New-York daily tribune., 1857-10-06


in p-ttipg fs. over the sde Of the vess which they
hsd made by cutting out section of the forward deck
sI ashiDg Il with ropes Capt Herndon vss 8. this
time on the hurricane deck with his trumpet in his
band. When the rah wn lsznched. Dsvsoa
htaed to get it, pre.erng not to desert the vss-
sel until compelled to; and after putting life pre-
server about him he went aft to get plank. While
engaged in this the steamer sunk he sprang for the
raft which he had aided in launching ani succeeded in
sra.ppg one Of the ropes, and with it wa carried un
der with such force that he wss perpendicular. with
head down asd feet up, and be was forced to
let 90 his hold. Buoyed up BY his life pre-
server be rose quickly to the surface, ard
and at once began to put up pieces of boards TO
assist in sustaining him in the water He succeeded
in getting three pieces the largest of which he placed
under one am and the smaller ones under the Other
Within an hour or two he saw an acquaintance, a
oolored man named Hoicomb the colored cook Of the
Certral America, who was rescued at later hour by
the Ellen Many others hoated near him, and they fire.
oueIy spoke words Of encouragement to one another
About IL or | o'clock on Saturday night he saw the
lights of the bark Ellen, and she sooa nearer and
ran al one time within hundred fest ofhim sndthough
others were picked up. yet mary and be among them,
owing 10 the darkness Of the night and the heavy sea-
were nissed. When day broke on Sunday morning
he saw what be imagined to be boat short dis
tsnce of, and he at once swan toward it. As
he zesred it. he found il to be the raft which
he had assisted in launching before the steamer
went down. He found on il eleven men, among whom
were lexsuder Grant, his fellow survivor, George
Buodingtou, third assistant engineer, and colred
man. Richard Gilbert. the engineers mess hoy. MIR.
Da~ ked that he might also get on the raft, but
they refued him, it was already seversl inches
ur der water from the weight of the eleven who
already supported on it. They consented, however to
lei him take hold of the ropes lashed to the raft,
and, with bis pieces Of board under his arm,
be hoated thus in the water Soon after reaching
the raft they discovered the Norwegian bark Ellen at
distance Of four FIVE miles, but too far off to sig
nal her She continued in sight until about O'Clock,
when she disappeared entirely. During Sunday, as
near az Mr.. Dawson is able to recOllect, two OF the
persons on the raft sank down exhausted drowned and
oated of into the This lightened the raft suti
GENTLY 10 enable it to bear Mr. Dawson, who got upon
the raft With the others. During the day several pas
sengers sustained with epreservers oated past them
ard were hailed. The most usual question was,
whether they had anything TO eat or drink and the
nswer was always a negative. During Sunday night
nothing of mpotaI ranspired further than an oc-
casionsl conversation turning upon their probabilities
of rescue. Their suferngs for the want OF water be-
came here intoerable and continued to increase On
Tuesday ni8ht-the fourth since the wreck
the colored nan, Gilbert began to grow de-
spordert and the feeling soon increased to such
an extent that he became dsranged. MIR.
Buddng.on also was similarly affected. Tney would
talk Wild, about going down into the mess-room or
the pantry to get some water or food. Gilbert In
sisted that the steward had told him he should have
some water il he came down. Some of them, MIR.
Dawson thinks, drank salt water in their desperate
thirst Some he stopped while they were in the act
During Wedne sdsy several ded-some by lying down
in the water ard drowning, and others by falling on
into the sea. On Wednesday evening, Buddngtons
and Gilberts mental arrangement became uncon-
iroIable and though Grant aod Dawson did all they
could to socthe them, their efforts were Intellectual
and soop ser dark they swan from the raft fancying
u their frenzy that they to obtain relief 1t
was the relief Of death.
n was on Wednesday Mr.. Dawson thinks. that a
dog -fsh weighing several po.nds jumped on the raft,
and WIS secured His skin and meat were so tough
tnst they could hardly cut eat it, and they satisfied
themselves by masticaiing small quantity OF it. The
next day it was tender, and it was soon eaten
On Thursday morning only Grant and Dawson were
left On the raft but soon after they doated near pas
sepger who was supporting himself on plank. He
SWAN 10 the raft and the two assisted him board His
christian sme was Frank and he had large ring on his
finger marked +. B. Frank, however, was exhausted,
he having foated on the plank for four days and a
half and he too soon became delrious. His compan
ions tried to cheer him up, but so intense were his
sufernps that he was unmndful Of their encouraging
words and he soon after laid hmsel down and died.
By this time Dawsons suerpgs had become 90 terri
bic that he too would for the time give up to despond.
eucy ard in OF these moods he said to Mr. Grant:
L" For Gods sake Aleck, lock out and see If you can
sse ANYTHING Mr.. Grant looked, and discovered In
the distance boat with oar raised, on which was
a coat. 1t was determined that Mr.. Grant
should swim for it. Dawson tied hfe.preseryer
around Grants waist ard he swan from the wreck.
The distance was long he was some time in reaching
the boat. But after it reached, Mr.. Grant and
Mr.. Tice rowed to the raft and took Mr.. Dawson on
board. Immediately after he stripped himself
10 dry, but he took Mr.. Tees advice, which
was to tie his handkerchief about his head and
keep il constantly wet. On Saturday their
sofierirgs were appalling. They had lost their
sense Of hunger, but their thirst created indescn
bable tortures. On Sunday morning the appearance
Of brig for time enlivened their hopes-but as che
did not see them and stood on her course the dreay
prospect of rescue only added to the horrors Of their
position During Sunday night Mr.. Dawson lay IN
the bottom of the boat wishing that death might re-
Eeve him from suffering and to render their position
the more terrible the swell would break over them
every few minutes. Monday, however, brought them
within sight of the brig Mary. Grant and Dawson
took the oars ard rowed and after great effort, in
which Dawson twice gave up in despair, but renewed
again, they were seen by the brig, and brought on
board.
Mr.. Dawson says that it was not until they reacaed
tie deck that hey came to realizing sense OF the,