Hannibal journal. (Hannibal, Mo.) 1852-1853, 1853-05-05

as Ailt AAtInto NhNdiGNil AoiWuIu NUt uUIdUpl
victims were forced into the sea, and every surf
came freighed with corpscs or exhausted half
drowned men, women and children. Such a
scene has never before been Witnessed on the
Pacific coast To add 70 the excitement The
flames had now communicated to the powder
magazine, which exploded tearing the run and
stern to pieces and silinieriig all that portion
Of The ship; the two guns surroupledby the
flames, also sent their solemn booming over the
scene. Those who were fortunate enough to
get within reach of their friends on shore were
dragged half dead out Of the reach Of the surf,
while others were swept around the stern OF the
steamer or out to sea- there being a strong cur
rent making seward fioh the ship. At one
moment not less than thirty oorpses and bodies
Of the dying were in the edge of the surf, some
of them Invested of clothing. Out Of a party Of
eighteen Jews who were on board sixteen per-
| ishcd from the weight Of coin, it is supposed
(which they attempted TO bring with them
| through the waves. The outward current above
mentioned carried of numbers of persons who
were good swimmers, or foated, who would
otherwise have been saved; several women thus
| floating were swept away, the Baggage such as
would float, also went cut with the cbJ; none
of il was saved by drifting 10 the Shore
! We have spoken above Of the manly conduct
VI lllG SuiLOiS ull4 Npd- ttaetls 1Olt
Of these noble fellows, disrcgardug their own
danger, seized little children in their arms, or
dashed them TO themselves and attempted to gain
/ the shore; several are known thus 10 have sac
riGced themselves. We have no space or heart
TO insert the numerous affecting Instances Of
courage and self sacrifice Of which we have
received accounts. Among the most conspcu-
Gus is that Of Mr.. TAFT, Of Sacramento, who lost
his life attempting TO save a son Of Mr.. Watson
They came ashore together, both drowned.--
One of the fremen brought beautiful boy
ashore to his mother who had Just been washed
( 10 The beach; her husband and two children
were drowned, and she supposed this child had
/ shared the same fate the meeting may be i'm
Iagincd.
The Purser Of the ship, MIR. Jas. Freedom,
remained upon the deck until driven of by the
fire, when springing overheard he chung 10 a
floating spar, and was washed ashore insensible;
he was resuscitated, but barely escaped with
his life, being attacked with a violent fever
There is one fireman, known as Tom Sawyer, a
wild, reckless scamp, but whose faults, be they
= what they may, should henceforth be forgotten;
the brave fellow, entirely stripped, went to and
, from the wreck four times He is only nine
teen years of age After the third time, and
, when nearly exhausted with his exertions, he
learned that the chief engineer, Mr.. Collins, was
| unable TO swim and likely TO drown; he imme.
diately started of again through the surf with a
: liCe-prpscrvcr, fastened il around the helpless
man and accompanied him to The beach; he was
also instrumental in preserving the lives oil sew
eral others.
Most Of those ashore were too exhausted &c
+ render assistance to those beating about in the
l..fs.-, H. iaIL y .l,tup,gi iduntn BOAT tC
reach the steamer, but was overH ieiln.d y, a.,
surf, and this accident inthnidated others, 50 that
, it was imposibleto muster the requisite foree
10 launch a second. Meantime, the ship had be-
| come living mass Of fire. the heat was intense
, even on the shore, and every moment the beach
received new accessions to the list Of dead and
dying. The scene was truly harro wing, ant
when, at last, the steamer was q charred and
! smoking hulk, her stern lifted, and she swung
! heavily round and went up broadside on the
beach.
) Some few provisions were saved from the
, wreck, such as salt beef pork, moasses, vine.
, gar, few tin cans of preserved meats and some
/ cheese, but no water, nor was there a drop Of
, water on the island which we have before Oh.
; served, was utterly barren and uninhabited.-
The usual amount Of suffering, particularly
among ihe women and children, was eXperienc.
ed. During the first day, attempts were made
by the survivors, after burying the dead, tC
) procure water by condensing steam, but the ex
| pertinent failed.
! There were now some two hundred and sey.
; enty souls congregaed on The beach, and they
, all went without tasting water for fify-sil
hours; the salt provisions only aggravated theil
r suiierings. Shortly after the scene we hav,
r described above, a party Started for the neigh
boring mountains and on reaching their sum
! NIT they were enabled to dcscry- Magdalcni
Bay on the mainland opposite from which the
! Island Of Margarita is removed some iGtcel
, milesj here they observed four ships at anchor
, hey proved to be whalcrs bu,ily engaged il
frying out oil, while beyond in The vast panora
ina they discovered several small boats in full
chase after whale, for Nag1alcna Bay is re-
sorted TO by whales in the winter season. Oh
serving Ills the party descended to the wreck
+, and the chief mate the engineers, and few
others, slung one Of the cann3ns of the lndcpen
, dcnce, dragged and logged it with great toll {,
tho top Of the hill, and with what little powder
! they had, fired twice TO attract the attention Of
e. the whalers; the boats, in their pursuit of the
whale, had insensibly nearel the eastern shore
OF the island, and were at once attracted by tlI,
7 discharge and the smoke against the clear sky
= The sound was also heard By those on board tho
, ship, and signals were observed 10 go up to tho
, masthead, recalling the boats. While this sys
: TEN Of telegraphing was going on between the
p shipwrerkod and the whaling fleet, another par
ty had taken an iron boat belonging TO the steam
er and carried it bodily across to the lee side
the island, and there launched it, to pull for the
; fleet on their way they fell in with the re
} turning whaling boats, who were obeying tn
signal TO return.
The news Of tie wreck Of the steamer an,
The dreadful suiierings Of the passengers arouset
all the natural instincts of sailor hospitality il