The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1854-04-27

nishes an interesting account of the loss Of
this vessel, from which W select the 70 low
ing particulars. --------------------
When the Powhattau was first discov cred
by Capt. Jennings, off Long Beach, which
was on Sunday morning, she lay with her
head to the South, the decks wefe crowded
with passengers, and the sea was making
clean breach over her. Seeing the condition
Of the vessel, Capt. Jennings, who is station
ed as a wreck-master on the beach, sent all
the men at his commend, though the snow
storm was raging violently, TO the Govern.
ment House in order To bring down the lie
car and other wrecking apparatus. and stood
on shore himself watching the effects Of the
pillows upon the i'll fated vessel. Hours after
hour slipped by, but the men did not return
with the hfe-car. The vessel became more
and more uneasy, and many persons were
swept off by the heavy surf. About B o'clock
p. NJ, one immense wave washed iull one
hundred persons overheard, who were carried
away down the beach by the undertow.
AT this time, Capt. Meyers, who wac on
the deck Of the Powhattanr all this while,
called out in a loud voice to Mr.. jennings,
enreatiig' him to try and save some Of those
who might be washed ashore. -s -.....
About 2 O'Clock, the ships masts went by
the board, and almost Immediately nfterwsrd
the hull broke two, and every one on board
was launched into eternity. Thcsea present.
ed black mass Of human heads and floating
pieces Of the wreck, but in few moments all
had sunk to rise alive no more. The beach
was strewn with dead bodies of women and
children, pieces Of the wreck. The baggage
Of the passengers, and empty casks.
from the station house. The storm, it seems,
was so severe, that while on their way back
to the wreck on Sunday, with the life-car
and mortar, they were obliged to return to
the station, nearly frozen to death. This
party cfmen, under command OF Capt. Jen-
nings, set Immediately about finding and
gathering together those bodies that had
been washed ashore. In the short space OF
an hour, nearly twenty women and children
were found, almost naked, scattered along
the beach, some Of the IN dreadfu,ly bruised
and cut.
One man was found about fifty yards from
the beach. upon the sandhiis, with child in
his arms; and from his condition, it is suppos-
ed that he alone of all on board reached the
shore alive, AMI crawling out Of reach of the
, waves, in order to save his own life and tina
of the infant in his arms, fell down exhausted
on the sand, and was frozen TO death during
the night. The child was firmly locked in
: his arms, quite dead. and appeared as il j,
had also died ashore from exposure.
The whole of this day was spent in
searching for the bodies of the unfortunate
people. But enc man was found among the
number. all the rest being women and child.
> rem.
, On Thursday twenty two bodies were re.
moved from the beach to the village OF 81 lana.
hawkin. These consisted of one man and
twenty-one children, all apparently, by theil
features, appearing to be Germans, the wo
men who had clothes on being dressed il
coarse materials, with heavy SHOES on, some
Of them wooden ones. Too much praise ca
not be awarded 10 the Inhabitants Of Mann
hawkin for their zeal and industry in giving
decent burial to the dead.
On Wednesday morning a wagon arrived
with the bodies OF six more Of the dead, whc
were immediately taken to the dead house
where they were washed and placed IN cot.
/, fins prepared for them.
Along the shore for ten miles were scat.
tered the remnants Of the chests and trunk.
OF the passengers, many Of them having
. names inscribed on the lids and sides. Fea.
Their beds, cooking utensils, empty casks anc
r pieces of the vessel were 10 be seen on every
q side. Letters were scattered here and there
and Bibles and pray err books lay gIistening in
o the sun. tbs whole desolation presentin.
melancholy and heart-rending scene.