The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1854-01-26
Wreck Of the San Francisco.
STATEMENT OF DR.. WRITz, AssIsTAN1
SURGEON

give you description of technicalities,
but | leave it for those who are more ia
niliar with the terms. Notwithstanding
our great velocity, the pillows, white as
snow with foam, swept seething by us, far
outstripping our spced-an additional
danger In heavily laden vessels, as every
mariner knows. They made me think of
the wild horses Of the prairies, dasling a
long on a stampede by thousands togcth-
er, in the night, with their long names
floating on TIE air. The noise of the
storm. heard in the cabins below, was
aeafening-the cracking and groaning Of
spars and timters the terrible harping
of the wind among the cordage and a
round the smoke stacks, as it caught the
ear of the passengers, who were anxious
ly listening from their state rooms and
on the gangways; the hurried tread of the
crew and the hoarse command of the Of
6cers-all these combined, with the in
cessant blows of the angry sea upon our
quarter, and the wash of the spray over
the skylights and matches, to form din
that surpassed every other sound. Yet,
to those who were gazing out on the
storm, there seemed to be, in the midst
of this uproar, a strange kind of silence,
which was more appalling that the ele-
mental confusion itself. For instance,
when the gale was at its worst and the
noise of the tempest most powerful, those
who were standing together, at the cabin
doors, clinging to anything that afforded
support, could hear each others lisping
wisper This was peculiarly remarkable,
as the ship poised for second, just as
she was about to make one of her dread
full plunges. At such moments, per-
feet hush would settle over us, as the huge
bows rose up darkly against a billow, and
then, as it sank, seemed an instant after
wards hundreds of feet below US, in the
black cavity of the sea, apparently yawn-
ing to engulf US beyond redemption. The
vessel would remain for an instant sus-
pended in that position, and then, while
every man held his breath, tremble like
living creature through her whole length
and breadth, as if conscious of impending
destruction and quivering with alright;
then would come the plunge and the bill
lows closing in on her bows and kissing
up over her topmasts with lightning like
rapidity, as if to fold her in as they met,
forever. l may perhaps speak somewhat
warmly of this scene, but cannot do it
justice. The aspect of the vessel and the
ocean that night were fitting prelude to
the disaster that was to follow.
DISSIPATION on NBoARD-oUTBREAK
OF THE CHOLERA
One Of the most terrible features of this
shocking disaster, was the outbreak of
cholera, occasioned by the dissipation Of
portion of the troops, and of the white
and colored walters. While the ship
was at the mercy of the waves, many of
these individuals, as is too often the case
at such seasons, determined, since they
had given up the idea of escaping, to en-
JOY themselves before the ship went down.
In the confusion that prevailed, the store
room was left unfastened, and the con-
tents were too tempting to be withstood-
They accordingly INDUCED their appetites
without restraint. They partook of pre-
serves, cakes, sweetmeats, dainties of all
kinds Goth6ttan, and then repaired to the
spirit room, where they washed down
their repasts with copious and undiluted
draughts. The effects Of this conduct un-
expectedly manifested themselves in vio-
lent attacks of cramp and diarrhea.-I
Some of the debaunchees died in less
than ten hours from the time of seizure;
others laid day or two, while some re-
covered altogether. We are informed by
an officer, that nearly sixty Individuals
perished in this manner some dying on
board the Three Bells, while on her way
to this port; others were put on board the
A@tarctlc, SO much reduced by diarrhoea
as to give bat little prospect of recovery
The process by which one of the pass
engers of the San Francisco was saved
as we learned from the Stewardess, was
very curious. Having been swept from
the wreck, he was carried back by a re-
turn wave. He grasped hold of some
thing, and congratulated himself on the
prospect of safety, when an other noun
tain like wave swept him into the trough
of the sea second time. As hope sank
within him, second favoring return wave
carried him back to the ship This time
he was more successful He seized hold
of some object and finally made his way
into the vessel. He was terribly mang-
led by the floating timbcrs, but his life
was saved.
We learn through one of the officers of
the San Francisco that robbery was the
order of the day, during the wreck, to an
extent almost unparalleled in fendish afro
city. The fr-t panic appeared to be
hailed as a welcome signal for the com
mencement of their villainy Trunks
were broken open, their contents stolen,
and they thrown into the sea; under pre-
text of tightening the ship; while even the
dying were set upon and robbed as if by
so many wolves
As several of the ships crew and sold
iers came ashore at New York they dis
played marvellous amount and style of {