Arkansas true Democrat., 1857-10-13
From the Baltimore American of the 18th, P. NJ Statement of Capt. Thos. w. Badger.


 Capt. Thos w. Badger, who is among the saved, and has arrived here in the Louisiana, is able, from his experience sea captain as we'll as from the close connection III which his exertions on board the wreck brought him with Capt lIerndon and officers to give more ac- curate aud reliable account of the disaster than perhaps any other of the saved We have taken down from his dctation the annexed full and interesting narrative:
 We left Havana on Tuesday, 8th September, in company with steamship Empire City, Made good weather until 10th. On the even ing of the 10th there was every appearance of gale or hurricane, ship still going on her course and carving full head of steam. The storm increased during the night and until Friday morning at 10 o'clock, the ship still making fine weather and keeping on her course. At half past one o'clock on Friday afternoon the en- zine stopped, and on enquiring of the engineer, he said it was caused by the coal passers not passing the coal into the fire room with sufficient rapidity to keep the steam up. The walters and stewards were then called upon and sent down to assist in passing coal When the en- zine stopped the ship fell off in the trough ot the sea- and was at the mercy of the waveS- The pumps worked by the engines, and which were the main dependence for keeping the ves- se free of water, were also rendered useless.
 The engine never made but one or two revo- lutions after this 1 called the attention of the engineer to the fact that the water was gaining, the rolling of the ship forcing it in through the lee shaft noe, and proposed and did organize gang for baling. The deck pumps proving on trial to be out of order, bailing the only resource.
 Bv this time the water had been high enough to eXtiugush the lee fires and the men employ ed in the coal hole anl eugiue room were driven out by the steam and hot wa'er. There was 10 longer and hope of again getting the machinery m operation. The principal leak was found to be around the lee shaft, and at the lower lee dead lights. The ship was still stauuch and sound, and not leaking at the bot tom at all, and would have been in no danger if her machinery and pumps had been kept going.
 At o'clock on Friday we risged a drag, Ca spar with an anchor lashed to it,) and paid it out to windwari, in the hope of bringing her head to the wind but this had little no effect. From f o'clock until s in the evening we kept the water at bay, every man working with spirit and vigor.
 From 12 to o'clock on Saturday morning, the water gained fast on us, as the men Were fatgued and worn out by incesSant labor and exposure to the storm. At o'clock, the gale somewhat abated, but heavy sea continued, 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 to free the ship. The water was thus again kept at bay for an hour or two more, during which signals of distress were set, and vigilant lookout kept for sails. The ladies were even anxious to assist us in bailing, and cheered us up in our abors by their calmness in these trying times. At o'clock, another attempt was made to raise steam in the donkey boiler, so as to work the steam pumps, but the attempt again failed, and all hope of relief from that quarter was abandoned.
 At 10 o'clock on Saturday morning the men again yielded to the severity of their labor, and the water again commenced to gain on us but the bailing was still continued. At half past l o'clock a sail hove in sight, to the windward which proved to be the Marine of Boston. At 3 o'clock she rounded to at eeward of ship, when boats were lowered, baling still going on. | In lowering the boats two were stove by the heavy sea that still prevailed, which left only three, and one of them in bad condition. By 3 o'clock we succeeded in putting on board the l Marine all the women and children twenty-siX
 in number; during which the male passengers mostly continued at their work. The boats could not carry more than five or 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 came alongside, the chief engineer jumped into the boat, and was follow ed by several other gentlemen. Two other boats came alongside afterwards, when there was rush to jomp in them by the male pas ] inv, lytpc i, the brig had drifted along way to leeward which made the trips of the boats long, and by this time it was dark, so that the boats did not again return.
 About dark, a vessel believed to be the schooner Sovereign of New York, ran down under our lee. We hailed him and told him that we were in a sinking condition, asking him to lay by us all night, which he promised to do. The balllng Tn the meantime continued to pro- gress, but the water by this time raised half way up the lower cabin, and was rapidly gaining on us. There was, however, no cessation of the bailing until one hour before the ship sank, when all hope of keeping her atloat until day light was reinquished This was about seven o'clock on Saturday evening.
 l should, however, mention that two hours previous 1 had conversation with Capt IIern. don, who after consult llation, agreed with me that the ship must go down, but it was still advisable to keep it up as long as possible, and We did not make known the result of our con- versation but urged all hands to renewed effort. Captain Herndon requested that the second of fcer, Mir. Frazier and myself should remain with him and expressed his determination not to leave the ship while there was soul on board, but would remain until she sunk from under him. His only regret was his family and he dia1 lika O hraua man
 At o'clock on Saturday night the water was up to the floor of the dining saloon, and all then went to work calmly to devise means, each for their own safety A half hour previous to the