Delaware weekly Republican. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1841-188?, 1857-10-01
THURsDAY MORNING, OCTOBER 1, 1s57.

2 ------s=--
pieces. Bat flour barrel directly came in IN
way' IN clnging to il / soon got chilled, an
lau occasionally to leave ii and swim to ~
warm. But did not let ii get far out Of m
way. observed the Irishman still fighting fo
INC aoor the last | saw Of them, and they ar
uoubtless lost. After while came across
poard concluded the board was better than
barrel, and so swopped. / was floating abou
~ this manner for ten hours or more. Whe
: neaio the waves coming would rise n
anu tney would go oyer my shoulders. wa
P'eheu up Sunday morning about six O'Clock
FEARFUL NIGHT ON THE WAVES.
mf' George gives n thrilling account of th
seenes aiter the steamer had gone down. Th
waves, as they rose and fell, revealed a Grove
ol human heads. Those unfortnnatcs who hai
lost their lfe-preservers or planks while unde
water, owing to the force of the whirlpool
we're lrantically snatching at the broken piece
u the wreck, which, breaking from the shil
as she continued to descend, leapt above thu
surface and fell back with heavy splash
nhelr cries arose, that mingled into one inar
ueulate wall, and then the lustier and less ter
riheu shouted for assistance to the bark Marine
which was far beyond hailing distance. Th,
waves dashed them one against another at frs
nut speedily they began to separate, and tbs
last iarewells were taken. One man called t.
are saved, Frank send my love to my dea
Wile," but the friend appealed TO answered onl,
WIN gnrgle of the throat. He was washed
I T's-ls' plank and perished as his companion
! sPoSc Many were desirouS of separating
themselves as far as possible from the rest
Delhg fearful lest some desperate strugglei
might seize hold of them and draw them under.
others afraid of their loneliness called to th er
nelghDors to keep together. Generally, they
cheer ntb ~.
NAMED within hearing and when the roar of
the waves drowned all but the loudest shout
ing Inc call of friendship or the cry of despair
WAS heard In the distance, and infused conf
dence or increased dfsmay in many falling
bosom.
IL was when he had drifted far from the COM
panonship Of any Of his fellows in misfortune
anat MT. George began to realize his situation.
inc nlsht was quite dark. Occasionally, rs
tne driving clouds parted and gave glimpse
OF SKY star or two would be visible, but this
was very seldom and offered but the faintest
gloom OIL hope and the morning would dawn
iair and calm. The swell of the sea was great
and successiyely tho poor tleaters, holding on
10 their pianks with the energy of despair,
were riding on the brink of precipice and
ouried IN the deep valley of water. Our in
iorhant, ike many OF the rest, was seized with
lear Of sharks. Respiration was very difficult,
owing to the masses of water which were con-
stantiy dashed upon them, as wave after wave
rolled by. For two or three hours the water
was not unpleasantly cold, and it was not until
ABOUT l O'Clock on the morning of Sunday,
when they had been nearly five hours in the
water, and fresh, chilling wind arose, that
their limbs began to feel benumbed.
Some of the incidents described to us as oc-
curing before or about that time were truly
thrilling. One man, floating in solitude, and
81 aftn chn
himself hoarse to find companion, saw at
length man with two lifc-preservers fastened
ABOUT his body drifting towards him. His heart
ieapt with joy at the welcome sight, for the feel
ing of desolation which had overcome him was
10 terrible to endure. He called to the other to
JOIN him, if possible, and made every exertion
to meet him half way. There was no reply,
but the other drifted nearer and nearer. A
,Maye y threw them together They touched.-
sar,, sms ll'inS 'inn shrieNed in the face Of the
sJolpso: The other had been drowned by the
"A tsn OF the pillows, or had perished from ex-
j, When rising and falling with the swell Of
Wy ~ waves the lights Of the bnrqne Ellen were
I.FTS elscerned by the survivors in the water,
t+Fe thrill OF hope that at once filled every
breast amounted, it may well be believed, to
perioct ecstacy. Let Mr.. George speak for
All. He says; &c never felt so thankful in all
my ME. L never knew what gratitude was be-
lore; do not know whether cried or not,
put /, know was astonished to hear my own
laughter ringing in my ears. do not know
why laughed. That verse, sGod moves in
mysterious way kept passing in and ont of
ne-tnrough me, rather, as if | had been the
pipe Of an organ. 1t did not come to me by
ny own volltion, but somehow made me re-
member it. When tho lights approached near
'r score Of voicse sprang up around me,
'rying Ship ahoy,'s Boat ahoy,' and then |
began to shout too. And had neverany doubt |
nat shonld be saved till saw the lights pass |
", at about half mile from where l was, and |
'acede in the distance. Then began to give |
uyself up fer lost indeed. But slowly drift
"a towards her again till 1 conlI make out her
iuii and one cf her masts, and presently | |
len up"
INTERESTING STATEMENT.
The Evening journal has communicated by
correspondent the following interesting state-
lent.
MIR. 5. Colwell, one of the passengers pick
d up by the barque Ellen, from the wreck Of
ne lll'fated steamer Central America, informs
le that he was atloat period OF about nine
ours, during which time he sustained himself
nd :tcenty pounis of gold dust and coin, belt
d around him with the aid OF board anne
lches l0ide and three fest long. When picked
p, ne says he was not in the least exhausted
ut felt as If he could easily have sustained
lmself twenty four hours longer. He says he
as, by some means, knocked overheard with
lany others, about three minutes before the
Gamer disappeared. He went over at the
ow, and sunk many feet in the water. When
came up, the bows of the steam er were still
sible, but ut this instant heavy sea broke over
or and she disappeared from sigllt forever.
IS she went down, the end of the bowSprit
razed his shoulder. A few minutes iIer, and
le surface of the water was covered with a
ruggling mass of human beings, some in
roups, cllnging to and struggling with each
ther.
Soon those who could not swim, or those
no could, but had lost their present of
nnu, sank to rise no more. From that mo-
ent each stout heart, exercising the reas on
g faculties with which he was endowed,
ought such means of support as came with in
= reach. They spoke encouragingly to ea2 n
-her, and all hoped to be saved. The T,res-
ace OF the barque Ellen inspired this hope.
MT. U. says, when the vessel went down, he
as clasped around both legs by man st rug
ing lor lie. HIS grasp was the grasp of des-
ilr, and no efforts of his were sufficient to
,eak his hold. He was obliged to take h, Old
the the mans arms and press downward,
lille by the exertion OF all his strength lie |
'ew up, first one leg, and then the other-.-
his effort to free himself from his unfortun ste
'mpanion took him down, he thinks, tive mtg
thirty feet. The latter continued to sink to
watery grave, while ne, more fortunate, ro sc
the surface.
He came up in the midst of group, seve raj
whom seized upon him, and in their str az
es tore from him his shirt. He finally s ac-
eded in freeing himself from them, and sw am
ray in search of something Tor support. He
und the piece Of board, to which allusion aas
en made, and which, in the end was lie
cans of saving his life. He says that ,ut
tie effort is needed to keep man afloat it
preserves his presence of mind, and cts
tn cool judgment. Fright, he thinks, not
y weakens person, but it tends rather to