The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1853-05-05
Latest from California.
TERRIBLE DIsAsETR AT SEA.

By the arrival of the steamer Star of
the West, at New-York, we have news
from San Francisco to the lst of April.
BY this arrival, we have the distressing
intelligence of the destruction on her way
from Panama to San Francisco, of the
steamer Independence by shipwreck and
fire, with the loss of from one hundred
and forty to two hundred lives. Itseems
that the vessel was lost on the 10th of
February, having run ashore on the
shoals off Margaretta Island, where she
took fire and was burned to the waters
edge. Five hundred passengers were on
board, all of whom leaped into the water
and tried to swim ashore, of whom at least
one hundred and forty, and probably
more were lost. Margaretta Island is
upon the coast of Lower California, and
is uninhabited.
After striking, the Independence back
ed off; but finding eight feet of water in
the hold, Capt. Sampson ordered the pi-
lot to run her On the beach at a spot three
hundred yards from the shore. There
the ship took fire, from the intense heat
Of the furnaces, the flames spreading rap
idly and creating the most frightful con-
sternation among the passengers. A ve-
ry heavy surf was running, and all
the boats of the steamer were sWamped
in trying to make the first trip ashore
To add to the horrors of the scene, the
fire reached the powder magazine, which
exploded with terrible force shattering
the steamers stern to pieces, and scatter
tering the fragments in every direction.
Many of the passengers were blown into
the sea, and others jumped in, and were
Immediately carried out to sea by the
strong current that was sweeping from
the shore. Those who succeeded in
reaching the shore were unable to render
much assistance to those struggling in the
water, and were obliged for the most part
to remain passive spectators of immense
numbers of men, women and children
perishing by fire and in the sea.
The ship finally swung around broad
side to the beach, when her coal also took
fire and she was totally destroyed.
At one moment not less than thirty
corpses and bodies of the dying were in
the edge of the surf, some of them dives
ted ofclothing. Out of party of eigh-
teen 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.
AS the swimmers approached the shore,
planks were thrown out to them, and
those that had regained little strength
waded out into the surf to lend a helping
hand to their comrades; many, as they
came in, fell exhausted upon the sand,
where they lay motionless for half an
hour, completely prostrated with exces-
sive exertion.
They remained on the island three
days and two nights during which time
they suffered much from lack of water;
several water casks foated ashore, but the
liquid they they contained was found so
impregnated with salt as to be useless
On Thursday they obtained barrel of
molasses another of vinegar; they mixed
the two; and it answered the purposes of
quenching their thirst. Afterward they
managed to drill hole into rock with
spikes, which furnished scant supply of
brackish water, which they sucked thro'
quills. Eight miles inland some more
water was discovered, and several went
thither in search of it. The island is bar
ren and destitute of all vegetation, ex-
cept species of prickly pear; several CO.
votes were seen, but no other signs oflife
About fifty of the passengers carried
one of the ships boats, weighing about a
ton, across the island on their shoulders,
and launched her in Marguerite bay
They also carried across small cannon,
procured from the wreck, and little
powder, which by chance was brought a.
shore; there was sufficient to fire the piece
twice, whereby they attracted the atten-
ton of those on board the whaleships, who
were lying some twelve miles off. The
captains of those vessels Immediately dis
patch boats ashore with provisions and
water. The shipwrecked party were ta-
ken off in the boats and distributed "a
mong the different vessels, aboard which
they remained fifteen days; the Meteor
was then chartered, and all went aboard
excepting some twenty, including several
ladies, who preferred to proceed in anoth-
er ship to the Sandwich Islands.
Many acts of individual courage were
performed, many that probably will nev-
er come to light. One gentleman, after
reaching the shore uninjured, swan out
again to the wreck and brought off a
child; he had no family on board-noth-
ing to tempt him to return to danger
once passed, except the noble desire to
preserve human life Another threw his
three children overheard and followed
after them-they were all drowned, 1t
is supposed that three or four perished in
the flames or were sufocated by the
smoke.
Many of the ladies were saved by the
buoyancy of their inflated clothing, which
enabled thOm to float upon the water.