Republican vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1857, 1857-09-26
Loss Of the Central Amerha-Further
Particulars Statement Of Mr.. Man.
love. of Wisconsin,

my AidNdud oi 4 uesoay, anu coHtihutN Win
great violence, and increased until Friday.
On Friday afternoon were called up to bail
vessel continued to ship waterfall went
to work with buckets, barrels, &c, during
all of Friday night and Saturday.
On Saturday, about 2 o'clock, bark Ma
rine hove in sight; all the ladies and children
were put on her about 6 o'clock in the eve-
ming, and the engineer went with them. In
iaupching the boats, two of the five were
stove, and the other three were dispatched
with the women and children, leaving about
an hour before sunset. The Marine was w.
ing nearly mile off, and by the boats reach
ed her it became evident that the ship must
go down before they could get back. All
hands then seized pieces ofspars, chairs and
j life preservers, while others rushed below to
secure their treasure. The confusion at
this time became very great, though all act
ed viii calmness, each erdeayoring to make
the best efforts for his own safety. The yes
sci gave three lurches, some of the passen-
gers Jumping off at each lprch. Those who
went with the first and second lurch swan
off some distance, but The great mass of the
passengers repaired on deck until she went
down, which was only minute or two af-
forwards
L had provided myself with life preservers
and piece Of spar, and determined to go
down with the vessel, With the great mass of
the passengers, ali of whom stood about bra-
cling themselves up and securing what was
most available to buoy them up. She final
! y went down stern foremost. was standing
near the smoke stack at the time, and we
were dragged under water with the sinking
ship. The general sl,ppositon among those
who were saved is that they were drawn at
least twenty feet under water, and when we
i finally rose to the surface we were stiaed with
salt water. The rapidity with which I was
drawn down tore the spar from my hands
and the life preserYer from my body, and
when | reached the surface my clothing was
almost stripped OF of nc. /, however, net
a friend who had two life presorvers, who
gave me enc and we also seized on pieces of
the wreck which helped to sustain US.
On reaching the surface of the water there
were atleast four hundred passengers strug-
Cling about in the water. some sinking, un-
able to swim, having LOST their life preser-
vers, and others Selling on the pieces of the
wreck which came up with u. The Cap
tain had cut away the upper works of the
vessel 50 that when the hull sunk they would
float off, but they were dragged down and
came up in fragments, and many were stun
ned AID drowned by being struck with the
pieces of TIE wreck, whilst to others they
were tie lGeans of u(tipate safety. An oc-
casional fash of lightning showed to each
ether sea of struggling forms, aud all
cheercd and encouraged each other. At
first yVe were all in mass together. appear
ing al a glance like crowd Of cattle swim
ming, lu5 soon the waves separated us; and
at each succeeding flash offghtning we dis
covered that we we're being separated and
scattered over a wider area, until we soon
each found ourselves apparently .alQae on
the ocean.
It was weary and desolate night, the
waves dashing over us, the sen running with
great fury, the sharp wind chilling tho blood
in our veins. After being IN hour in the
water | sas7 none Of my fellow sufferers
Three iourths had doubtless sunk from ox-
baustion and the balance we're drifting about
hoping against hope for relief. At about
o clock III the morning saw & sail, AID at
2 O'Clock Oh Sunday msrning, after being
six hours dashing about had the gratifiea-
ton of finding myself on deck of the Nor
wegian bark Ellen, Captain ~ johnson,
from Ralize, Honduras, bound to Falmouth,
England. Here ! found about twenty Of
my fcllow passengers, and or JOY AZ again
meeting, with thankfulness to Providence
for our miraculous delivery, soon cagsed The
chilled blood TO course t,uough our veins.
The bark continued to cruise about, and
every hour we had the qualification of haul
ing OF board others Of opr suffering friends.
The night was dark and the sea running too
high to send out a boat, and all that could
he done was to throw out ropes and cruise
around in the direction of the voices that
would occasionally reach us crying for help.
Thus myself and many others were saved.
Daylight, however, finally came, lien near
ly dozen more were saved II. L. Brown,
Of San Francisco, being the last one taken
on board at o'clock on Sunday morning.
He had been just twelve hours at the mercy
of the sea, aud doubtless owes his life to the
feet that he had on heavy clothing prevent
ing lis blood, fr9m chilling by the long .ex-
posurc.
Captain johnson, Of the Ellen, continued
to cruise around until nearly 2 o'clock on
Sunday afternoon, and although We frequent
y encountered portions of the wreck it was
evident that these wko had cluns to item
I FAD become. exhausted and that at least five
hundrcd souls had persisted during this aw-
full night. I'VE, however, found CIR new
refuge short Of provisions ,and the crew liv-
ing upon Cruel, but were soon relieved by
the bark Saxony, which supplied us, and
took six Of our passengers to Savannah.
,3ne, OF the passengers saved by the Ellen
had struggled for seven hours in the water
with twenty pounds eff gold in wallets fas-
tened nnder his clothing lie was large
and powerful man and succeeded inaeaUrng
a large piece of wreck, but was still almost
exhausted when broIght.Qn board. Anoth-
or passenger saved forty $40 gold pieces;
but.most of us bad been compelled to aban
don all OUR money to secure our safety,
whilst it was torn from the possession of 9TH
ers by the violence of the waves.
! should not, however, forget TO mention
the fact that the calmness and resolution dis
played by the passengers throughout the
last day on board the steamer was truly re-
markable. After the excitement of getting
fhe,womon and children off to the brig Ma