Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1855-03-09

One of the oars accidently fell into the
water, and in the attempt to recover it, we
came across person in the water who proved
to be Judge loyt of Chatcaugay, and who
was thus saved by IL mere accident Our boat
went around the stern of the burning steam
boat, and had the Captain been up, he might
have got in. We were sixty or seventy rods
behind the other boat, which we followed
When we had accomplished the distance of
about forty rods from the " Phoenix" we saw
on the deck Of the burning boat the figure of
a man. He stood near the bow, his arms
stretched towards us, and making every de-
monstration of distress Before this John
McNein, the engineer of the " Phnnix," had
giveN orders for all in our boat to keep down
as close as possible or they would all be lost
A Dr. Treyit, II surgeon in the Navy, when
he saw the man making signs of distress from
the steamboat rose and said that the boat
could and should return and rescue him
McVein told HIM to sit down for fear Of the
boats being capsiscd, and DR.. Trevit COM
pled-very reluctantly, however. But he
was up again soon, only to be ordered down
when he was rising the third time, McVein
told him to {" sit down and keep so, or he
would throw him overheard. l have always
believed the individual thus seen on the burn
ing deck of the Phoonix" was Capt Sher-
himself by floating on something thrown over
board.
The question soon arose among us, whether
we should go to Stave Island or Providence.
The former was the nearer of the two. but
from my experience with this part of the
Lake, | gave it as my opinion that the boat
would he lost on the rocks, in the swell, at
Stave Island, II we attempted to land there.
So we stcered for Providence Island, and
landed safely on the south end. Before reach
ing it, it was suggested that every one in the
boat should jump out, at the precise moment
it touched the shore. that the boat might be
in readiness to return and pick up those who
had been left behind. | held the boat, while
McNein ran some distance to the first boats
party, to inquire concerning Capt. Sherman.
lie returned without having ascertained that
any of them had seen him; and then started
for the scene of the sad disaster. Now the
fact that not one among the thirty then on
the Island had seen either the PISTOLS Or
the Captain, proves most conclusively that
the author of the article which lauded the
/" heroism'' of the captain Of the " PhGnix,'
was anything but correct in his statements
We tried in vain to make fire No one
besides myself knew where we were One
incident touched my feelings Among the
lost was Mr.. Gilbert Painter, a brother OF
Mrs Allwyn, of Quebec. | observed her and
her husband, sitting on the rocks, apart from
the company. She moaned piteously from
the loss of her brother, and her distress was
argumented because she thought the only
prospect she had was that of being starved on
a desulate island. assured her we were
about IL mile from Grand Isle, the inha habtants
of which would send down the next morning,
and take us off And was not wrong, Tor
we were taken of then, and those who be-
longed to the south went from Grand Isle to
Burlington, where everything was done for
the survivors, that feeling and humane
people could do.
ELIAS HALL.
Rutland, Feb. IL, 1855.