The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1853-04-28

of The lst instant, derive the following oarticu
lara Of that melancholy event:
The steamer was wrecked on the island of Mar
garita, on the coast of Lower California l67 m lies
north OF Cape St. Lucas. The spot where the
stesmer suuck was on point of sand beach ex
tending seaward from the coast of the isla nd but
covered at high water. At the moment the Yea
sci struck IN Undesirable scene of confusion oc
CURED on board. rush was made by the passen
gers to Vie various hatchways, and the upper deck
was soon entirely crowded with human beings
Captain Sampson ordered the engineer to back
Der, which was done with apparent ease. The Ia nd
at THE time appeared on the iarboard bow, in a
narrow point or cape; the sea was smooth, and the
steamer drawing seven feet Of water; no breakers
were visible from any quarter. The conclusion
was not violent, but Of such force as to arouse the
whole ship, and in few moments every soul on
board was the upper deck.
As the vessel was backed into deep wa
ter, Captain Sampson gave secret orders that the
pumps should be sounded, when 1T was discovered
that there eight feet of water in the hold. 1t
was of Importance that this alarming fact should
be kept from the passengers to prevent confusion,
while instant measures were adopted to beach the
ship at the nearest available spot The news, how
ever, quickly flew from mouth to mouth, and then
ensued scene Of which no idea can be given, save
to those who have been similarly situated. rush
was at made for the most valuable articles of
private property. Many were thus trampled and
bruised. The ship could be kept afloat and her
head was pointed up the coast. with the intention
of Bleaching her in some convenient place. To ia
citate this, an immense amount of dry wood was
heaped into the furnaces. Our informant thinks
that they must have run up the coast nearly i've
miles before suitable place was found.
At length large guley ravine was discov-
cred, which appeared to make out into n sand
beach, and into this nook the bows of the steamer
were turned. The crowd was now great around
the stern to avoid the anticipated danger of the
conclusion, that the helmsman could with diff
Guilty steer the ship. She was, however, beached
nopH md with ad
this been the only danger, there lie doubt that
every soul on board would have been saved; but
In the exertlons to get Up steam to hurry the ves
sePs progress, a tremendous heat had been made
in the furnaces; the water. now fast increasing in
the vessels bold, stopped the hues and obstructed
the draught into the chimneys; the furnace doors
were OF course burst open, and a vivid volume OF
fame twenty feet in length shot into the fire room
driving everybody before it with the intense heat
and instantly setting the woodwork into a blaze
All efforts to control the flames were utterly inef
fectual, and from this moment the fire rapidly
over the vessel.
en-, and before the flames had broke out, a rush
was made for the bows, but the sea, thou Oh smooth
off the shore, ran in heavy surf on the beach, and
there wal distance of some three hundred Yards
between the vessel and the land Captain Sampson
now gave the order to lower away a boat, and the
chief mate with one other undertook to carry a
line to the shore; the progress of the boat was
watched with eager eyes by the assembled multi
tdtc Ou Oooiu huC sup Out sue was SWamDe0 DY
the surf. the line was lost. and the venturers with
heir boat were thrown upon the beach, the two
men barely escaping with their lives. A second
boat was now lowered and manned by volunteers
from among the hremen, who, do not hesitate
to say, have shown themselves the most noble
hearted and heroic OF men by their fortitude and
courage through the terrible scenes which fol-
lowed. These brave fellows reached the shore
and succeeded in making a small three-nch haul
ing line last to projecting rock, which was at
once hauled taut by those on board. But a third
boat was lowered by order of the captain This
boat was put in charge of Captain Steel, an expe
riencsd shipmaster, who a passenger on
board. Having been lowered, it was found that
she was half full of water and of service unless
bailed out, and DR.. Corbett sprang into her for
that purpose. This effected, six ladies were passed
down, among whom were Miss Conway Mrs Ha-
ley, Mrs. Seymour, and Mrs. Coots there were
two other ladies whose names We have not learned.
The boat rode the first breaker, but was filled and
swamped by the second, and those already on
shore rushed in to the rescue of the ladies and
dragged them on to the beach. Dr. Corbett was
In this boat, and, gaining the shore, turned to.
wards the ship at the cries of terror proceeding
from her, and beheld the quarter deck developed
in flames.
And now ensued of the most narrowing
scenes ever recorded in the history of shipwreck
The flames leaped rapidly across the after part of
the ship, driving the masses before IT, and dozens
sprang into the water, and were seen struggling
in the surf. All the boats now gone and it
was impossible to regain the ship from the shore
or to render any succor whatever. Dreadful cries
and screams proceeded from the ship, which,
mingled with the roar ing of the sea, the crac king
of the flames, and shouting of those on shore who
could only gaze helplessly on the sight must have
been era of terror in the lives of those who be-
held it from the beach. As the flames advanced
forward the unhappy victims were forced into the
sea, and every suri came freghted with corpses or
exhausted half drowned men, women and chill
dren. Such scene has never before been wit.
messed on the Pacific coast. To add to the excite
ont no arpo hlh
powder ma gazine which exploded, tearing the
run and stern TO pieces, and splintering all that
portion of the ship; the two guns surrounded by
the flames, also sent their solemn booming over
the scene.
Those who were fortunate enough to get within
rench of their friends shore. were dragged half
dead out of the reach Of the surf bile others were
swept around the stern of the steamer, or out to
sea, there being strong current making seward
from the ship. At moment not less than
thirty corpses and bodies of the dying were in the
edge of the surf some of them Invested of clothing
Out of party of eighteen Jews who were on
board, sixteen persisted from the weight of coin it
supposed which they attempted to bring
with them through the waves. The outward
current above mentioned carried off numbers of
persons who were good swimmers, or hoated, who
would otherwise have been saved; several women
thus floating were swept away; the baggage, such
would hoat, also went out with the ebb; none of
it saved by drifting to the shore.
Many deeds of noble daring were performed BY
the sailors, fremen, and coal passers.
Most of the persons ashore were too exhausted to
render assstan to those beating about in the surf
People about the beach perfectly frantic; one
party attempted to launch boat to reach the
steamer, but it was overwhelmed by the surf, and
this accident intimidated others, that it was inn
possible to muster the requisite force to launch a
secopd. Meantime the ship had become Twin 2
mass of fire; the heat was intense, even on the
shore, and every moment the beach received new
accessions to the hst of dead and dying. The
was truly narrowing, and when at last the steamer
was charred and smoking hulk, her stern lifted
and she swung heavily round and went up broad
side on the beach.
Some few provisions were saved from The wreck
such salt beef, pork, molasses, gar, few tin
cans Of preserved meats, and some cheese but no
water, was there drop of water on the island
which we have before observed was utterly barren
and uninhabited. The usual amount of suffering,
| particularly among the women and childre en-, was
experienced. Attempts were made by the survi-
vors, after burying the dead, to procure water by
condensng steam, but the experiment failed.
There were now some two hundred and seventy
souls congress gated on the beach, and they all went
without ia stin water for hfy-sx hours; the salt
provisions only aggravated their sufferings.
Shortly after the scene described, party started
for the neighboring mountains, and on reaching
their summit they were bled to descry Magda
lena Bay on the mainland opposite, from which the
Iss nd of Margarita is removed some fifteen miles;
here they observed four ships at anchor; they
proved to be- whalers, busily engaged in try
ing ont oil, bile beyond. in the vast papora-