The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1857-10-03
az n F.-fs ( 2 y - = - w. = Y
Loss OF THE CENTRAL AMERICA.
STATEMENT OF II. Il. CHlLDS.


..n4s AUGUSTA, Friday, Sept. Is, 1851.
Thefoliowing is the statement Of Henry
II. Chlds: ,.. ,.s aa z=..7s#.r.- -..s..-E
81 left Havana in the steamship Central
America for New York on September Sth.-
the weather was delightful and the sea calm
on the passage from Aspinwall. On the af-
ternoon of the day of sailing from Havana
fresh westerly breezes sprung up. On the
following morning the wind blew very strong
the gale continuing to increase in violence
as the day advanced. At night there was
no abatement in the fury of the gale, and it
commenced raining in torrents. rs On Thurs
day it blew hurricane, the sea running ve-
ry high. On Friday, the storm ragged fear
fully. At III IN the the morning Of this day,
it was first known among the passengers
that the steamer had sprung "a leak and was
making water fast. A line of men was inn
mediately formed, and they went to work
baIling out the water from the engine rooms,
the fires having already been extinguished.
We gained on the water SO much thai we
were able TO get up steam again; but We
held it but Il few minutes. and then she stop
ped forever. Bailing continued, however,
and was kept up in all parts of the ship I'M
night the water gained gradually, but all on
board being in pretty good spirits, they
worked to the best OF their ability, feeling
that when the morning came they possibly
might speak some vessel and thus be saved.
TIE fatal Saturday came at last, but brought
nothing but increased fury in the gale.-
Still We worked on, and at about 2 O'Clock
in the afternoon the storm lulled little and
the clouds broke away. Hope was renewed,
and all now worked like giants. At 4p. IN.
we espied q sail, and fired guns, and placed
our Tag ut half-mast. 1t was seen, and the
Brig Marine of Boston bore down upon US.
We then considered safety certain. She
came near us, and we spoke to her and told
her our condition. She laid by about mile
distant, and We, in the only three boats saw
ed, placed all the women and children, and
they We're safely put on board the brig. AS
evening was fast approaching, we discover
ed another sail, which responded to our call
and came near US. Captain Herndon ted
them our condition, ana asked them to lay
by and send us boat, as We had none left.
She promised to do so, but that was the last
we saw OF her except at u distance, which
grew greater and greater every moment. At
7 O'Clock We saw no possibility of keeping
ahoat much longer, although We all felt that
if we could do so until morning, all would
be saved. In a short time heavy sea for
the first time broke over the upper deck of
the vessel and then all hope faded away
fe-preservers were now given to all, and
we sent up two rockets, when tremendous
sea swept over us ard the steamer III mo-
ment went down. think some four hun
dred, or some four hundred aud fifty souls
were launched upon the ocean at the mercy
Of the waves ......s 80 .a8es3s-
The storm at this moment had entirely
subsidized. We all kept near together, and
went as the waves took US. There was no
thing or very little said, except that each
one cheered his fellow comrades on. Cour-
age was thus kept up for two or three hours,
and think for that space of time no one
had been drowned; but three who could not
swim became exhausted. After this gradu-
ally one by one passed away to eternity
The hope that boats would be sent to US from
the two vessels we had spoken, soon fed
from us, and our trust was alone in Proyi-
dence-'and what better trust could you or
ask for!' saw my comrades sink fast,
and at one O'Clock that night | was nearly
alone upon the ocean some two hundred
miles from land. lheard, however, shouts
from all that could do so, that were not far
from me, but | could not see them. Within
an hour from this time saw a vessel, which
judged to be about one mile from me-
Taking fresh courage struck out for the
vessel and reached it nearly exhausted, and
they drew me on board of it by ropes 1t
proved to be a Norwegian bark from Belize /
Honduras, bound for Falmouth, England.
| found on board of her some Of my COM
rades, and at half-past nine o'clock the next
morning we had forty mine noble fellows on
board, and those are all know of having
been saved. We stayed, about the place
until we thought that all alive, had been
rescued and then set sail. We found the
bark short of provisions, and the crew
living on cruel. We had some ten and cof-
fee to refresh ourselves, and at noon on
Sunday We spoke the American bark (the
saxony,) bound for Savannah, which sup-
piled US with provisions and took FIVE of us
on board 49,. '''','s-'' ..s @