The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1853-05-03


selves. We have no space or heart to
insert tile numerous affecting instances
of courage and selEsacriTce of which
we have received accounts. Among
them most conspicuous is that of Mr..
Tais3 of Sacramento, who lost his life
in attempting to save a son Of Mr..
Watson-thcy came ashore together
both drowned. One of the firemen.
whose name we did not learn, brought
on shore two children whose parents
were both drowned. Another fremen
brought o beautiful boy ashore to his
mother who had just been washed to
the beach; her husband and two chill
drcn were drowned, and she supposed
this child had shared the same fate
The meeting may be imagined.
The Purser of the ship, Mr.. James
Frecborn, remained upon the deck un-
til driven of by the fire, when spring.
ing overheard, he clung to q floating
spar and was washed ashore insensi-
bic; but barely escaped with his life be-
ing attacked with violent fever. There
is one fireman, known rs Tom Saw
yer, o wild, reckless scamp, but whose
faults, be they what they may, should
hcnccforth be forgotten. This brave fel-
low, entirely stripped, went to and
from the wreck four times. He is on.
ly nineteen 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
Immediately started off again through
the surf with his life preserver, fasten-
ed it around the helpless man, and ac-
companled him to The beach; he was
also instrumental in preserving the
lives Of several others. Most Of
those ashore were too exhausted to
render assistance to those beating about
in the sarS People ran about the
beach perfectly frantic; one party at
tempted to launch boat to reach the
steamer, but it was overwhelmed by
the surf and this accident intimiduted
others, so that it was impossible to
muster the requisite force to launch
second. Meantime the ship had be-
come living mass Of fire; the heat was
intense even on the shore, and eve
ry moment the beach received new &C.
cessions to the list Of the dead and
dying. The scene was truly harrow.
ing, and when at last the steamer was
charrcd and smoking hulk, her
stern lifted, and she swung heavily
round, and went broadside on the beach.
Some few provisions were saved from
the wreck, such as salt beef, pork, mo-
lasscs, vinegar, u few tin cans of pre-
served meats and some cheese, but
no water nor was there a drop of
water on the island, which VIC have be-
fore observed was utterly barren and
uninhabited. The usual amount or
suffering, particularly among the wo-
men and children, was experienced.
During the first day, attempts were
made by the survivors, after bury
ing the dead, to procure water by con-
densing steam, but the experiment fail.
ed. There were now some two hun.
dred and seventy souls congrcgatcd on
the beach, and they all went with
out tasting water for fifty-six hours; the
salt provisions only aggravating their
sufierings. Shortly after the scene we
have described above, party started
for the ncighboring mountains, and on
reaching their summit they were cna-
bled to dcscry Magdalcna Bay On, the
mainland opposite, from which the IS
land of Margarita is removed some fit.
teen miles; here they observed four
ships at anchor; they proved to be
whaIers, bnsily engaged in trying on.
oil, while beyond in the vast pano.
rama they discovered several small
boats in full chaste after whale, for
Magdelena Bay is resorted to by
whales in the winter season. o.
serving this, the party descended to
the wreck, and the chief mate, the en-
gineers, and a few others, slung one Of
the cannons of the independence,
dragged and lugged it with great
toll to the top Of the hill, and with
what little powder they had, fired
twice to attract the attention of the
"halers; the boats, in their pursuit of
the whale, had insensibly nearcd the
Eastern shore Of the island, and were
at once attracted by the discharge and
the smoke aguinst clear sky. The
sound was also heard by those on
board the ships, and signals we're OBJ
served to go up to each masthead re-
calling the boats.
While this system Of telegraphing
was going on between the shipwreckcd
and the whaling fleet, another party
had takon an iron boat belonging to
the steamer and carried it bodily
across to the lee side Of island, and
there launched it, to pull for the fleet;
on their way they fell in with the re-.
turning whaling boats, who were
ohoying the signal to return. The
news Of the wreck Of the steamer and
the dreadful suflerings Of the passen-
gers aroused all the natural instincts