Loudon free press. (Loudon, Tenn.) 1852-1855, 1852-10-20

EAsE-The San Francisco Journal contains the
following narrative of the suffering encounter
ed by the passengers on board the S. S. Lewis,
and others who left New York in the steamer
Northern Light, with through tickets for the
same vessel.
The steamship S. s. Lewis, of Vanderbilts
line, arrived this morning, twenty days from
Juan del Sur, with portion, of the passengers
who left New York on the 9TH of May in the
Northern Light. They have been sixty-three
days in making the trip from New York, and a
hard time indeed have they had of it. The
passage across the Isthmus occupied seven days,
the water in the river being very low. In some
instances the boats had literally to be dragged
by the passengers over obstructions to naviga-
ti0n. At San Juan del Sur they were compel
ed to wait about three weeks for the S. S. Lewis;
and here there was an amount of suffering, sick
ness and death among them absolutely fearful
to contemplate.
The rainy season had Just set in the whole
earth was mass of mud; multitudes of passen-
gers, having spent their money all in New York
for through tickets to California, were entirely
destitute of means; and the agents of the line
at San Juan, although knowing, as they must
have done, that those men were at hand, and
that there was no boat to take them on their
way, had done nothing to ensure their comfort
had not even provided a roof to shelter them
from the rain. The consequence, as might have
been tOreseen, was an amount of sickness and
death SO fearful that the bare statement of it is
enough to make even the most thoughtlesS shud-
der.
Almost Immediately ON the arrival of the pas
sengers by the Northern LIGHT at San Juan
and fever began to do Their We n among them;
and after few days the sick, the dying, and the
dead might be seen at any time lying around on
the bare earth. We have been told Of one poor
fellow, who having a couple Of blankets, made
of them. with assistance of two sticks, sort of
rude tent, under which he crawled for shelter
from the rain Law down on the wet ground, and
died Poor wretch He doubtless left his home
in the East with hopes and sanguine expecta-
tons, little dreaming that his career was to have
so speedy and so dreadful termination as this,
Those who were so fortunate as 70 have means,
did what they conld for their destitute fellow
passengers: but the number of the latter was so
numerous, that the amount of assistance which
could be rendered to each was of necessity very
small The ladies, we are informed, were espe-
cialiv active in relieving the sick and needy; one
in particular whose name we could give IT we
were not fearful that the publication of it might
somewhat shock her womanly deGcacy, was
during the whole time Of their detention at San
Juan. very sister of charity to the destitute
sick. She went among them like on angel OF
mercy, administering to their necessities, speak
inr words of hope and comfort and alleviating
their sufferings by those little attentions which
only woman knows how to bestow. Many
rough adventurer called down blessings upon
her: many a countenance over which death was
already stealing, lightened up with grateful
smile as she bent over it. She was entirely
fearless on her own account; she forgot herself
in her solicitude for others. We rejoice that she
has escaped an attack of disease-that she has
arrived in this city in good health.
A few days before the arrival of the 5. 5.
Lewis at San Juan, portion of those waiting
forher-about l20 in number-took passage
in the Italian brig Rostran. Most of them were
entirely destitute; those having :. 5. Lewis
through tickets, were taken for those tickets and
$45 in addition. What use the parties purchas-
ine them intend to make of the tickets thus OBJ
tained, it is somewhat difficult to Conjecture
Many of those who took passage in the Rostran
were so sick that they had to be carried down to
the vessel on cots, or in the arms of their fellow
PASSENGERS; one person died while they were
putting him on board. 1t is fearful to think of
the tale of suffering and death on that brig,
which those who may survive the voyage will
have to rolate on their arrival here.
When the 5. s. Lewis left San Juan, one hun
dred of her passengers were sick; and when she
entered the harbor she had fifty sick on board
many of them very sick-with Isthmus ferver or
dysentery. One man was dying when the YES
sci came into port.
Of the passengers who left New York for
California, on the 9Th of May, in the Northern
Light, "a are known to have died on the way, 20
at San Junan del Sur, and ii on the passage
from that place to San Francisco.
How many of those who have arrived here
alive have landed only to die; what will be the
extent of the mortality on board the Rostran
and other sailing vessels on the way from San
Juan with portions of the Northern Lights pas
sengers, or how many of those who may survive
all the dangers, and privations of the fearful
voyage, will carry with them through life the
effects of it, in the shape of enfeebled or broken
constitutions, it is useless even to Conjecture
What we know is sad enough, without drawing
on the unknown for more.
Hiqh Rents-We are informed that $2l 900
per wear has been offered for the store now about
to be erected at the corner of Liberty street and
Broadway, thirty feet front and one hundred feet
deep, and refused; the price asked is twenty-five
thousand dollars. The basement and sub-cellar
of the store now building at the corner of Broad
way and Thames street has been let by Messrs;