way
along the shore. we determined to land at
point where we supposed the surf was
not SO bad as it unfortunately proved to
be. We rode the first breaker out nobIy;
but the second, which was truly an up
heaving Of the deep. carried US forward
with lightning speed for about five seconds.
and the next moment our boat preached
to, and upset, leaving ten Of US in number
struggling in the surf. about four hundred
yards from shore. The fifteen minutes
that here struggled for life will never
be etfaced from my memory. When l
first rose to the surface. | came up under
the boat, which was bottom up, and imr-
mediately crcpt on it, where my compan-
ions were already congregatng; but no
sooner had we gained hold than huge
breaker swept US all of to the distance of
ten yards from her. Here Que of the sal
lors sank beneath the surface, to rise no
more. We Immediately swan back and
took our former position, but, by the next
wave. were again hurled into the foamlng
surf, Eight times we gained the boat, but
were rs often hurled into the bubblng
waters, until. finally exhausted, and Civ
ing up all hope, we mutually surrender
ed ourselves to he waves. | cannot des-
cribe the feelings expsrieaced- for the.
next few seconds: When giving up hope,
and rolling helpless at the mercy of the
believing was deep beneath the sur
face, instinctively raised myself erect,
as if in the last struggle for breath, aud to-
my unspeakable joy raised my head
and shoulders above water. My surviv-
ing companions reached the shoal ut the
same time but; but, unfortunately, it
proved to be a bar, distant yet nearly two
hundred wards from the ma in shore.
John IL. Peoples was washed ashore
almost drowned. and quite insensib, :;
| two of the party held his head above the
water. but eventually had to let him go,
in order to save themselves. There was
still hundred feet between them and the
shore. aud there was a heavy sea running
over them Lieu. Browning acted with the
utmost cooness. and struck out for shore,
but unfortunately never reached it. The
| force of the surfs prevented him from reach
log it. Lit. Bache was So much exhausted
that he was unable to stand alone, aud
called to me for help. took hold Of his
arm, and helped him to where the boat
was aground, shallow part Of the bar.
Poor Bache was unable to hold on to the
NY shoulder. l told him yes--as long as
could keep my head above water. In
mediately after, were swept into deep
water by wave, and Bache dragged me
under with him. When we arose to the
surface, | remarked: Bache, we will
drown together; and upon the instant the
dying soldier, true to the psrest principles
Of honor, relinquished his hold, and sank
beneath the wave, never to rise again.
Fortunately, about this time the boat
struck upon a rock little out Of water,
on which two of the men got and secured
the painter. SO that the surf could not
carry her off. | succeed in reaching the
rock, after hard struggle. Four of the
party were upon it. One Of the sailors
was still Oh the bar, holding Peoples head
above water. We managed to haul the
boat up and right her. Getting into it.
we were soon carried ashore by the surf.
benumbed with cold, anu half filled with
salt water. We were, however, unable
to assist the sailor, who still held poor
Peoples. lie was obliged to let him go to
savchis own life. lie swan for the shore,
but would not have reached it, had it not
been tor the assistance of some Indians,
who Jumped into the water and helped
him. Of the ten vino left the brig, five
bad found a watery grave. The unfortun-
and Browning, John H. Peoples, w. w.
Cheshire, and one seaman.
As soon as possible We lett the spot Of