Delaware weekly Republican. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1841-188?, 1857-10-01

Our Eva sleeps in Jesus;
Her joy unspeakable,
No mortal tongue shall tell us,
Or angel mind reveal.
WRECK OF THE CENTRAL AMERICA
additional Scenes and Iacidents--D Despera
struggles for Life-Fearfal Night Scene.
we continue to receive many 11sTl5lSsssses IN
incidents Of u fearful and thrilling character /
relation to tho loss of the Central America, an
at the risk of some repetition give room
them to the exclusion of other matter.
STATEMENT OF CAPT. JOHNSON, OF bark ELLEN
On the night OF Saturday, the 18th inst, o
our course for Falmouth, England, we wer
all startled by the cries of persons in the wa
ter. was below at the tine, but immediatel
rushed on deck, and to my as.onishment dis
covered number Of persons floating in tn
water. Immediately set about the works of res
culng them, and in few minutes sueceede,
in getting four OF them ON board, not one O
whom could speak, being perfectly senseles
from exhaustion. We picked up another short
" alter, who Immediately cried out, /" Wher,
is my wifea Give me something to eat -
could not learn from any of them from wha
vessel they were wrecked or what disaster haC
happened.
After our exertions had resulted in the res
cue OF ten persons, among whom was Captain
Badger, who was found floating upon a piece
OF board, we were informed by him thai
about five hundred persons were drowned.
iad iour small boats on my vessel, one Of
which | caused to be lowered. The moment Il
tonched The water SIX persons seized and up.
SET 1t In attempting to get into it they were
al picked hp, however. l then heaved to,
ana ran down to the place where the steamer
n nau gone uown, as near as | could locate IL
from the statement of the passengers. | sue.
ceeded in rescning many who were floating
upon the pieces of the wreck, and after the
lapse ABOUT three hours had saved forty-fiye
persons. L afterwards encountered four more.
and soon succeeded on getting them on board ,
inc last two men were MIR. Brown and another
whose name | do not remember, who were
lound floating upon two doors lashed together.
Ihey were first discovered at three O'Clock in
the morning, but immediately afterwards they
anaccountably disappeared. At nine O'Clock
4 Il saw tlem again, ran down for them, and threw
them rope, which they caught, but could not
le.aih, ,, AFTER making one or two tacks, they
board.
among the passengers rescued was Mr.
Easton: loot him ut one time, but soon cane
rcross him again. / threw him buoy, which
nc clutched tightly, and we then drew him on
Doard. AS the morning advanced and we iound
ourselves at considerable distance from, the
place where the steamer sank, bore down for
It again. 1t was in leng. 76 10, lat. 81 90. /
frst took an observation at s O'Clock in the
morning, and agaia at noon. | saw the schoo.
ner spoken by the Central America before she
went down, and do not think she picked up any
passengers. After picking up all the persons
coulu discover l sailed for Norfolk.
On our way from Norfolk to this city by rail-
road the people along the route, and particu-
larly ut Philadelphia. who had congregated at
the depot and stations, were loud in threats
a Nvh ;,,t tL,
with me, and some even proposed to lynch him
on tho spot. do not think that any blame can
attach to him, as from all l could learn there
was no further need for him on board the
steamship after the engines had ceased work.
ing.
SINGULAR VISITATION BY BIRD.
Just before six O'Clock on the afternoon of
September II, was standing on the quarter
deck with two others OF tke crow on the deck
NJ the same time, besides the man at the helm.
Suddenly bird flew over and around me, Just
grazing my right shoulder. Afterwards it iiew
around the vessel, then it again commenced tte. '
y around my head. 1t soon flew at my face
when | caught hold of it and made it prison.
sr. The bird is unlike any bird 1 ever saw be-
ore, and | don't know its name. The color
ot its feathers was dark iron gray /; its body
was foot and half in length, with wings
hree and half feet from tip to tip. 1t had |
beak full eight inches long, and sort of teeth
ike small haEdsaw. In capturing it, it gave
ne good bite on my right thumb. Two of
he crew who assisted in tying his legs were
llso bitten. As it showed to bite every body. |
had its head afterwards cut off, and the body |
brown overheard.
THE BIRD VISIT REGARDED ASA WARNING |
When the bird flew to the ship, the barque |
vas going little north of northeast. regard |
I'D the appearance of the bird as an omen, and |
IN Indication that must change my course. / |
accordingly headed to tho eastward direct. l |
should not have deviated from my course, had |
lot the bird visited the ship, and had il not
been for this change of course, should not
lave fallen in with such passengers of the Cen
raj America.
Captain johnson is a small, very plain and
man, with countenance beaming
With good nature and beneyolence. His age
S about thirty-tive. He speaks English very
veil, but slow. He says he has followed the
yea ever since he was boy seven years old =
lie has been shipwrecked frequently and en-
wrecks, hut never met with anything
What he has recently passed through in rescu-
ng the passengers of the Central America
lie attributes to Providence the strange visit
If the bird to his ship, and feels thankful for
he warning that caused him to change his
curse and become the instrument of doing so
much good in saving so many lives. He feels
ho SOou hC liHo uulC Is SuIUClent reward, |
The barque Ellen is at Norfolk, where she is
some repairs.
DESPERATE STRUGGLE IN THE WATER.
W. +. Fletcher, of Maine, thus describes the
Gene that ensued just before and after the
linking of the steamer.
About eight o'clock, just previous to the
hip going down, and as we stood forward,
aid to the men," There will never be as many
lie again as cOoly. Boys, let us all die like
rue Califnrnians.' An old man, who had been
mining for some years in California. from toe
anne place in Maine as myself, named David
smith, of quite religious turn of mind, felt,
10 hope of rescue. His last words moment
,efOre we went down, were the exclamation,
My God, we shall all perish!' l suppose he
vas lost. Lifc-preservers were plenty, and
zach had secured one for himself, AS soon as
he water struck the hurricane deck she made ,
me pitch forward, then she pitched astern and
truck in an instant, and went down as quick
IS lightning. Those on the stern went off first
hose on the bow last. was forward and was
me ofthe last that went OIL. l must have gone
lnder fifteen or twenty teet--so far at least and
10 long that had to breathe water while un- I
ler. On coming up found plenty of things I
o cling to, and got hold of door, which l /
leld on to about fifteen minutes, till three I
rlshman grabbed it, when | left it., as / was |
becoming so numb, that was obliged to warm
lp by little swimming exercise. ii
Inough large quantity of material was
ioallng about, still there was a good deal of
lesperate struggling and fighting to appropri-
te artioles promising the most security. I