Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1852-1852, 1852-02-13
The Loss of the Amazoa-Interesting Inc;-

Turk, Capt. smith, arrived E'fc toGa!' H0i'i
IIayre bringing the majority Of the survivors OF
tho wreck Of t1le Amazon, who "tre landed at
Brest OH the 5th Inst.
Out of the twenty-five. saved by the Dutcn
bark, twentv-one have been brought to South
ampton. They consist Of Mrs Macl"nnan and
child and Miss Smith, passengers; Mr. 'acoh
Allen foreman of Messrs Seward and Carei|
Mr. William Stone (fourth engineer Of the Al'a-
zon,) and Michael Gould, (the scc'nI SteWard')
tie remaining fifteen being >"anc'l, hfenieh' N''
The whole of these unfortunate people "ho
escaped. many Of them III state OF S.mi-huo't!'
have evidently experienced great iIard>Inl'S since
their p:oyilantial dcl;vcrancc from the burning
shin, being exposed to the incI'mcncy OF the
weather. with insufficient clothing to protect
them from the cold, and from the heavy seas
which constantly washed over them, nearly
swampinr their frail boats. For forty-clSht hours
thoy were tossed about, having no provisions OF
water to sustain their sinking spirits, ana beng
almost left to d.$pair of ever reaching port OF
sar,ty. Some of the men look very i'll, and bear
tho oppcarafco Of having undergone much suf-
f,rinr and trials When nearly ready to give
up their painful and almost hopeless task at the
oars. the mon were sustained and prompted to
fresh efforts by the kind and cheering words CT
the ladies, whose painful situation, destitute OF
all comforts and necessaries, it Is almost mpoSSl-
Lle to appreciate.
The sufferers were received and treated at brcst
with the utmost kindness, attention. and hospl-
taitv, both by the French authorltics'and also by
the British Consul and English residents. At
Havre the English residents made subscription
to tba amount Of nearly GoO for their benefit,
with which to supply their most pressing ne
cess:ties.
The escape of Mrs. Maclennan was almost
miraculous one-she was twice separated from
her child, an infant of tender age; yet the couE-
are she displayed in tcco erng it, III the midst ol
the scenes of horror attending the rapid conlla-
grafton of the ship, show the enduring love OF
mother, which no circumstances OF danS"Fto hcl-
self could cause her to forget We regret to
add that the husband Of Mrs MacIennan IS a.
mong the fearful list Of the missing by this terri
bic catastrophe. She, however, entertmnS a
firm conviction that Mr.. Maclennan escaped IN
one of the boats which has Yet to be accounted
cor, and We understand expresses an expectation
that he may vet be heard Of. Mrs Macleirnan
is severely bruised, and her health Is con>dara-
bly, shaken by thc fearful suff5rings through
which she has passed. On landing at Soutamp-
ton to-day, she was powerfully affected. She
was met by her brothcr-in-law, and left South
ampton to join her relatives BY the three O'Clock
train.
Miss Smith, the other female passenger, had
displayed heroism and intrepdity throughout
these painful scenes which place her almost IN
the rank Of Grace Darling She is a very pre-
possessing young lady, and VIC understand took
a passage by the Amazon t. join family III
Porto Rico. with whom she had obtained the ap-
pointmept Of roverness Miss Smith states that,
after hayine retired to rest the cventfnl night,
she was aroused by sudden noise and cry OF
Fire. She rushed out OF her berth IN her
nightdress, but Yves met by some gentleman,
who conducted or carried her back to her CABIN,
enjoinins her not to be alarmed as the fumes
would soon be slbduad From the increasing
confusion, She however, thought it best to pro-
vide for her own safety, and accordingly obtain
cd possession ola blanket and pettcoat, Snatch
ing UP the first articles at hand, and rushed up
on the deck The appearance Of matters there,
it appears, impressed het with the convection
that Capt. Symons hal lost all control over his
crew, who were rapidly launching the boats and
getting away from the ship rs G~t as they could.
Miss Smith, therefore, formed the resolve OF
saving her own life if possible, and set about it
with coolness quite extraordinary. She put On
her pcticoat envclopel herscfiu the blanket, a'id
and then making fast one end Of rope to soln;
part OF the buwarks Of the ship, and securing
the other end to one Of her arms she threw her
self overheard with the intention of getting iato
one Of tic boats, bat, # unsuccessful in Tbs en-
deavor, to remain suspended as long as She could,
and then to drop into the sca, pretcTrny death
by drowning, to the horrible alternative Of per
ishng by fire The flames were rapidly az
preaching the part Of the vessel from which she
was suspended, when Mss Smith, observing 4 IA
vorable opportunity, threw h*fself into one of
the boats that happened to pass n@ar her, and
which was getting away from the blazing wreck;
she fell heavily on one Of the seats or thwartS Of
the boat, and one Of the scam"a fell upon her,
her chest being thereby severely bruised. She
was, however, snatchcd from immediate death,
but only to encounter the horrors and uncertain
ties of stormy sea and furious gale.
In all the trying scenes which followed, her
tirmness and courage never deserted her; intact,
on several occasions she took her place at the
oars, and helped manfulIy by her boIIly exertions
to propcl the boat. So destitute Of clothing
were the crew Of the boat in which this young
lady WAS tellow-suffarer, and such an entire alb
sencc was there of anything wiki which to make