Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-03-01

lHRILLING AND MELANCHOLY CASUALTY.
A correspondent of the Lexington, Va, Gaz-
ette gives the particulars of fearful occur
renee on James River, at Balcony Falls, on
Saturday, the 2lst Of January. The canal
boat Clinton, Capt. Wood, with about fifty
persons on board, principally negro hands,
on their way to the Central Railroad, attemp-
ted to proceed up the river to Buchanan
Just after passing the North River Bridge,
the tow line broke, and the boat drifed
down the stream. The river being very
much swollen, the bottom could not be reach
ed with poles, and consequently the boat
was completely at the mercy Of the current
About hundred yards above the Mountain
dam, five persons jumped off and attempted
to swim ashore, but three of the number
were drowned-a Mr. Paine, of Fredericks-
burg, and two negroes. By the skiful man
agement Of the Captain, who held the til
ler,' the boat leaped the dam in safety, and
rapidly approached the White Rock, the
little and Great Balcony Falls, and the To-
bacco Hills, places, which the writer says,
formerly made the boldest heart quake, un-
der favorable circumstances. As it passed
within a foot of the White Rock, the Cap
tain and four or five persons jumped out,
left on the rock in the middle of the river
with water raging around them. The boat
hurried By, and escaping several dangers,
hung lightly on rock near the tobacco
Hills.
Persons on shore now undertook to rescue
the five or six men clinging to the White
Rock. A batteau was dragged some dis
tance and launched in The river, the water
still rising, and the wind blowing a perfect
hurricane through the gap of the mountain
Frank Padget, an experienced boatman, and
Messrs. Matthews and McCollogan, and two
negroes, embarked in the batteau, and at
great personal risk succeeded in bringing
the party safely on shore. By this time, the
water had risen enough to float the canal
boat again, which was carried headlong
through the Tobacco Hills, and caught on a
small island below. On her passage, one Of
the negroes on board had leaped upon flat
rock, where he stood without his coat, wet
with spray and shivering with cold, implo
ring help. The batteau, under command
of Padget, could not reach him, and pro-
ceeded on towards the others, all of whom
were rescued. The question then arose
whether the man on the rock could be sav.
ed. The brave hearted Padget thought he
could, and the same men and two more en-
barked with him to make the attempt
Just as they reached the rock and the mar
had jumped on board, the batteau struck ant
was crushed like an egg she'll. Five of thu
party ffeaped upon the rock, one cIung to al
oar and drifted to land, and Padget and tn,
man they had gone to rescue were drowned
Some time elapsed before another battear
could be obtained. At last it arrived anC
was launched, but negro suffered it to b.
carried of, and it was dashed to pieces upol
the rock
1t was now dark and no other boat was a
hand. Thus the five men on the rock wer
necessarily left there all night, exposed t
the drenchingsp spray and freezing weather.
During the night third batteau was brough
up and placed under the command of an oil
ferrvman named Sam. Evans. Next morn
ing contrary to the expectations of all, th
men were found to be alive, though severe
of them were badly frost bitten, and all {
them were brought to land amid the shou
of the spectators.