Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1857-12-12
MISCELLANY

Loss of the Steamer Rainbow by Fire.
The Western papers bring us full par
tculars of the burning of the steamer Rain.
bow, ten miles from Napoleon, Ark, whilo
on the trip from New Orleans to Louisville
by which some seventy-fve lives were lost,
out Of about one hundred and fifty on board
The Cincinnati Commercial says:
On the morning of the 2lst, about 2 o.
clock, fire was discovered near the cook
house. Mr. Chas. WhtIan the mate, be.
ing in charge of the deck at the time, i'm.
mcdiateiy ordered tho boats head TO be
turned towards shore. Mr.. Lamb, the pilot
on watch, instantly complied, and the shore
happily being graduated, the boat was in
a few moments from the alarm, run full and
fairly out on the bank. This was just a
bove the head Of Island seventy.fo and
about ten miles above Napoleon, Arkansas.
All the passengers and crew that were
on the forward part of the boat reached
shore without difficulty, but those that
were on the stern, being cut off by the fire,
had to take to the water and it being bit
ter cold morning, but few succeeded in
reaching the shore.
From the time the alarm was first given
until the boat was complete mass of fire,
could not have been five minutes. Many
of the passengers were burnt as they lay in
their berths, unconscious of approaching
danger. Many, very many, were drowned.
The steamer Sovereign, Capt. IIutchin
son, being close at hand, rendered all asss-
tance in their power; but assistance to those
on the boat then was of no avail their fate
oil of 1o
ings in few short moments had been hur-
ried into eternity without moments warn
ing.
As a singular proof of the rapidly Of the
fire, there were but two or three trunks
saved, and those that escaped had nothing
on but their night clothes CLOTHES, money
watches, jewelry and all were lost, forgot
tenin their-wild- race for life.
a great many ofth passengers were re-,
turned Californians, who had their hard.
earned gold with them, nearly all of which
was lost. A few who had taken the pre-
caution to deposit in the office were fortu-
nate to save theirs--the boats safe being
got out and the contents in good conditic
INCIDENTS.
Mr.. Garland, planter, with three slaves
on board, was saved, and only saved by The
heroic devotion Of one of his slaves, a boy
he had raised. Mr.. Garland, when the
alarm was given, became stupifed, and but
for the slave boy would have perished where
he stood, but theboy by main force pulled
his master ashore and from danger
A lady had come on board at Napoleon
with three children aud servant. When
tho alarm was given she was between her
and the forward part of the boat. With
perfect GOODNESS she gathered her little flock
together and safely passed through the
flames to the bow and from thence to shore
and when all was saved, tainted. "What
will not mothers love dare for her Off
SPRING a
Mr.. Wheatly, from California, with wife
and child. jumped from the stern and struck
boldly out for shore but the wife, having
$2,4O0 in gold on her person, soon sunk to
rise no more: : the father, with his infant in
his arms, still brayely, battled for life, but
being numbered from cold, the child slip.
ped and was lost; the father was saved by
those on shore who had witnessed his brave
struggle against the fates. He had So, 500
in the safe Of the boat, which was recover
ed and placed in his bands. He remained
q: TIC wreck 20 recover, Il possible, the re,
mains Of his lost companion and child.
Mr.. Whittier, the mate, picked up five
persons hanging to one small piece Of tim
ber;all were saved though, in two of them
life was apparently extinct.
Mr.. Maddox, travelling agent of q
Philadelphia house, lost $4,000 worth of
iewelry saved nothing but his pantS--no
coat-no hat--n0lhinO trA a.rH ~ p
A. III. Marroll, the chief engineer, and on
watch at the time, afterstanding 10 his en-.
gino until the boat had struck and all fear
Of "a rebound had passed, with perfect cool
ness raised the mud valves to allow tb9
water to escape from the boilers, and by
that means avoid an additional disaster by
explosion. How many would, in an hour
of danger like fliis thought Of the conse.
quenecs Of leaving athe water in the boil
crs? ~