Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-03-18
TERRIBLE ACCIDENT ON LAKE NICARAGUA.

TERRIBLE ACCIDENT ON LAKE NICARAGUA
Dr. J. II. GIHoN Of San Francisco furnishes the fol-
lowing account Of sad at Virgin Bay, Mica
ragua, by which twenty passengers their home
ward journey from California lost their lives We have
omitted parts of Dr. Ghons letter not necessary
correct understanding of the of the disaster
/ STEAMSHIP STAR OF THE WEST,
/ Nerc York Bay, March 13, 1854.
The steamship Brother Jonathan left San Francisco OF
o'clock on the evening of February 10th, and after
exceedingly pleasant passage anchored in the harbor
San Juan del Sud early the morning Of the LIST instant
The unusually rough, gale of wind having been
blowing for several days The greater portion of the day
consequently consumed in landing the passengers
and freight There were nearly six hundred passengers
on board. about four hundred of whom were in the
seerage. The process Of landing is always necessarily
slow.
Many Of the passengers in the cabin had not landed
the ship when most of those in the Storage reached
Virgin Bay, the transit tn" country occupying
about two hours Here two steamers the Central Anne
RIGA and Ometepe, were waiting. 1t Immediately
announced that the former would sail early in the
ing and that the latter would be retained until the cabin
passengers with their baggage the SPECIE and express
matter, should arrive
The steerage passengers became impressed with the
idea that they about be imposed upon that the
cabin passengers were to fare better than themselves in
word that something to be gained by waiting for the
Ometepe and hence neither threats entreates could
induce them to embark on the Central America the
largest and best boat of the two The agents of the COM
pany endeavored by all possible means to induce them to
60 on board but all their efforts were unavang The
sailed with two hundred passengers leaving four
hundred with the SPECIE freight and baggage for the
Ometepe.
The consequence Of this folly and perversity proved
lamentaby disastrous Soon after the sailing Of the
Central America the wind which had been blowing fresh
all day. increased until it swept perfect tempest across
the Lake. and the Ometepe forced to take refuge
under the lee Of the mountain, opposite the village du
ring the night Before nine the next morning she again
nd A., g..
hundred yards from the pier The was exceedingly
rough and the surf rolled in upon the beach with re
mendous fury The steamer had lost her boat and some
time elapsed before it recovered after which much
difficulty experienced in getting line to the shore
This accomplished, the process Of embarcation COM
menced. This is effected by Of large air cham
oered iron launch capable of containing comfortably fifty
or sixty persons Three loads with great were sue
cessfuy landed board the steamer but on loading the
fourth time the having the boat charge exhibited
great impahence, and persisted in crowdng her more
than prudence and sound judgment could Justify and
she was pushed from the pier with more than eighty per-
sons on board.
As she slowly proceeded it became apparent to all on
shore that she was in extreme peril and her progress
was watched with painful anxiety As wave after wave
struck her she was to sink lower in the water until
at length, when almost hundred yards distant the
whole column of heavy rolled her entire length
hlllng her to the gunwale. of horror ensued
which beggars all description cries of terror smuane-
ousy arose from the launch and the hundreds Of spec
tors upon the steamer and shore The sea was in
coSeTeo OBJECTS, among which
distinguished many human forms that had been washed
from the boat had thrown themselves overheard in
the first moment of alarm Some were battling manfuy
with the waves Others yielding themselves at once to
despair were sinking without apparent effort at safe
ty their hands, as in supplication raised above their
heads, while in the midst Of all the launch still half
nled with human beings clnging in almost helpless
agony to each other The crowd upon the steamer un
able to render assistance looked on with horror The
people shore stood in clusters and cried aloud or ran
to and fro some giving orders others cursng and swear
linz onIf ayul yvovu 80
however rushed toward the miserable apologies for boats
lay along Shore and endeavored get them aoat
But the natives were the first to discover the full extent
OF the danger, and render efficient aid. With one wild
and an impulse that would have done credit to the
Of mankind they tore off their scanty garments and
rushed to the relief of the sufferers the women being the
rst in the benevolent and dangerous work They hest
taed not to calculate the danger but dashed into the
furious ser needless Of every thing but desire to
their feowcreatures from DEATH and these strangers
OF another between whom and themselves there has
been no sympathy and but little kindly feeling Brighter
were exhibited by these rude and ignorant people
dozen native women rushed to q large bungo that
laid high and dry upon the beach, dragging it to the
water pushed it with Incredible speed through the water
toward the launch AS they approached this one Of the
women sprang forward tearing dead child from the
arms OF it's drowning mother held it with one hand above
and swan with precious charge the shore
succeeded In saving the mother Other cases of
like character occurred One native man lost his fife in
his generous efforts to others Some of the
gers ciung 10 the launch until she drawn ashera
others swan safely to the beach, while still others sank
exhausted beneath the It is impossible as vet to
determine how many persisted In less than an hour af-
ter the disaster occurred sixteen dead bodies were upon
the beach, dragged ashore by the natives others
washed in with the surf Several others were subse-
quently found and about half dozen more were known
to be mssng fyone Of those in the launch were saw
ed The first body recovered was that Of woman upon
whose clothing found large sums Of gold Her hus-
band was also drowned who also carried thousands
dollars, the weight of which perhaps aided in causing
their deaths One man had upon him an inflated life
preserver but beneath it belt Of gold sufficiently
heavy to weigh him down. The persons Of most Of the
deceased contained less gold It was not there
fore, necessity that made them steerage passengers
On the following day, March 3d. the bodies recovered
were buried together by the passengers still ON shore
The occasion was Of great solemnty. Each coffin
cesson, which followed by Of the passengers
and crowd of natives 1t is seldom that more mean-
choy and mournfu spectacle is witnessed. An awful
solemniy pervaded the place the procession passed
slowly through the village and the hills to the place
OF burial Here after impressive and appropriate fuae
raj obseques, deposited the remains of sixteen h
man beings who the day before were full Of life and
health and hope and JOY returning after oilsome exile
In land to enjoy the fruits Of their labors their
native or adopted homes Immediately after the funeral
services were concluded the remainder of the
and freight of the Brother Jonathan were conveyed to
the ometepe and early in the evening she departed for
the river.
NAMES THE LOST.
Mrs syycstric English going 70 Manchester to daughter had on
person found O. Sylvcstre husband
sumed have $4,000 McIaud aged thirty
years belonged to Dover Maine David Churchill De Ksb
brooRyn NJ r. George Sewer Unity, Maine, aged abou