The Camden weekly journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1853-1861, 1854-10-24
.About noon. .Mr. S. aM.a Woodraff .,of New

About noon,s Mr.. S. sM.s Woodraf, ,.ef New
York, was relieved by death All the others
now began. to suffer very; severely for want Of
water, except Mr. George F. Allen and myself
Iaethat respect we; were very much favored, al.
thong I'VE had not q drop on the raft. &. The
day continlsd ioggy, except just at3noon, rs
ear as we could Judge, We had a clear horizon
for abp1t:fialf an hour, and nothing could be
| seen bdf wafer and sky Night came on thick
and dreary, with our minds madesup that nei-
ttherl ofius would again see thelight Of another
day. Very soon; three more of our suffering
party were relieved; by death, leaving Mr.. Al
len. a young man and myself: Feeling myself
Eexhausted, Z now sat down for|the first time,
Eabount 8. o'clock in the evening, on trunk,
which pfovidentially had been found on the
wreck. In ,this. way ,slepta little throughout
|the night, and became somewhatrefreshed.
About an hour before daylight--now Fri
|day, the .29th we saw 4 vessels light near to
US. We al, three. of us exerted ourselves to
the utmost of onr strengthen haiIing her, until
we. became quite exhausted. In about quar-
tel. Of an hour The light disappeared to. the east
of US. Soon after daylight a barque hove in
sight to the northwest, the fog having tighten
ed alittle-steering apparently for us; but 10
a short tine she seemed to have changed her
course, aud again we were doomed to disap
pointment yet felt hopes that some Of our
felloM.suferers may have been seen and rescued
BY them. .:,95l,s :. a.. .s.s,.@.....
Shortly after We had given up all hopes. .ot
being rescued by the barque, a ship was dis.
covered to the east of US, steering directly for
as. We now watched her with the most, in.
tense anxiety as she approached. The wind
changing, caused her to alter her course sever
al points. About noon they fortunately dis
covered a, man "a raft near them, aDd.suc.
ceeded in saving him by the second mate
jumping over the side, and making rope fast
around him, when he was got on board safely.
This man proved to be Frenchman, who was
a passenger on board the steamer which we
came in collision with. &.
He informed the Captain that others were.
pear-op pieces of, the wreck and, going alot,
he saw US and three others: We were, the
first to which the boat vas sent, and safely
taken on board about P. M y The next was
Mr.. James Smith, Of Mississippi, second class
passenger. The others saved five Of
our fremen The ship proved to be, the Cam
bria, OF this port, from Glasgow, bound to
Montreal, Captain John Russell. who command
ed the barque lessee Stevens, and was rescued
by Captain Nye, of the Pacific, Of Capt.
Russell, it would scarcely be possible to say
enough in his praise for the kind treatment we
every one of US have received from him during
the time we have been on hoard his ship. His
own comforts he gave up in every respect for
our relief The Rev. Mr.. Walker and lady,
and another gentleman, who were passengers
by the Cambria, have been unceasing in their
endeavors to promote our comfort. 10 them
and to all ON board we shall ever owe debt of
gratitude for their unbounded kindness to u.s.
From the Frenchman who was picked up,
we learned that the steamer with which we
came in collision was the screw steamer Vesta,
from St. Pierre, bound for and belonging to
Grenville, France. As near as we could lea'n
the Vesta was steering east southeast, and was
crossing our course two points, with all sails
set, wind west by south. Her anchor stock,
about seven by four inches square, was driven
through the bows Of the Arctic, about eighteen
inches above the water line, and al immense
hole had been made, at the same instant, by
the Auke of the anchor, about two feet below
the water line, raking fore and aft the plank,
and finally breaking the chains, leaving the
stock remaining in and through the side of the
Arctic, or it is not unlikely that, as so much
of her hows had been crushed in, some Of the
heavy longitudinal pieces of iron running
through the ship !nay have been driven through
our side, causing the loss of our ship, and, |
fear, hundreds of most valuable lives.
! have safely arrived at Quebec, and | am
left without penny in the world with which to
help myself With sincere gratitude to those
from whom have received such unbounded
kindness since have been provdentially ly thrown
amongst them, am about TO separate to go
to New York-a home of sorrow.
learned from the Doctor, at quarantine,
last evening, that the Vesta had reached ST.
Johns with several passengers from the Arctic,
but could not learn the particulars. As soon
as can get on shore | shall make arrange.
ments to leave for New York with the least
possible delay. l take the steamer for Mon
treal this afternoon.
am, very respectfully,
Your obedient servant,
JAMES C. LUCE.