The Minnesota pioneer. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn. Territory) 1849-1855, 1854-02-16
o. T. MANSON, Sec'y.

lscIDENTs OF THE Loss OF THE SAsFp..
cIsco-Serseant Elijah r. Brown states .ha, on
the night OF the Oath Of December the swell, frs,
stopped The steerage way lost and she broached
10. Ia then continues:
She then shipped sea which carried away the
hurricane deCh ahaf OF the wheels Major TavIor
and wife, Col. Washington, Capt. Nieids and Lieut.
Smnh, were carried away by this first sea. The
next swept her decks entirely, and carried away
the cattle and the mems sleeping place on the uppc,
deck. was fearful that the women would get out
and fastened the doors when they went down below
IN the second cabin. l then went forward and was
swept overheard, and ut time was as much AS 20
feet from the vessel. There several IN the wa
ter and three besides myself saved hy the waves
throwing US back. After this ali hands commenced
ba!Ing AT once. ] formed the whole regiment on
board into reiIeis and continued the ballina in
cessanty for SIX days and six nights. During five
days and FIVE nights never left my station until a,
last my ankles became weak that could not stand
and then | stood upon MY knees until the Commodore
came and pulled me away. At the worst time of al
and when we were shipping the most water one Of
the cOrporals gave the alarm OF fire. At this alarm
al! the inmates Of the lower cabin who we're emp,oved
in bans rushed siBullaneousl, for the door and nut
an end TO work for the time. then sprang upon
table, drew revolver, and threatened to shoot any
man who repeated the alarm. That uuieied them
and they went on with their work again. We were
next o'd dered 10 cut the forward hurricane deck
During this heavy gale arose, SO that we were
forced to lash ourselves 10 the guard lines while cut
ting. She then shipped sea, and was again
thrown over and struck the side of the vessel being
prevented from reaching The sea by the ashng line
While VIC were bailins, young lady named Mari
ana Noand, came up 10 Inc and wanted 10 take a
turn at baIling but refused and told her TO 90 hack
to her berth. She afterwards died. Her death wac
very affecting. She attacked b, sudden indis-
portion, resembling cholera.
While the heavy was pouring over the decks.
the live stock became very unmanageabie and broke
through the partition which divided them from the
men. Cows, hogs and men all mng he'd ,ogeih-
er, and caused so much confusion that we were
obi ,ed To slaughter several Of them.
Daring the storm ] was washed overheard three
times, and once Jumped in after dagucrrotype por-
trait which lost on; of my pocket. lo-, every
thing, including 81 $50 in gold, which was taken
from my trunk. Every trunk was broken open before
it thrown overheard. | found on the wreck a
book with th's inscription the ~ leaf: " Miss
lydia Merchant from her friend Mrs Caroline Phil
lips, Newburypor, Mass, 1852" The volume is
one Of a juvenile series, aud handsomely bound. /
intend to send il to her
Many Of The ladies exposed themselves unnecessa-
rily during the whole time, and one Of them while
standing upon the nam deck, IN imminent danger ol
being swept away BY the surf, / forced to carry
The non-commissioncd officers and men cxcr,ed
themselves 10 their utmost. 10 fact, some OF them
worked until they dropped down from .neer fatigue.
A man named Nit, private OF Company r., was
on deck when The upper deck fell on him, and his
head went through skylight in such way tina, he
was but slightly injured, excepting that splinter OF
wood ran into his cheek; could rot extrac; it
the wound healed up and it ren,ans there now.
During all the timc that we working at the
pumps. we could get nothing to eat but biscuit and
cold water.
One curious fact in the affair was, that nearly all
the sailors showed uncon9uerabe aversion going
near dead body. On one occasion the body Of the
carpenters brother lay with his head cut of, hour
after hour, and no one came it.
The females on board, evinced the utmost coolness
and presence Of mind throughout The vhole Of the
time. Some of them would up TO me and ask
me whether we we're in danger, and when replie,
that there was great danger but everything depended
upon our own exertons they appeared PEI fectIy sat
is6ed, and returned to their quarters.
Our reporter was shown sword, battered and