Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1857-09-30

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was arrested and he shot up to the surface
amidst confused mass Of struggling human
/ beings, mixed with floating boards, paris of
the hurricane deck, loose boards, and other
| light portions Of the ship which had broken
away from the hull
/ Mr.. Birch, in his return to the surface, had
involuntarily grasped some boards, and,
sustained by these, reached a hatehway, on
whch there were already three young men.
He secured himself to this with the piece of
rope, and with his companions watched for
any sail that might bring relief. When he
! first rose to the surface, as far as could be
seen and everywhere around were heard the
shouts and cries of the hundreds who were
struggling in the>water for life Gradually
these subsided. Many, who had secured
nothing to float upon, soon sank forever the
others were separated by @he force of the
waves, and were driven off in groups. All,
it may be presumed, were earnestly watching
for relief but during many anxious hours
none appeared
Shouts continued to re-echo from the diff
ferent parties, who hoped thus to attract az
tention, and these finally brought to their aid
the Norwegian bark Ellen, Capt johnson,
who hearing cries of distresss rescued those
, nearest TO him, and learned from them that
others were still in the water, continued his
search until 9 O'Clock the next morning, at
which time forty mine persons had been res
: cued. He continued cruising around the
, vicinity until afternoon on Sunday, when, no
more being seen, the Ellen bore away for Nor
, folk. thenearest point. The conduct of Cart
johnson merits the highest praise. His ac-
ton in coming to the aid of the sufferers was
prompt, and the search was continued as long
as a hope remained that another life could be
soy voH HIc kipHpnSr TO tbn uoH of
wards unceaSing.
| Mr.. Birch lost everything he had on board
except some jewelry on his person. His wife
very unwillingly left him and went on board
3 the brig Marine, under the supposition that
E he would follow in succeeding boat. Until
that vessel arrives her rescued passengers
: must necessarily be under the impression
r that all on board the steamer were lost. OF
r the twenty-six ladies on board the brig, six
). teen it is said have been made widows by
: this tremendous calamity. DIR. Birch, whose
E narrative we have given ahagaI aIswell known
in this city as formerly memhtr of KunkePs
| Opera Troupe. He is now the guest of Mr.
John I. Ford
s. Mr.. Birch has also communicated us sim
TO gular fact in reference to the Captain of the
a. Norwegian bark Ellen. He says that his op.
At perfume presence in the vicinity Of the wreck
70 was strikingly Providential. Owing to the
:, flight of a bird which flew in his face, twice
~ that fatal night, at short intervals, the super
s. stitious Captain of the Ellen was induced tC
fy divert two points from his destination, anC
thus steered directly to where the Centra
of America foundered. Otherwise the opportu
We nifty would not have been his Of acting so no
,l BILE a part in the general rescue
The passengers also tell an anecdote con
" corning Mr.. Birch which we may mention
er After he went down with the ship he vas i'm
Ie- meiiately upborne with such force, by hi
life preservers, as that in striking fragmen
nd OF the wreck he was wounded to the quick
he but managed to grasp and crawl on foatn
he hatch window. Several others by dint {
severe struggling with the waves finally go
-, on also and for sometime kept his company.
7"t They We're all despondent, however, an
their escape far, from waterv grave
at worse fate apparently than death itself, quicI
at ened as their memories were at sense
his their losses, and at the awful forebodine
on still overhanging the future Birch neve,
n, ertheless, was as cool as a cucumber. I
'cA , keep up their spirits he mimicked the sc
alu monsters, told humorous stories, in his oW
0W peculiar way, and on that frail bark, stretc
up ed on his back bleeding from wounds,
hat midnight, tossed to and fro upon the angl
ose waves of midocean, he lot only showed hin
"a self true philosopher, but inspired coura
in others, nor did he cease his vivifying
" rangue until an overwhelming billow chok
us his utterance.
ooh STATEMENT OF OLIVER P. MANLovE, OF WIsco
zee, s,N
a0A had provided myself with life-preserve
lhg and piece of spar and determined to
1T L down with the vessel, with the great mass
two the passengers, all of whom stood about bl
cling themselves up and securing what W
all most available to buoy them up. She ina
rom went down stern foremost I was standi
near the smoke stack at the time and we we
all dragged under the water with the sinki
ship. The general supposition among tht
e that were saved is that they were drawn
the least twenty feet under water, and when
aus finally rose to the surface we were stiff
S as with salt water. The rapidity with whicI
was drawn down tore the spar from nv hal
u;on and the ife-preserver from my body, a
Fal- almost strinned off of.ma / ha,vara. :
her friend who had two life preservers, v
ID at gave me one, and we also seized on pieces
,oble the wreck which helped to sustain as.
,nov On reaching the surface of the water Ii
Lot was at least four hundred passengers str
Ioo' Cling about in the water, some sinking,
ail'e able to swim, having lost their life pres
ers, and others seized on to the pieces of
slons wreck which came up with US. The cap
some had cut away the upper works of the We
d and so that when the hull sunk they would
r;can of, but they were dragged down. and c
: - up in fragments, and. doubtless many ,
"no stunned and drowned by being struck
We of the niecgs of the wreck, whilst to otI
thew were the ultimate means of safety.
occasional fash of lightning showed to
e. e. 4
arm, oS"el 80 2 I-s' "i-u al.
ID for eo alio :, es'sn AZ hrs
con "ofo al ~ :. 2 ~ aao ap9eaFing
Capt e'anee l.Ne ed
D. soon LHG MANGS 81 1tGO We d4Q dl GaC