The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-01-01

TO save her Sir" said he promptly "your service An
example VIII have the best effect - and Immediately
band of fifteen twenty rushed up The companion wa
and, sorambng along The rocking deck as well as VI
could advanced towards The places where We expsctl
70 moo TIE pumps IN action fe, what was surpgi}
when We learned that there al least four feet wst
IN the hold that there pump in the shin III IA
service al that moment and that the only mode OF
was by drawing up The water, by crank wheels in ou
copper buckets designed. in ordinary times to convs
lhe endes and rubbish from the furnace beaea,hl
HE engine pumps could not work because the hres we
exnngushed; the hand pumps out of order and d
forward pump was repairing a. rapidly possible
wrought al the crank OF one OF the clnder buckets ID
about hall an hour, drawing up bucke tull Of sboj
twenty I'VE gallons on an average. every four IL
minutes remained on deck long IA could hold Z
anu work; Tue pitching and rolling oil the ship fro
side to SIDE, the dashing OF the spray aud OCCASION
OF ram poured into our faces and over perao
by Inc herce winds wearied and benumbed US We we
soon dienchea win water; and foodless we had bel
fof Two days, were not equal To so great task. III
none OF as thought OF death or danger. Our only i.
was OF work, and our only prayer for the cont mud
capacity TO work As | cambered along the deck bs,
to the cabin, holding on by every bolt and bar cou
catch to prevent being pitched overheard BY the roil
something ieroclously grand in its aspect. Above w
the cold. gray sky, like the lid of leaden coffin
we lay in The trough or hollow between the waves tw
majestic mountains of dark blue marble slreaked wi !
irothy veins, lowered on either side For moment OF
huge hull reposed in the valley between them, and II
snewy crest OF the windward wave combed over. like
cataract, threatening TO ingu U.S. the gallant craft slow
raised her tall side and allowed the surge pass benea
her feet But the wave had its revenge for the ship
contempt Tor. as II rose 10 eeward il sent the vess
tumoiihg and grooming down its other SLOPE until sh
sank once more 10 the monentary auie, Of The wsier
valley. With each Of these suraes while on deck !
trembled for the ships safety when saw her so conf
pletey at the seas mercy and thought of the
strain that must necessarily be produced by the tall ro
chmneys in her centre, each of which, AZ il swun
from right to left seemed to act like gigantic lever
thrust INTO the vessels mlcst. striving TO wrench her
twain.
When got back TO our cabin, found that the expe
rence and admirable judgment of our brave townsman
General Benjamin {. Howard had suggested and accom-
pished the perfect organization OF working parties TIL
General went to work promptly with paper and pencil
pledged every sgner to work unfinchingy; divided ID
men into sections Of twenty five OF whom wor
at each crank in baing out the water; and regulate
the hours of each division, afford sufficient
pose and comfort to all Schenck rallied the spirits OF
by pronouncDg the plan one OF confident success. III
first division Immediately relieved the watch on deck
and thus, throughout the whole day, we wound up I'd
water from depth OF about fifty feet in the hold by
four ash buckets, which replenished continually
man below who filled them as they descended. In \
little while il discovered that the organized labor
the fresh responsible passengers told upon the watss
II evlden decreased, and after due search the leak
detected and found to have occurred from the break
OF the ange from the supply pipe which fed the boiler
from the The aperture reached with some diff
Guilty by crawling in among the machinery, and wa
closed BY packing and mailing ,arred canvass ,h
| rent.
| Meanwhile the divisions wrought INCREASINGLY and
cheeruly especially when they heard that the depth
water in the hold decreased and that the engineer re
ported his probable ability to rekindle the res ii only
continued to work steadily By this time, TOO. the fol
pump had been got into service, and for awhile sma1
upper steam engine, called he DOCTOR" had been set
motion to aid IN freeing the ship. "The DOCTOR, howl
ever, choaked rendered useless by the GOA,
and cnders that were aoat in the hold so that we we
again reduced to the main reliance the ash bucket
In the course OF the day sail had been deserted and
flag hosted with the Union down; but The strange
either did not see ii as drited fiat to leeward, q
thought it useless TO approach us in tremendous SCI
AT dark, the 24h the water had been greatly DINING
shed and the engineer reported to be IN good sptt
Our gallant captain snatched moment now and the
from the deck visit the cabin with cheering word
or SMILE and Howard. circulated among his dIvislon
encouraging them nobly did his brave ancestor d
the hrs ssds OF The revolution Yet when mig
scarcely being in the saloons who, for awhile, nd
made very slien, by the memory OF the day and hour
was Christmas eve Yet what contrast with the wonts
scenes Of home Wives, parents. friends. warm resds
peace. coHtenment, before us merry little face
laugh hing, gay little figures. dancing around the ghe
branches OF the Christmas tree! We thought Of N
thousand of hearts that were beating with hops 10 \
reunited on the with the sinking jewellers in h&
ship. We felt that those many eyes might behold us n
more forever and that violent dreadful death. wouI
perhaps leave single remnant OF the foundered shil
TO tell the tale OF her destruction Fortunately, howeve
duty gave respite for reflection or broodlng mood
ness. Probably failed to offer silent prayed
bat band of struggling men more noby 81
tanned by mutual confidence courage, endurance, an
sympathy
Scarcely had the sun when the gales, which LASTED
began abae their violence, and they tell the sea
with them. The working parties continued their laDoI
all mig bit long and they wrought the waters decreAs
in the hold. About midnight the chief engineer was
abed to rekndle his fires, and raise the steam but VIII
he set the machinery in motion at day dawn on Inc 70
The engine found to make only half a revousio1
and then stop Here seemed the failure oil our last Aop
notw outstanding the subsistence OF the sea- and the
pearance OF All approaching calm for the vessel had beg
SO long strained rack ed by the rolling that now, vi
every motion, her umbers groaned and cracked as
sWall unuJ sunupT them COMPLETELY,
i Ate O'Clock went on deck. and found the day Il
and promising. The tempest was over. The sea (
comparatively smooth. brisk breeze blew from
southwest and a sail" doomed up on the horizon
the momen,ary doubt as 10 whether the engine cou
again be made to work, our flag was boisted with
Union down, and signals OF distress repeatedly mr.
The schooner soon perceived us, and began TO
towards our ship; but before she got nearer ih}
three miles our engineer had entirely cleared away
the Goals and cnders that choaked the action OF the
gne and had produced perfect revolution 81 The "ea
er's wheels
You may imagine the cheer that went up from
crowded deck as the Ohio once shot over smoo
sea. and ceased to crack and groan and labor IN in
puIhng waves Silence succeeded that cheer, LOT
were anxious 10 EXPIRE their gratitude to God and 10
treat a continuance OF the promised mercy.
Sad as had been the eue, the day Of Christmas. IS
was perhaps the most Joyous that VIII ever oe pas.eo
mos, Of ihe yoyagers on the Ohio The conhnu
calm, though the wind fresh and lar. Our erPp'X
and strained engine not pushed, bu, was aueo
all the canvass could crowd on the snip, wh'cn
now al our own solicitation. a. well as aceern& ~
Judgment of our captain, directed towards Notok, ,"e
La An observation in The morning and AT noon SNOW
us TO be about IS miles distant from Cape Henry but
the aid of wind and steam were before ngbtiaIi
in under the lee OF the land, in smooth water
dark, the wind again freshened TO brisk. ugly q
with dirty and lowering sky; and 10 my nrsl vac