Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1854-10-25

NhcStudh attempts Ntft Hauo W Stop suc lesA
/ by getting sails over the bows.
Finding that the leak was gaining on them
FAST very, notwithstanding the powerful efforts
to keep her free, the captain resolved to get the
boats ready, and have as many ladies and chill
lren placed on them as possible. No sooner,
however, had an attempt been made to do this
than the fremen and others rushed into the
boats in spite Of all opposition. Seeing this
| state Of things ordered the boats astern to be
kept in readiness until order could be restore d,
when to my dismay saw them cut the rope in
the bow and soon disappear astern in the fog.
Another boat was broken down by persons
rushing in at the davits, and mary were precip-
tated into the sea and drowned This occurred
while had been engaged u getting the starboard
guard boat ready. had placed the second Of
ficer in charge, when the scene was enacted as
with the first boat. ! then gave orders to the
second officer to let go and row after the ship,
keeping near the stern, to be ready to take the
woman and children as soon as the fires were
out and the engine should stop.
NV attention was then drawn TO the other
quarter boat, which found broken down, but
hanging by one tackle. A rush was made for
her also, aud some fifteen got in and cut the
tackle, and were soon out of sight. Not sea-
man was left ON board or a carpenter, and we
were without tools to assist us in building a
raft, as our only hope, and the only officer left
us was Mr.. Dorian, the third mate, who worked
nobly for the succor Of ALL
Many of the passengers, who deserve great
praise for their GOODNESS and energy, did all in
their power until the latest moment before the
ship sunk. Mr.. Rogers, the chief engineer, with
part of his assistants, had taken one of the
small deck boats, and before the ship went
down, pulled with about Is persons.
TO form raft, it became necessary to get the
only remaining boat, the life-boat into the wa
ter. This being accomplished, Mr.. Dorian, the
the chief officer of the boat, taking care to keep
the oars on board the steamer, to prevent those !
in the boat from leaving the ship, proceeded to
work, still hoping to be able to get the women
and children on board his boat at last. They |
had made considerable progress in collecting
spars, when the alarm was given that the ship |
was sinking, and the boat showed off without |
oars or anything to hold themselves.
In an instant after at about quarter past 5
O'Clock, P. NJ, the ship went down, carrying
every soul on board with her soon found
myself on the surface, after brief struggle,
with my own helpless child in my arms, when
again found myself inpclled downward to a
great depth, and when | reached the surface a
second time | had nearly persisted, and lost the
hold of my child as struggled upwards.
When I upon the surface of the water the
most awful and heart-rending scene presented
itself to my view. Over two hundred men, wo-
men and children were struggling together amid
pieces of the wreck, calling upon each other for
help, and imporing God to assist them. Such
an appalling scene may God preserve me from
witnessing again.
Amid this struggling mass of human beings
| discovered my child and was in the act of
trying to save him when portion of the paddle
box came rushing up edgewards, just grazing
him, and falling with all it's weight upon the
head Of my darling child.
then succeeded in getting on top of the pad
! dle-box in company with eleven Others One
however, soon left for another piece, and others
remained until relieved by death. We stood
in water up to our knees, the sea frequently
breaking over us. We separated from our
friends of the wreck, and passed the night, each
expecting every hour to be his last.
The morning came, but not living soul
could be seen but our own party, consisting of
seven men. About noon, Mr.. S. NJ, Woodruff,
of New York, was relieved by death, and all the
others now began to suffer severely from the
want of water except George l.. Allen and my
SELF Night at last came on, thick aud dreary,
with our minds made up that neither of us would
see the light Of another day. Very soon three
more of our suffering party were relieved by
death, and Mr.. Allen, a young man, and my
self were all that were now left, and we were
much exhausted We slept for awhile during
| the night, and became somewhat refreshed.
About an hour before daylight on Friday, the
I 10th, we saw vessels light near us. We all
exerted ourselves to the utmost of our abilities
in haiimg, but the light disappeared to the cast
ward of us. Soon after daylight bark hove
| in sight to the northwest. Thefog having light
ened little we observed that she was steering
apparently for u.s. but in short time she ap-
peared to have changed her course again, and
we were doomed to bitter disappointment-yet
! | feel hopes that some of our fellow sufferers
ma5- have been seen and rescued by them.
I Shorty after ship was discovered to the
eastward, steering direct forus. Assheapproach-
ed they fortunately discovered man on raft
near them, and succeeded in saving him. This
man saved is Frcnchman who was passenger
on beard the steamer with which we came in
collision. He informed the Captain that Others
were on peices Of the wreck, and he proceeded
to cruise around in search Of them. We were
taken on board about O'Clock, p. NJ, after an
exposure of 4G hours in most exhausted con-
dition.
Shortly after Mr. Ta,,c. S,,,;tt, or Nf...-:-.-