American union. [volume] (Morgantown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1855-1859, 1856-04-05

Our citizens were startled yesterday
with news vf another terrible disaster at
sea. The sad fate of tho Paci6c--al-
most certain now; the news success
lively brought by the Arrago, the Allan
tic. the Baltic, the Persia, the Africa
the Edinburg. and by numerous sailing
vessels which have arrived at this port
impressed upon the community the fact
that there has never been more ice, and
consequently. more danger, encounter.
ed In the navigation OF the Atlantic o..
cean. than in the last two or three
months. The bad weather which we
have experienced on shore added to our
anxiety for the tempest-tossed voyagers
at sea. Ships have been out forty, fifty
sixty, or even one hundred days. And
many, many hearts are throbbing with
the keenest anxiety at the moment that
tho reader is perusing this paragraph,
for the fate OF beloved friends who con.
signed themselves this last winter to the
perils Of the ocean.
| The Germania, a packet ship, com
manded by Captain Wood, sailed from
Hayre on to goth of January. She en-
oountered severe westerly gales during
sno o"s'o Io'o"So' II.
1 The westerly gales continued. and
scarcely Stacked at all till in latitude As
deg. min. NJ, and longitude DC deg.
40 min. West, the Germania fell in with
icebergs. These were large, but scat
tered; but tho intense cold prevailing
showed that a large field OF ice was in
the neighburhood Shortly before dusk
a fog, which had prevailed for some
time, cleared away, and field Office
i presented itself of enormous extent,
stretching to tho northeast as far as
the telescope could penetrate. The dam
| ger to the ship was fearfully iminent;
but by standing away Immediately TO
the southeast she escaped direct peril,
and in about three hours go. clear Of it
altogether. In her southern course,
however, she still had ice in view. AS
far South as latitude 42 deg 43 min. NJ,
/ and longitude SO deg 2S min W., ice
bergs were visible between her and the
horizon. Gradually they grew less &
less numerous, till, after having pene-
trated far enough to the South, she once
moro turned herself towards the Ameri-
can coast. H -+."t ---h ! ..as...H,. E1.,a.t
The horrors Of her voyage were yet
to come. On Feb. %, a ships boat was
observed in the distance, rowed or steer
ed no individual, although human beings
were plainly seen from the forecaslle of
the Germania. She arose and fell with
tho waves, and was evidently at their
mercy. Capt. Wood lorboded TRACE.
dy. aud lost no time in dispatching a
boat to the rescue Of the sufferers on
| he Il ~; - -
was reached very shocking spectacle
presented itself, and one which Will
never be forgotten by those on whose
eyes it fell.
There were five people in the boat,
Of who four--and ono Of those a woman
were dead A young seaman, aged
% years, Thomas w. Nye, Of New
Bedford, sat among the bodies of his
more unfortunate companions. his hands
and feet terribly frozen, and his strength
altogether exhausted by starvation.-
He could not rise without assistance; he
coold not move when he had ,isen.-
They lifted him with care into the Ger.
msnia's boat, and rowed back to the
ship. Then they learned from the
young sailor the whole Of the terrible
tragedy. t@@@a
The packet ship, j ohm Ratedge, com
handed by Captain Kelley, of this city
and owned by Messrs. Rowland and
Ridgeway. sailed from Liverpool on
January 10th.
As soon as it was certain that there
was no possibility of saving the ship, &
that she must soon go to the bottom, her
4 Il
OF the passengers and crow as could
find their way into them immediately
did so. What food could be snatched
up in the extremity of desperation. was
placed in the boats, together with dem
Johns of water and compasses. Men,
women, children, were huadled togelh.
er, with no more covering han they had
on them at the time of the encounter,a and
we'll nigh paralyzed with terror. The
weather was very murkey. A thick fog
fell upon the heaving waves.5a When
the last boat---the one found 10y the
Germania---w was nearley full, and as tho
mate, Mr.. Atkinson, aud several others
were about stepping III, it broke adrift
with the thirteen persons already in it,
aud his companions went down with
the wreck. "A wild cry arose; the i've
boats parted company; the shades of
night enveloped the ocean; and when
the morning broke, aftor many hours
Of suffering, the boat 10 which The young
seaman Nye had escaped was alone up
on tho waves, with nothing in view but
distant icebergs. Soon some loose
floating ice was encountered which
greatly impeded her progress, and 10
the struggle Of those who rowed her,
TO get free from it, the compass which
was on board was broken and rendered
useless. Clouds overspread the sky,
aud a thick snow storm succeeded. -
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