Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1851-06-12
WRECKED BY A sIMooN.

Mr. BanYard, the MISSISSIPPI
Panorama man, writing from near
Thebes, Egypt, under date Of Feb
ruary 9th, gives the following ac-
count Of a disaster which he encoun-
tered on the Nile: '
We were sailing along very slowly
before a gentle evening breeze, near
the Gebel Sheik Hereedee, on the
3lst January. The sun had set bril-
liantly in the golden sand OF the
great Lybian desert, which stretched
far away, bounding the horizon on
the west; the night had SGT in, and
thousands Of stars were glitteringin
the clear atmosphere, such as is
only found in Egypt. An Arab
crew were sitting idle upon the deck
awaiting the order, when the light
wind should have died away, TO land
the "decharbeeah," and tie up for the
might, when all OF a sudden, the ves-
sci was liz great confusion. The Ri's
voice, in its loudest tone, gave hur-
ried orders; the men hastened into
the rigging; the pilot shouted; |
stepped upon the deck TO see the
cause OF the tumult. All was dark;
| had hardly time to cast my eyes
aloft, when | saw our large lateen
sail all cIewed up, and heard a rush.
ing sound towards the desert. Our
crew commenced shouting and pray
ing, calling upon "Allah," some smi-
ting their breasts, others postrating
themselves upon the deck, and all
terror-stricken and in confusion. |
could hardly believe my senses,
when suddenly, the blast struck US
like discharge OF artillery; our ves-
sci quive=ed with the conclusion, the
masts gave way with tremendous
crash, and went by the board, careen-
ing the hull of the vessel over with
them; the water rushed in the matches
OF the cabin, when she instantly filled
and sunk. So instantaneous was il,
that / could hardly believe we were
sinking. | succeeded in getting on
the side Of the vessel, with Messrs.
Day and Hatch, when she went
down, but Fowler was swept off by
therush Of water. Fortunately, he
: seized a table that hoated near him,
and succeeded in reaching the WRECK,
when we assisted him on the side OF
the upper deck, which still remained
above water. The hull struck the
bottom in about two fathoms, sinking
upon bar very providentially for
| US. We all clung to the portion
that remained above, and were able
10 keep ourselves from being carried
away by the fury OF the tornado.
All this time the Arab crew were
/; in the furious waves, holding on 10
the floating spars; and the race being
, expert swimmers, none were lost, but
, they kept up an incessant wailing
and praying, and the name oI
"Allah." at intervels, could 5e heard,
) mingled with the bowling winds and
! rushing waters. ~
2 The simeon ceased as suddenly as
t it had come upon US, and 1 should
Judge its fury lasted but fifteen min,
utes, and within an hour the Nile
flowed on as calmly and unruffled
2 as If nothing had occurred, and the
stars were brightly reflected from its
: bosom. As soon as dared to leave
] my post, reached the small boat
4 tied at our stern, where | found two
/. Of the crew lying fiat on the bottom,
groaning, and shifting their breasts
b and heads, and all could do, could
g not arouse them from their terror
q stricken attitudes. By the aid OF a
? small pocket knife, Issucceeded in
/ 'cutting through the eable.that held
/ the boat, but in so doing, came near
! being crushed between il and the
projecting stern Of our vessel. Mr.
,,'tDay IN The meantime, had succeeded
1 | in getting two OF the Arabs into the
: boat, who with Mr. Fowler and
e Hatch, pulled for the shore, while