New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1853-04-25

our files the following additional news.
THE BURNING OF THE INDEPENDENCE
The following is Capt. Simpsons statement
of this deplorable catastrophe. 1t will be read
with painful interest by all classes of our citi-
zens:
.Mes1S. Edit0rs--I am under the painful
necessity Of reporting the loss of the steamer
independence, lately under my command on
her passage from San Juan del Sud to this port,
and about one hundred and twenty five lives,
consisting of the passengers and fifteen of the
crew. She was lost on the Island of Margarita,
off the coast of Lower California. After eav-
ing Acapulco, we experienced strong breezes
from n W. to N. Passed Cape st. Lucas on the
morning of the 18th February. At u o'clock
NJ of the 18th, we were in latitude % 04 NJ,
longitude ITO AZ W; steewed NV. byWtW per
compass, intending to go to the westward Of
Margarita Islands
On the morning of the 10th, at ] o'clock, A.
", made the mainland to the eastward of the
ISLAND, having been set in shore by the current.
Altered the course to s. W. At 2 A. NJ made
the Island of Margarita, the south point bearing
W. by s. per compass; then altered the course
to W. S. w. l intended to give the point
berth of three miles, but owing to a haze over
the land was deceived in the distance. At Is
minutes past 5, just as day was breaking, she
struck on a sunken reef extending off from the
south point Of the island about mile from the
shore The sea was very smooth at the time,
not breaking on the reef at all. Backed the
engine, and she came off examined the hold
and found that she was filling fast knew that
[ should have to beach her to keep her from
sinking got sail over the bow (under herr to
try to stop the leak, and set a gang of men at
work at each hatchway bailing, and run along
the west side of the island, close in, to find a
good place to put her ashore. Told the engi-
neer to let me know five minutes before the wa
ter would be up high enough to put out the
fires. When we had run about four miles the
engineer came up and reported the water nearly
up to the fires, and that they would soon be ex-
tinguished Put the helm hard a-port, and run
her ashore into small cove on the south west
side of the island, head on Lowered boat,
and sent the mate and two men in her to run
line to the beach, which was about a hundred
yards distant, but the boat preached to and was
swamped in the surf Lowered another boat,
and sent three men in her with another line,
which they succeeded in getting ashore. | now
iscertained that the ship was on fire. Told the
engineer to take his men and put out the fire il
possible Ordered the other two boats to be
lowered, and to come forward, and the women
and children to come to the forward gangway
loaded both boats with women and children
and sent them ashore.
The ship had now swung round, broadside on
The mate and two men came off with the boat
that took the line ashore, and she was immedi
| ately loaded with women and children, and wen
ashore with them. The fire originated from tn,
furnaces. 1t was necessary, after the steame,
| struck on the reef, to use wood and boards fol
fuel, in order to keep up steam until she strucl
/ on the beach, when the water was so high as I,
stop the draft from the lower fues, which forced
| open the furnace doors, and the flames rusheC
| out and caught the wood work in the fire room
| and also around the smoke stack thence spread
| ing very rapidly Every effort was made to ge
| the fire under, but of no avail The flames wer,
| now coming up from the hatchways, fire room
engine room, ventilators, and around the smok
stack; every thing was CONSERVATION and dis
may the people seemed completely bewildered
and were jumping overheard by dozens
The scene was perfectly horrible and indie
scribable-men, women and children screeching
| crying and drowning. l ordered the spars
matches, tables, and every thing that wou
| ioat, to he thrown overheard, which was done
and they were Immediately covered with PEG
pie. About an hour after the ship struck tn
| beach she was in perfect sheet Of flame, an
| there was no one on board of her except one G
the coal passers, named Beaumont, and myself
The smoke stack had fallen, and the prone
made deck forward had tumbled in; the flame
were coming out of the side lights, and it wa
impossible to stay on board any longer. A bon
came off from the shore with two of the deck
hands in her. Beaumont, who was near tn
fore rigging, jumped into her, and / jumpe
overheard, swan to her, and commenced pickin
up those who were afoat. After picking u
three boat loads, Thomas Herren, the steward
succeeded in launching another boat and savin
some of the people. When all that were aliv
had been picked up, and some of the baggage,
landed, and had the spars which had drifte
ashore hauled up into ravine, and with one oil
sail that had washed ashore, made a tent larg
enough to shelter the women and children.
The ship was still in flames, so that it wa
impossible for any one to board her. gave tn
mate and engineer orders to have the dead "a
ken above high water mark and buried, and
| board the wreck as soon as possible, and say
all the provisions and water that they could.
then took a boat and four men, and started
Ii pull round the north end of the island to Mag
lalena Bay in search of assistance, expecting
! find some ships there.
We pulled until ten o'clock that night, whel
not being able to see any vessels, and not know
! ing in what direction to pull l landed on Il
north shore of the entrance to Magdalena Ba
hauled up the boat, and waited until daylight
when | started again to pull across the bay
after pulling an hour and half, discovered
vessel close in to the main land, pulled for al
reached her at l. o'clock A. NJ; found her to
the schooner A. Emery, Captain Gordon. IT
, Captain and most of the crew were ashore, loo
ing for water; set signal, and they came
board.
Captain Gordon said that he had been in t
!; bay five days, and that there were no other We
sells in the bay. After stating the circumstanc
| Of the wreck to him, he consented to get und
| way, (although he had but sixty gallons
= board at the time,) and take the survivors
San Jose or Cape st. Lucas, where they cou
get the necessaries of life until other assistan
could be rendered them; and he immediate
n got under way, and commenced beating OF
At Daylight of the 18TH it being calm and t
schooner being a long distance from the wrec
= | took twenty gallons of water and sack
bread in the boat, and started for the camp, e
j. pecting to find the people suffering for water,
n there was none on the island fit to drink. A
rived abreast the wreck at P. NJ, having be
gone from there fifty lone hours. The surf "
!, breaking heavily, making it dangerous to lar
@ The mate came down on the beach, and So
\ that the passengers had gone across the islam
and that had better pull round the south e
# of the island to the other side, which did, a
X found the boats crews from the whale shi
Omega, James Maury, Meteor, and bark Gle
X ent, busily at work taking passengers on boa
the ships, which lay about twelve miles dista
from the point of embarkation, in the lower ba
~ While i was away in the boat, the mate and c
ID gineer had gone across the Island, seen the sh
ca and boats, and sgnalized to them, and so
tanned relief. then took boat and crew, a