The Washington union., 1857-09-22

o clock the gale somewhat abated but heavy
nued the water then being nearly up TO the second cabin
floor.
At daylight on Saturday morning, however all hands
took hold again with renewed vigor free the ship The
water was thus again kept at bay for hour or two
more, during which signals of distress set and
yigant lookout kept for sas The ladies were even
anxious to assist US in bailng and cheeed up IN our
laboB by their camness in these trying times. AT 8
clock another attempt made to raise steam in the
to work the steam pumps but the
attempt again failed and all hope of relief from that
quarter was abandoned.
AT 10 O'Clock Saturday morning the again
yielded to the severity of their labor and the water
menced to gain nus, but the baling still continued
At halfpast o. clock sail hove in sight TO the wind
ward, which proved to be the Marine of Boston At
o'clock she rounded to at leeward of ship when boats
were lowered, bailing still going In lowering the
boats two were stove by the heavy sea that still prevailed
which left only three, and of them in bad condi-
ton By O'Clock succeeded in putting board the
Marine all the women and children, twenty-six in num-
Der; during which the male passengers mostly continued
at their work The boats could not carry more than five
six owing to the high sea- and they made several trips
to and from the Marine. When the boat that took the
last two of the ladies alongside the chief engineer
jumped in the boat and followed by several other
gentlemen Two other boats came alongside afterwards,
when there rush to jump in them by the male pas
senger, involving great danger By this time the brig
had drfted long way to leeward which made the trips
of the boats long, and it being dark the boats did not
again return.
About dark vessel believed to be the schooner sove
reign of New York, down under our lee. We hailed
and told him that in a sinking condition, asking
him to lay by US all night which he promised to do
The bailng in the time continued to progress but
the water had by this time raised half way up the lower
cabin and was rapidly gaining ON us There was, how
ever cessation of the bailng until hour before the
ship sank when all hope of keeping her aoat until day
light was renqushed This was about o, CLOCK on BAT
urday evening. M.-f
should, however, mention that two hours previous
had conversation with Captain Hendon who after con-
sutation agreed with me that the ship must go down.
but it still advisable to keep up as long as possible
and we did not make known the result of converse
ton, but urged all hands to renewed effort Captain
Herndon requested that the second officer, Mr. Frazier
and myself should remain with him, and expressed his
determination not to leave the ship while there was
soul board but would remain until she sunk from un
der him. His only regret was his family and he died
like brave man.
At Z o'clock on Saturday night the water was up to
the floor of the dining and all then went to work
calmly to devise MEANS each for his safety. half
hour previous to the ship sinking there were two lights
distance to the leewad supposed to be the
brig Marine and the schooner that spoke hour or
two previous but having fresh breeze and high they
were unable to work up to the windward.
quarter of an hour before the steamer sank one of
boats hailed u.s. and voice cried out that his boat
stove and he could not take any on board This
boat endeavoring to return from the Marine, but
disabled 1t doubtless the impression board
both the brig and the schooner that the steamer would
be able to keep up until mornings hence they probably
have DONE Indeed it the opinion of many board
that we would hold up all night, and did not think
that she would do down before midnight.
AT ten minutes of o'clock Captain Herndon took po
sition the wheel-house with his second officer and
fired rockets doncad the usual signal to the brig and
schooner, that sinking rapidly. This fear
full moment, and must have been also to the ladies
board the Marine who understood the signal, all of
whom had husbands friends on board.
/ procured board six feet long, and six inches
wide tearing it off the front of berth, and took my po
sition the tafra holding to the afterawring
stancheon At that time there two three hundred
the quarter deck breathlessy waiting the final sink
ing There two seas swept the deck about this
time, the last sweeping nearly all the passengers on
the main deck into the sea- The ship Immediately AFTER
at O'Clock on Saturday evening, sank going down at
angle of As degrees stern foremost The suction of
the ship drew the passengers under water for dis
tance, and threw them in mass together When they
reached the surface the struggle for life was intense with
cries and shries for help especially from those unable to
swim. Many unable to swim clung to those who could
laid hold of the larger pieces OF the wreck and
soon swaInped In ten minutes not less probably than
three hundred had sunk to rise more whilst myself
and others who had succeeded in holding on to some
means support scattered the dark and dreay
ocean, floating off with the tide There large
Der of the passengers had bags of goddust and
doubtless peshed in their efforts to it, may also
here add that from fifty to sixty of the passengers shut
themselves up in their in despair and sank
with the ship.
Those who had succeeded in keeping themselves afoat
SCatteTeu over tne SurlaCe als-
tance of about a mile One hour after the ship sank
saw light at the leeward which seen by most of
those rescued supposed to be that of the schooner Sov
eign but it disappeared We knew that the vessels
to eeward could not reach u.s. and turned gaze in the
opposite direction - .. -....
At O clock on Sunday morning we saw approaching
us under full sail, with strong breeze the Norwegian
braue Ellen She into midst and those watch
astounded with the cries of human beings. Captain
Johnson the commander Immediately hoYe his vessel to-
under short sail, and commenced to rescue u.s. The
steamer at this time had been down five hours He
launched his boat and threW out ropes and buoys and
did everything that good seamansip and hn.a heart
could dictate to save as many ;oossibe. was the
fourth one rocc and witnessed the noble exertons of
himself and throughout the night He continued his
wards, up 10 IL o'clock Sunday but did not find any
after clock In the morning, and consequently
lnquished the search at He rescued altogether 40
persons.
On the morning of Sunday the brig Marine was out
of sight, and the schooner six miles to lee
ward, and appeared to be lying to, but bore away
her course doubtless being satisfied that it inn
possible to reach us, also seeing tho barque backing
and filling to windward. They knew had been sue
cored.
The same day at o'clock we spoke the barque Saxony
bound to Savannah She reported seeing q brig with
number of ladies board supposed to be the Marine)
under full sail steering north
We bore away with fair wind for Norfolk the
est port and arrived off Cape Henry Thursay
ning five of reaching Norfolk in pilot boat at day
light on Friday morning. which had chartered for that
purpose
GRAPHIC DESCRIPTION HURRICANE.
Purser Denson, of the steamer Empire City, which LEFT
Havana hour after the Central America thus graphi