, 1857-10-30


the time had her head to the sea and acted
handsomely, and never appeared to even
strain, for there was no creakng noise Of
that character. The wind was very strong
but the sea was excessively high. At that
time the vessel behaved so well that made
up my mind to wait two weeks for her at
any subsequent time that should wish to
60 TO California. There is but one opinion
on this subject held by all of the City pas
sengers saved on the Ellen. Capt. Bad
ger said that he never saw a ship behave
better. The only apprehension ! felt was
that her machinery might give ou. or be-
come damaged. During the morning the
spanker was set. but in an hour it was blown
away At II o'clock l went down stairs;
| was there hardly an hour when word was
given to get all the buckets ready, Capt.
Badger giving the order. At 2 O'Clock all
hands commenced bailng. At this time
one Of the engines-that on the starboard
side-st0pped, owing to the fire in its fur
mace going ont. At o'clock the fire in
the furnance on the larboard side went out,
and that engine, which had been working
but slowly, also stopped, The reason was
that they could not get coal, on account of
the water which had come in. After the
ires went out the steamer went into the
trough Of the sea. There were two lines
Of buckets formed from the lower well-hole,
near the cabin, TO the deck-about so men
in each line, beside so men forward, who
were bailing from the well-holo on the steer
age side Of the steamer. We worked as
siduously and laboriously, and succeeded in
preventing the water from increasing upon
us by the rapid use Of the Buckets. Until
dark the water in the hold was not SO deep
but that We could see the pig-iron in tho
bottom, which was carried there for ballast
Near dark it commenced gaining on us cons
sderably, and continued to gain until she
sank. The pumps aft on deck were entire
ly out Of order, and would not draw the
water. Men, however, worked them all
night. During Friday afternoon they sue
ceeded in getting up steam again for
short time.
Sept 10, Saturday morning, | worked
six hours, only resting once or twice, but
afterward we discovered that no water had
been drawn up by them, and that ourlabor
was accordingly lost The discharging
pipe of the pumps is on the side, below the
deck and out OF sight-hence their igno-
rance of the futility Of their labors. l
lirst took hold and worked three hours, but
finding that we were not gaining on the
water, we had them repaired. We then
went to work again, although told them
that did not want to waste strength upon
the pumps unless they were doing some
service. In about two or three hours one of
the men who repaired them came to us and
said that they did not work to effect, as he
had discovered on examination that they
brought up no water. We then went to
work to haul rope which was attached to
barrels, which were passed up aud down
through the skylight. The man who tried
to repair the pumps said they were all out
Of order. The bailers were at work also
all OF the proceeding night, and they work
cd faithfully, consisting of passengers, fore
and aft. do not think any one slept that
night, except some few who laid down from
exhaustion. l did not sleep a moment
from Thursday night until got on-hoard
the bark Ellen on Sunday morning, vixen l
Immediately fell asleep, being complet y
worn out and exhausted About o'clock
on Saturday sail hove in sight. we
fred gun and placed our flag at half
mast. 1t proved TO be the bark Marine,
of Boston. We then considered ourselves
safe. She came near and We told her our
condition. She lay about mile distant,
and we sent the ladies and children in three
small boats to the bark. There were thus
sent about twenty-six ladies. Accompany
ing the ladies was Judge Munson Of Sac
ramento. Albert Priest Of Jamaica, l.. l. !;
and Theodore Payne Of San Francisco, be-
side three or four Others, whose names
do not know. The engineer, George E..
Ashby, assumed the sole charge Of the last
boat, and as some approached, endeavoring
to get in, he drew his knife and threatened
to stab any other one who should attempt
to get into the boat, there being four or five
already in her; but watching his opportu-
nifty at O convenient moment, he jumped
into the boat and pushed off in cowardly
manner. Among the rescued passengers
there is but one opinion, and that is that
the loss of the steamer is to be attributed
to him in letting the fires go out. lie is
now Oh board the Empire City The ports
Tof the Central America could not be closed
tightly in the lower cabin, and the vessel
leaked very badly at the shaft, SO much
that the engineer had previously asked for
blankets to stop the leak. One Of our small
boats was washed away on Friday, and two
were stove in launching About dark a
schooner hove in sight, and passed us on
the starboard side; she was told our posi-
ton by the captain. Her captain replied
that ''he would lie by but on the contra
ry, they passed on, and We saw nothing
more of them. She passed so oquickly that
we could not ascertain her name. She was
rather small, and clipper built, but OF suii-
cient size to have contained us all. AT
that time the storm was not very severe.
We then had but one sail on our manmast.
The brig Marine was fast disappearing