Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1852-10-21

OF the boat, her bow being now sunk. A hun
dred and fifty, perhaps, In number, we stood
together upon this last and failing support. One
after another, imploriDg females who had none
10 look to for protection, came and begged 10
cling to US. We kept them near, and promised
them all the aid in our power, while by passages
of Scripture and soothing words we sought to
calm them and point them to Him who, in the
fourth watch of the night, once walked the dark
waters of Genesareth to save the sinking.
took off my coat, and standing with the woman
who had fixed her death grasp upon my hand,
little one side Of the crowd, held myselfin read
tness for swimming when the uroeh-sssoula la;l
US. At this time first saw distant Light
Pointing it out 10 those around me, our first ra-
tonal hope that we might be saved was lighted
up. Supposing it vessel on her course, we
shouted with all our power to hail her. The
minutes were long before we could see that she
was nearing US. Once, from her turning or other
cause, she seemed to be leaving us. Refuge
failed US. 10 our distress we cried unto God,
and renewing our shouts to The vessel, we soon
saw her approach U.s. She was propeller, and
as we afterwards learned, the object with which
we had come in collision. How we had gotten
SO far from her, and remained distant so long, is
still but partially explained, though our engine
continued to run till the water arrested it.
AS the propeller came up to our wreck, there
was precPitate rush to get aboard of her, in
which several fell into the lake, and her captain
fearing that the crowd rushing upon her side,
together with the water she was carrying from
leaks caused by the collision, would sink her,
backed away from US Immediately, and lay of
some rods from US for weary half hour, during
which, such was the tumuh on our wreck, thai
nothing could be heard from him, At length
we succeeded in stilling the cries of our party
so that orders from the propeller could be heard
And the sweetest human sound that fell upon the
scene was the stern but kind voice of command
from the captain Of the propeller, saying, Obey
my orders, and will save every one Of you
otherwise must again back off and leave you.
1t was like Jesus saying, " He that belevcth in
me shall be saved he that beeveth not sha
be damned" We were STILL Our delivereI
came calmly to our side. We assisted on our
females, children, and such as needed help and
following ourselves, were safe. We had been
two doletul hours upon the wreck during the
last one Of which, well nigh, God had held a
small portion of her stern above the water in a
manner as specially provdential as though we
/, aGosa4IhroFgh winch we had rushed on. Of the
cabin, and some of which we had vainy tried II
get off, He had shut, confning portion Of ali
in her after cabin, which held her up against al
her ponderous iron work and coal, that were
straiaing TO carry us to Il fathomless bottom.
But where were scores and hundreds of our
companions? .A
Our thnned ranks kept asking with fearfu
emphasis, WHERE ? The wide death scene, in
the midst Of which we had stood so long, alone
could answer. They had perisbed in the first
sudden rush of water upon the main deck. They
went down in struggling masses by rushing in a
wild throng from the sinking vessel into the lake
From these two causes large portion Of our
emgrant passengers, Of whom We had two hun
dred or more, found an instant grave. Many
other individuals and families left the deck ant
cabin with little or nothing to support them, mum
bers of whom perished, while some by incredible
feats ofswimming and providential nterpostlon
were rescued e7
| saw the broken hearted brother, whose
sister, unable to find him, was last heard cry
ing: "Where is our dear brother ?'-as The
waters carried her away. | saw Mr.. Lawrence
of Beyidere. III who with his wife was saved
from the water 10 carry home the heatrendIni
account Of two ladies' under his charge being
swept from his sight and drowned, just as hC
gained glimpse of them and was speaking t
,hem saw step-son whose aged parents
left for moment in the cabin, was seen no more
saw an interesting little Prussian girl from 1
large family of parents, brother and sisters, .
which she was the sad, speechless relic, shI
being unable to utter sy liable Of our language
And have come this morning from the saddles
survivor OF all, if the case be as narrated. Sh
is from wealthy silk merchants family i
London, England, by the name of Williams
She has been travelling in this county with a
invalid sister for the benefit of the latter, an
in company with a brother and his wife an
two children, six in all. Her brother was kille
by some falling object while he held her hant
She saw the children drop into terrific grave
the sisler-in law and feeble sister followed
She had seen enough she swooned, and whe
consciousness returned, she was In the propeller
in wet clothes, saved, she knows not where froI
or how, to tell tale off grief TOO bitter almol
for endurance. Her brother was about to pun
chase residence ON the Hudson river, and ha
with him large sum of money. A hudred an
fifty deaths will be the least supposable numbe
lost. Accuracy can never be reached. Th
saved have noting but what they bore upon theI
persons, which IN most cases "as uieii "gh
clothes alone. .5Jt
have no words of censure for the officer
and crew of the Atantc. know not the cauS
of the accident. know not what was done
attemped after its occurrence. saw no otiice'
heard no order, and am not aware that the poa
was subjected to any management after the co
lision. The public will wait with anxiety
know by whose fault we came together wit
such tremendous force, and what plan for NIT
eating the catastrophe our officers proposed
themselves, and how they executed it, The pub
liz will then award to all their due honor
whom honor, blame to whom blame.
Unbounded praise we may ascriOe wthot
hesitation to One. Had not the Lord been
Z o,. s;da than the proud waters had gone oVI