Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1854-10-17
TWENTY-SlX HOURS On 4 RATA TllRlI
LING NARRATIVE.

IINh NAkRA " H.
Peter MrCHbc of Irclunh WHO wn- rescued ..o.n
tho raft mni brought t" New York. publishes letter
i'll which, after stating that hr remained the Arctic
until III" water reached the main deck and the vcs.el
commenced sinking, says:
left the door, and got upon III" rnft. which hnd
hn'n partially constructed from tl,. spars We took
from the vcrs' 4 Great many person were trying Ia
got "n IN" rhl Some were rlinguC .o il with ur.
hand, and, although IL nlrrnIy crowded. other,
were striving To- g't tonh"h!. Among the nuuIDrr
who were upon four ladies. Their i,,.,n.s
did n" km"w. Ali"-"ih"r. there We're scv"uty-six
persons t'' raft. The sen, though not strong, was
rough and ;hc they dashed over il, washed
away portion "i III living freight. ] shall never
forget the awful scene. There in the mi-t
at the ocean, without the slightest hop" "i assistance,
while every minute one nr more ni our unfortunate
fellow passengers were dropping int" their watrrv
grave from sheer exhaustion. Those who had life.
prc>crvcs did sink, hut toa:c with their gh;l'ty
lncrs upward reminding those who still remained
alive nf the fate that awaited them
In the midst ut all this. thank Heaven! ! never
LOST hope, but rctnncd rnnrnCr tn the last. One
| by one Shw my untnriunat" companions drop OF:
nt them iiuatcd oi.. and eaten and gnawrl
lay iishcs, white others washed under the raft,
AMI remained with me I'LL | WAS rescued. could
their faces i'll the openings IA they were -waycd
~ AMI fro Icy the waves, which threatened every mo-
| nrli tu wash me niI. The raft nj time was -
| cruwJcd tha; many had IL hold 10y one hand
| Very Jew words were spoken by ANY. and the only
"Ui that We heard Nvis the splash "I the waters ~
| the heavy hr.nmg "i the poor sufferers n they
tried IL recover their breath after wave had passed
Over them. Nearly all were Submerged 10 their
| pts. whIi" few could with great difficulty keep
! n ir hr;ls above The surface. The women We're
| the first Ia 20" They unable I" stand the ca
poSurc more than three ar inur hours They all fell
oil the RAFT without word. except one p"nr girl, who
cried ont in Intense agony. "Dh my poor mother and
/ -l-irr>!'
| When wn4 about eighteen hours nn III" ra there
wcr" not more ham ihI," at four ";i. bn" ri h"-:
ave me wlIaI appeared /" h small mnp, but which
understood hiln I" say IA sort q" t,-'lCc'l To hs
property. Ia II few n"n"n,s after took IT, ne, too,
ui,">,. his hn!d ami WAS added I" III" number that
r"atrd about the raft.
cnrnv"r"l t" get the paper into my pocket, but
found this i;npu-iblr, account Uf rrampcG po
-itun. placed i; between ny teeth, nnd held il
there Till | WIS overwhelmed by wave. when l"St
my hold Of il, Hmi ii wa, washed nwry. Another,
who h; nI u, silk coat called "m nr, for lca-
y,nS Sulc. to assist him, his strength rlp!!y
falling, and hr must fall oil ii not relieved. As h."
w- about tnur iv" feet from II was difficult Ia
reach him hut. after considerable cNrr;I"nS, sur-
crcd.I in d"in, 80. and helped him with onc "i my
knees until became quite !nIni. when was Obliged
Ia leave him :" fate. Poor tilnw hc promised me,
il hr ever got :" New York alive hr would reward
mr we'll, II" cIuu; with terrible ,cnaci'y 10 li!c but
H., t"", dr"ppr. "tf in hIs iUrn.
! was now !,ii alone uu til" rait not solitary he.
ins WIZ alive 90; "' seventy: bu' r my hope con-
,iuucl -'r"n-:. The nigh; "t the second day was
uinnt CLOSING! In", and during the whole time hm.
been in the water had un; eaten II particle "l any
thing or drunk drop. Ny strength, | found "is
lcgrnimg t" give way, md my .i=ht had Ger"rie
20 dim that could not perceive Objects few lee; OIL;
even the g,l.ty fucrs Of Tie dead that looked up at
Inc from under the raft. wrr' hnrlly isccrnbe dr,
l.rmiucl oil nuking effort for life; raised
myself on my knee, upon the raft and through tl
,l,.i, ot the evening -aw, or thought saw, vessel
NV strength seemed revive, Hnrl ia u few minutes
heard ia" voices t" persons i'll b"nt approaching me
Ten minutes more. and |, too, would have gone; bu
Providence. had mercy "m m'r, nni after iw"i!y'h''
":sr> 'xr"rWr. war, hy 1t, mercy, preserved iron
II wnrcrv crave.
Mr.. MrCnhr II lying in low condition III Ne"
Y"Ih, and -rrl- II: time. prriialv drrnn-rd. Since
.h"n from liz. raft ar' crcpri"n- have taken Ilnr'
OH hi- liml,.. which. H. Wi, lis hands nnl arms
nrr very mllri -woilrm--i"n the effects. ~ is sup
p"-c, "i br:nr mImcrr'.d il the wafer ~ long.