The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-08-17


Having heard rumor of The loss of the United States
surveying Jefferson, of the United States coast
survey. while her voyage California and Oregon
very glad TO have il power 10 lay before
readers the following extracts iron letter jus, received
from of her off ers, which will relieve the ankle
ties OF those who have rea ives friends board:
UNITED STATES STEAMER JEFFERSON,
"Pon Desire, Coast ol Paiagona, Jane 4. 1851.
"a schooner connected with the guano establishment
here is about leaving TOR Montevideo. and avail my self
OF the opportunity OF giving you account Of dis
asher. We lett Monievideo on the l9h OF May with a
hne fair wind, and everything looked favorable for
speedy passage to the Straits until the evening OF the 2tb
when the barometer commenced to fall rapidly, and the
wind freshened from the norlhward AT mdnigh; the
ship under close reefed topsas and close -reefed
torsa, and ore,orm siaysa and she appeared TO be.
have beautifully Ii blowing then a. strong gale.
and we were running right before il A, seven in the
morning, during my watch, the wind commenced hauling
TO the westward aud ireshening with heavy following
sea. the barometer still falling, and everything looking
very bad. yet had hopes of the gale subsding but
at p. m, cross sea tpped her, and she broacbed
10, and was hove down upon her beam ends. We
Immediately let fly everything, but she would not
go OH. and going down like iron pot. She
would have been gone in minutes, when the o,der
was given to cut away the mass. Everybody worked
for his life. | never worked ha,che $, hard before.
The foremost and manmas went very On ckly. and she
rgh'ed but the main rigging got lanms ID IN the Wheel
and the stump OF the mannast knock ing against ne
side like batering RAM threatening to go through US.
Every blow II struck fear ed death knel
bul fortunately cleared it at last, and we brea,hed
freer. We retained our mzzenmast, and we hove her
10 under low and close -reeed spanker The sea
al this time higher than saw it before. and
the vessel labored heavily-cacking and s,raning
that had fears OF breaking in two The ports were
all knocked Out as TO tree the decks as the
on board Ats. m, she shipped heavy sea. carrying
away all tbs engne-roon bulkheads and the steering
wheel and njdring ,yo starting the engine frames
and loosenng some of the bolts OF the machinery We
Jumped for the relieving tackles, and fortunately brought
her under command. This the last sea If she had
taken another board, mus, have gone do Sn What
a night that was IL is not daylight here this season
until o'clock and j, is dark before l. p IN. There we
were, grooming and srainng and being iron vessel
did know a, what time she nigh, break two for we
noticed from her twisting and working that her back
broken. We commenced starting: our provisions stores
spare rigging, The only gun we had-all went overheard
pretty last The wind then shifted to the southwark
and westward, and we were one hundred aud miles
from shore We pointed her for this place. and for three
days ,ong on 10 make that short distance,
with the knowledge that il we had another gale were
lost but succeeded in reaching here the evening
OF The 2slb, shattered and broken ybody down
with watching and bailing ou-ior fogo, to mention
,ha, the ship leaking very badly and all our pumps
disabled.
"lhave never seen vessel more handsomely managed
Our captain behaved with the greatest cooness and by
his GOODNESS and seamanship guided by merciuI Provi-
dence, escaped He is a noble fellow, and a SAILOR
every inch OF him
ave have bad survey upon the vessel and condemned
her unseawortby. Every officer ANXIOUS to get
her around but, upon examination, found impos-
sibe to take her any further We have Of re.
pairing her and her rvei-head have started and her hull
hogg. We have determined to take the engine. and
boilers GU, Of her, and charter ship now here 10 20
home. The " S'snly" is loading with susno. | think
we win come home in her. She IL bound to Baltimore