Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1854-01-21

hloN- and every
I crest towards us, seemed about to pour into our
shattered deck and sink us 80
II was not so to be- We were in imminent dan,
ger of laundering but our gallant and undaunteo
I commander. Capt. Watkins, whose exertlons uuT-
ing all that fearful night had been almost suPernu-
man. directed all his energies to save u.s. 10 iignI-
en- the ship and stop the leak ks were the nrst
To break up the matches and commence dischaI
cargo was the work of moment Soldiers anu SAL
ors all lent helping hand, and as each man khe"
he worked for his life, all worked with WILL otan
cheons were placed under the broken deck, anu IL
was partially forced back to Its place; II Mas
that the water gained upon us rapidly Inc steam
nnmp had become INSTRUCTED. Fifty sailors were
detailed to commence Daiiing. All day ana an hlgnC
the work went on without intermisslon Still, with
every roll the ship took in large quantities OF WATER
and we gained little upon the Leak .
sunday morning the 25th, the day Of the natlVl-
nv of our blessed Saviour, at last dawncd upon u.s.
The sky lighted up little, there was snort gSaln
of sunshine, and the sea Gained little. A sail or
two was seen in the distance but none approached us
1t was gloomy Christmas to us. The work OF ball
ing and pumping went on, and we had gained on inc
leak Monday, 26th, the gale continued with little
abatement Ali night Sunday the tempest roared
round our devoted ship. The waves numbered
against our sides and stern like cannon at the gates
of belcagured city. Sleep was out OF the questioh;
For three nights we had had none. We discovered
sail not far off. On approaching us she proved to
be brig; we spoke her She reported herself short
of provisions and after supplying herself with par
rels of beef and pork we had thrown overheard, she
went on her way.
On Tuesday the 9th discovered another sail bear
ing down upon Sle proved to be the bark Kill
by of and for Boston, from New Orleans loaded with
cotton, 35 days out. BY authority OF Col. Gates,
commanding the detachment, she chartered for
Government convey the troops to the nearest ac-
ccssiblc post. Tuesday was too rough to dlsembark
any part of the command, but on w ednesday, the
2Sth, Col Gates and family, Maj. Merchant and fam
iiv Col Burke Captains Fremont and Judd, with
their families, Drs. Satterlee and Nrts, with some
others whose names are not recoected, were safely
embarked on board the Kilby. Some 40 or 80 SOL
ClcrS wives, also Cmbarked-ln all nearly 100 per-
sons. Night came and put stop to any further
operations 1t had been agreed that the bark shouu
lie by us till all on board the steamer were disem-
barked but it came on to blow heavily IN the nsht'
and in the morning she had disappeared, and we
saw her no more. Thus all the hopes of escape we
based upon the Kilby was doomed to disappoint-
ment, and when in the morning, we could trace no
vcstgc of her the remotest verge of the horizon,
experienced the sickness of heart from hope de-
ferred.
Once more we were alone on the boundless ex-
panse of the waters. Our ship lay helpless a
log upon the waves. She was completely crippled
Her engine, as should have been mentioned, broke
down the first night of the storm; 1t was never OF
use aftcrward, except to work the pumps With in
finite exerton, a small sail rugged to the miZen-
mast, which assisted little in steadying her; but
she rolled and tumbled about at fearful rate. We
had succeeded in stopping some OF the leaks, and
in Tightening the vessel to considerable extent by
throwing provisions and coal The ship was
her guards, upon which the sea broke heavily lift
ing her decks every time 1t broke.
We had not Cfhursday, the 29th) reached the
sixth day since the storm commenced We were
about to encounter death IN new FORM y very
large portion of the ships Storage had been filled
with cargo provisions, military stores, &c The con-
sequence was, that the portion left for the soldiers
was much crowded. 1t had been expected we should
soon be in fine weather. and that they could sleep
comfortably on standee births on deck. When the
storm came that was impossible, and they con-
driven below. Crowded in narrow quar-
ters, exposed to cold and wet, obliged to be fed on
insufficient diet, in consequence of the loss of the
galleys and the impossbility of cooking for such
numbers, it is matter of surprise that disease
soon made its appearance Add to this the influence
of depressing passions, anxiety Of mind, fright and
and it is wonder that they sickened
and died. The disease more nearly than any thing |
assumed the form of Asiatic choera-commencng |
with diarrna aad terminating in a few hours.
Both the army surgeons having left the charge of |
the sick fell upon the surgeon of the ship To add
to distress, nearly all the medicine in the ship
mad been either washed overheard destroyed The
was necessarily great For several days
It averaged ten deaths day Men, women and chill |
lren fell indiscrimnatey before it. 1t a scene |
IF awful suffering over which should rather wish |
10 draw veil, and the like of which l trust a
;iful God will spare ever witnessing again. |
During Thursday and Friday our eyes were not |
sladdcned by single sail The hours dragged on |
most heavily. We had abundance of provisions on |
board, but it almost impossible to get them
cooked The roll of the ship so heavy that the |
provisions were thrown from the galley. When |
could get cup of hot tea with biscuit it a |
reat and when roasted potato and piece of pork
was added to our bill of fare, became a sumptuous
repast. We attempted issue to the soldiers once
day, but sufficient quantity of hot water could |
lot be procured, and were compelled to abandon |
t. On their miserable fare of hard biscuit and cold
Tacr it is not to be wondered that the poor soldiers
sickened and died.
During the night of Friday, the morning of Sat
lrday the 31st the cheering sound rang through the
Tessel that ship was at hand. A light was dscov-
,red at the bow. We Immediately commenced firing |
signal guns. They were answered by blue-lights |
rom the strange vessel. When the morning dawn
ID we discovered a vessel with English colors She
came near enough to speak us, but the wind was so
nigh to render it impossible. We rcsorted to a |
sind of Geographic communication, by writing on !
boards with chalk in large letters. We succeeded in
making her understand our situation which, indeed,
vas sufficiently obvious She promised to lie by us.
This intelligence cheered every heart. The weather
Turing Saturday and Sunday too rough to at
empt to lower a boat. There was, too another di- |
emma. The English ship had but one reliable boat,
he long-boat We had none at ALL Of the nine !
splendid boats with which we left New York not one |
'emalned Capt. Watkins not to be overcome by |
my difficulty, commenced the construction of RATS. |
they seemed but frail dependence and providen- |
tally they were not needed. Other means of relief
we're at hand On Monday, the I'd of January, the |
sea Gained so much that toward evening the Eng
ish ship lowered her yawl boat and our second |
nate went board of her.
On Tuesday, the Sd January our hearts glad |
dentd by another sail, under American colors. She |
came near enough to speak to her, and we learned |
n at she was the Antarctic, three days out from New