The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1853-05-11

the ventursrs with their boat were thrown
upon the beach, the two men barely escap-
ing with their lives. second boat was
now lowered and manned by volunteers
from among the iremen. These brave
in making small three inch hauling line
fast to a projecting rock, which was at once
hauled taut by those on board, and third
boat was lowered by order of the Cap
tain.
During this time the ship remained i'm.
movable, the surf striking her in the stern
and perhaps tending to set her irmer into
the sand. The third boat having been
lowered, six ladies were passed into it,
when it was swamped and the ladies saw
ed by men from the shore. On gaining
the shore they looked back and saw the
whole vessel in blaze.
And now ensued one of the most har-
rowing scenes ever recorded in the history
of shipwreck; the flames leaped rapidly
across the after part Of the ship, driving
the masses before them, and dozens sprung
into the water and were seen struggling in
the surf. All the boats were now gone,
and it was impossible to regain the ship
from the shore or to render any succor
whatever; dreadful cries and screams pro.
ceeded from the ship, which, mingled with
the roaring of the sea, the cracking of the
flames and shouting Of those on the shore.
who could only gaze helplessly on the
sight, must have been an era of terror in
the lives of those who beheld it from the
beach. As the flames advanced forward,
the unhappy victims were forced into the
sea, and every surf came freighted with
corpses, or exhausted half drowned men,
women and children. Such scene has
never before been witnessed on the Pacific
coast. To add to the excitement, the
flames had now communicated to the pow
der magazine, 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 reach Of their friends on shore were
dragged, half dead, out of the reach of the
surf, while others swept around the stern
of the steamer or out to sea, there being
strong current making seaward from the
ship. At one moment not less than thirty
corpses and bodies of the dying were in
the edge of the surf, some of them divest-
ed Of clothing. Out Of party of eighteen
Jews who were on board. sixteen perished
from the weight of coin, it was supposed,
which they attempted to bring with them
through the waves. The outward current,
above. carried off numbers Of
persons who were good swimmers, or float
ed, who otherwise would have been saved;
several women thus floating were swept
away; the baggage, such as would float,
also went out with the ebb; none Of it was
saved by drifting to the shore.
We have spoken above Of the manly
conduct Of the sailors, firemen and coal
passers. Some of these noble fellows, dis
regarding their own danger. seized little
children in their arms or lashed them to
themselves and attempted to gain the shore.
Several are known to have thus sacrificed
themselves. One Of the fremen brought
ON shore two children whose parents were
both drowned. ,iAnother fireman brough.
la beautiful boy ashore, to his mother, who
had just been washed TO the beach. Her
|
and she supposed this child had shared
the same fate. The meeting may be i'm
agined.
i The purser, Mr.. James Freeborn, re.
manned upon the deck until driven off by
the fire, when, springing overheard, he
clung to floating spar, and was washed
ashore insensibIe. Tom Sawyer, wild
RECKLESS scamp, but whose faults, be they
what they may, should henceforth be for
gotten, entirely stripped, went to and from
the wreck four times; he is only nineteeI
years of age. After the third time. ano
when nearly exhausted with his exertions
he learned that the Chief Engineer, Mr.
Collins, was unable to swim and likely Il
drown; he Immediately started off agair
} Through the surf with a'life- -preserver, fas
! tened it around the helpless man and &C
; companied him to the beach; he was ais,
instrumental in preserving the lives of sew
eral others.
Most of those ashore were too exhauste,
to render assistance to those beating abou
in the surf. People ran about the beacl
perfectly frantic; one party attempted L
} launch boat TO reach the steamer, but
= Woo osO1WuOttuOu W sio Gull. nAooAau'
the ship had become living mass of fire
the heat was intense even on the shore
0 and every moment the beach received ne,
: accessions to the list OF dead and dying
The scene was truly narrowing. and whe
!. at last the steamer was charred an
: smoking hulk, her stern lifted, and sh
= swung heavily round and went up broad
side on the beach.
= Some few provisions were saved from tn
8 wreck, such as salt beef, pork, molasse'
n vinegar, q few tin cans of preserved meal
It and some cheese. but no water, nor wa
g there q drop of water on the island. Thel
Q were now some two hundred and seveni
. souls congregated on the beach, and the
3, all went without tasting water for fifty-s
:. hours; the salt provisions only aggravate
% their suferings.
k Shortly after the scene we have descril
'e ed above. party started for the neighbo
m ing mountains, and on reaching their sur