The Athens post. [volume] (Athens, Tenn.) 1848-1917, 1853-04-29
A THRILLING SCENE,

Inc sup lIaue hluu, WHICH tOOh AiO vi
her passage from New York to San Francisco,
had among her passengers, eight Missionaries
and their families, sent out to California and
Oregon, by the Home Missionary Society,"
One of them writes home the following de-
scription of the scene on board:
On the morning of the twenty-iirst day of
our passage, when in lat, deg. IA min., and
long. 80 deg. 3S min., one of the sailors came
running to the officer on the quarter deck,
crying out, "The ship is on firew This Off
Ger went forward, and saw the smoke coming
out of the chain lockers and crevices of the
deck. He ordered the force pump to be
manned, and went back to the cabin, where
Capt. w. and the passengers were at break
fast He communicated the fact to the Cap
tain, and they both left without any suspicious
being excited as to the cause After break
fast went upon deck, and the unusual stir
on the forcastle attracting my attention,
went forward, and soon learned the cause-
the ship was on fire. in the cargo, somewhere
it was supposed between the second and third
decks; but how extensive the fire was could
not be Immediately ascertained. A hole was
cut through the deck and stream of water
from the force pump, which would throw
about five barrels per minute, was thrown
upon the burning mass. Several other places
were cut, and lines for passing buckets were
formed by the passengers. We toiled on in
this way for some three hours, but could
see no indications that we were getting the
fire under. The ventilatOrs seemed rather to
show that i was spreading aft under the
cabin, Mkich was then be ginning to be filed
with gas and smoke.
The ship was then turned head to the land;
we were $50 miles from it The magazine
was hoisted upon the upper deck, and placed
where it could be easily thrown overheard;
the life-boats got out and the provisions and
water and the clothing made ready. AT this
time another large opening was made, and
box, on fire, was broken to pieces, and its
contents passed upon the deck. Another
and another were broken up in the same
manner till place was made large enough
TO admit one of the sailors, who boldly went
down with the hose in his hand. He direct
ed it against the burning mass, till he fell
exhausted upon the floor He was dragged
out, and another, as bold as he, came to his
place. In moment or two he fell, like his
companion, and was dragged out insensible,
and carried upon the deck. Another and
another took his place, and shared his fate.
Thus it went on till every one Of our sixty
sailors had taken his turn. At one time, |
counted sixteen of these generous fellows
lying together on the deck. The ladies came
from the cabin and bathed their heads with
camphOr, which would, in most cases, bring
them to in a short time. AS soon us one was
recovered sufficiently to walk he would 90
back and offer his services again. Several of
the men were brought up out of this place
as many as eight times. On the most of them
the gas which they inhaled seemed to have
an effect somewhat like that of laughing gas,
particularly when they were partially resus-
ctated. 1t was no easy matter to restrain
those powerful men when they endeavored to.
throw themselves overheard, or do them
selves or us some personal harm.
For four hours we labored in this way,
and you may imagine the terrors of our posi-
ton. We could but fear that the strength
of the men, self sacrificing rs they were,
would not hold on till the flames were extin-
guished. Some of them could do no more,
and these the hardest of them all. We toll
ed on, however-the passengers, gentlemen
and ladies, working the pumps--for another
hour, when the joyful news came that the fire
was out No more flames could be seen, no
more smoke arose. We began to breathe
freely, and hope that deliverance had been
sent Ia as. After the rest vi an hour an eX-
animation was made, but no signs of fire was
discovered. We al lay down upon the deck
Gt was very warm) and passed the night
The next day was the sabbath, and never did
more grateful, more devout assembly,
come together for the worship of God. The
most daring and wicked among the sailors
confessed that if God had not have helped
them they could not put out the fire. One of
the men had said when the ship was on fire,
"You see now how little use all this praying
is, which we have had aft. There never was
II ship that vent out of New York that has
had so much of it on board, and yet, here she
is, on fire." And yet, this same man, when
he went down into the hold, and saw what
the fire had done, said with great deal Of
emotion,'"if prayer didn't keep the ship from
getting on fire, it must have had something
to do with putting il out"