New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1856-09-03
coz EspoNDaNoE OF THE csEsenNT,

Dear Crescent: The day is bright, and would be
pleasant but for the ortheastery gale that y now
blowing, and covering every thing with fhe sand,
which fol1as The principal paving material Of the
streets here, Itsprung up gentle breeze on Friday
evening, and yesterday evening increased to the gale
which is now progressing. General apprehensions
are felt regarding the shipping down below. j
Twas one Of the party who went out on the mail
line steamer Cuba on Friday evening, on an intended
nleas1re trio to Pensacola. There were some eighty
or ninety gay passengers, about thirty being ladies'
The boat left after dark with music playing and fire.
works whizzing from stem and stern, Illuminating the
harbor and giving the greatest ecat to her departure
When fairly under way, ball commenced IN the
lower cabin, and was kept up till nearly eleven
O'Clock In short time after that all had retired to
rest in the blissful anticipation of frolic in and
around Pensacola and the Navy Yard the next day.
The swell in the bay caused the vessel to roll some
what, but no one apprehended anything worse, and
all composed themselves to rest.
Just as was about sinking into obiviousness,
was aroused by the increased rolling OF the vessel
It was the first time was ever rocked in the cradle
Of the Deep and the stomachlc sensations, must
confess were anything but pleasant. With others IT
was worse and not a few might be seen sticking
their heads from between the curtains Of their berths
and paying that tribute which old Neptune exacts
from oil who are not accustomed to the hllocks Of
his watery domain For little while this state Of
things continued, to the great merriment Of the
negroes passing through the cabin. Soon matters
grew more lively. Aheavy sea struck the steamer
with startling shock, and caused her tmbers to
crack and groan from end to the other The pas
sengers or those of them who were not seasick began
to leave their berths, and pitch about in trying to
get their clothes on. Whilst SO engaged ano-
ther sea struck, with the same alarming effect.
The fright on board was now general, for the
steamer not only pitched and cracked as if she would
break, but rolled till her guards dipped the water al
ternately third sea rose completely over her bow
washing away the bulkheads and sprnging the star
board guard and inundating the deck aft to the gen
temens' cabin The sights and sounds on board about
this time were decidedly alarming, The chain-box
on the orecaste broke its fastenings and after pitch
ing about and smashing the cabin stairway bolted
overheard. The piano in the ladies' cabin also left
its place. and pitched from side to side, adding to the
terror Of the ladies' Thejngng ofglass and smash Of
crockery be heard tables and chairs
were knocked into pi; and the bar was knocked into
cooked hat. The gentlemen passengers were either
lying around recklessly seasck, or staggering and
tumbling about in their frantic efforts to get their
clothes and fepreservers on and the Of the
ladies' and children could be heard in their cabin.
Outside, nothing was to be seen but the white crests
Of the breakers they roaring The pilots
bellrope hitched in its flstenings and the engineer
was left to await verbal orders besides which, he had
to assist the engine past the center with his lever al
though all steam was on such was the force of the
sea against the wheels. Nearly everybody on board
of
ing that the steamer would break and others that she
would capsize. shared in the former belief to such
an extent that determined to hang to the last to the
post on the lower deck, by whose friendly aid was
able to keep my feet and see what was going on
around me keeping my eye at the same time on o
bundle of bedslats lying closely, with view to con-
tingences. Town that was considerably scared, but
still did not lose my presence of mind as others did.
The changing of the tin epreseryers disguised me,
and left those to use them who would. One fellow
actually put three pair of them, and put fourth
pair around the neck of little bull he had on the
lower deck! Several rushed sans cuottes, into the
ladies' cabin and one crazy fool heightened the panic
by shouting that the tller-rope had broken. Alto
gether, it was the squaest scene ever participated
in and several old navigators, who were on board,
appeared to be as badly scared as the green pas
sengers.
About fifteen minutes after the steamer was struck
by tile first heavy sea, the umult subsidized; for the
boat had turned about and put back. The night was
very dark and it appeared that after passing Mobile
Point the boat had run suddenly into the breakers
which were rolling in from the westward, extraord
nariy high and chopped up by the northeast breeze
that was blowing AS the boat advanced the break
ers became worse, and Capt. Heirn concluded he
l.
necessary to wear around and put back; thing ex,
tremely perious in such sea but the risk had to
be run, and Capt. HIS GOODNESS and skill, and his
boats great strength survived the test It was dur
ing this turning around amid the breakers that the
scenes above described took place. The boat beyond
question, very narrowly escaped distinctions and
it was with peculiar sensations of comfort, and
rymaking over their recent fright, that the passen
gers found themselves back in the bay and at anchor
in Navy Cove. Capt. Heirn's conduct was admirably
cool and collected during the struggle with the break
ers, and he appeared, altogether, to be man 'yor
can bet on
Next morning it was found to be utterly impossible
to leave the bay and it left to the passengers
to decide whether they should return to the city
cruise around the bay. They decided on a trip t.
Bakey, a landing on bluff above Mobile, on the op
posite side of the bayand which, tits said was origi
nally designed for the site of what is now Mobile.
The afternoon spent there, and in the evening w
returned to the city, in the gale before alluded to
all disappointed in not going to Pensacola, but YER
well satisfied to return under the circumstances.
4 The Cuba is the largest and staunchest of all TIL
mailne steamers, and ESQ her captain says) her ex
traordinarly stout frame and bracings enabled her
weather what would have wrecked either one Of til
other boats of the line She is, however, considerable
strained and loosened in her joints, and will have
go into dock for repairs
-Four Of the jolly Contincntals of New Orleans wer
of the pleasure party and if you wish further partic
uars, inquire of them. You will find them aroun
Hope Hall, or sam's in due time.
Ny letter is already too long-so I'll not touch upo
other matters to-day. G.
a span of the Lehigh Valley Railroad bndg
across the Delaware river, the Jersey side, oppt
site the town of Eason, Pa gave way on the evenin
of the 26th ult. whilst two engines were passing owe
T Geo. Howe, a fireman, was killed, and John Geary
!, engineer, fatally wounded.
/.
New FILLMORE PAPER IN CINCINNATI.-Arrang
ments have been made for the establishment, upon
permanent basis, ola morning daily journai in Gil
cinnati, which will advocate the election of Fillmol
and Donelson. E. W. johnson, Esq, formerly edit,