The central Presbyterian. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1856-1908, 1857-10-03
Incidents of the Central America Dis
aster.

Statement Of Theodore Payne, Of San
Francisco.
We reached Havana on Monday, Sep
TENDER 7th, about + o'clock, P NJ, and
commenced taking in coal that evening,
working all night and finishing early next
morning.
At half past nine o'clock on the morning
of Tuesday, the Sth, we got under way.
On the evening of Tuesday, the wind blew
very fresh and the sea became rough, both
increasing until near the morning of We'd
nesday, when it blew perfect gale. And
as the morning of Friday approached, the
Gale became absolutely terrific.
About Il o'clock, in the forenoon Of Sa-
turday, we discovered sail on our port
quarter. She had seen our signals of dis
tress, and was making for us. She reached
us at half-past one P. NJ, and proved to be
the BRIG Marine, of 215 tons burden, Cap
tain Hiram Burt.
Three of the steamers life boats were got
in readiness as soon as practicable, and all
the female passengers and children put safe
| " on board by Eve o'clock, P. M.
S.a:Sa,eOa Il lssfTs. YIN. &5NeiH.
II was first known by US women that the
Central America had sprung leak, on Fri
dav, September u, at 2 P. NJ. We were
all in bed seasick, and had not been up for
three DAYS, because of our sea-sickness,
caused by the heavy sea. In our fright we
got up, and entirely forgot our sea-sickness
The gentlemen got pals and told us they
were going to put Goals on the fire; but 1t
was not so-it was to bail out the water
from the hold. We soon learned something
about our real danger. The sea was fear
fully high, and the ship was tossed to and
fro in great violence by the tempest; but,
notwithstanding that, the women showed
great courage and self-composure-not a
tear was shed by any of them-there was
the calmness of the grave among them.
The men told us to be cheerful--that it
would soon be all right; indeed, although
we considered ourselves in imminent peril,
we did not know the full extent of it. The
men did all that they could to keep that
knowledge from us. We remained quietly
in the cabin; we could not remain on one
side of the boat, because it was all down.
We had to 90 into the gentlemen's cabins
and there We remained all the afternoon.
Bags Of Gold Opened for Common Use.
Many of the ladies had great deal Of
money that they did not give to the purser
of the steamer; two of these went into their
state-rooms and took out bags of gOld-S2O
gold pieces, S11 ,OOOin all-and threw them
down in the cabin, so that any persons who
wanted money could take what they pleased
The two ladies had just returned from Cali
fornia, and said, weeping, that "That mo-
ney was all they had made there, and they
were returning home to enjoy it." None o.
the ladies could take more than two $40
cold pieces with them. We had to strip of
all our clothes and skirts except our outside
dress, in order to keep our clothes from sink
} inc us. We (the wOmen) then commenced
putting on life-preservers the men still re-
NAMED ,Uorking, saying they ,ooald remain on
board till another slip ar7ired, as the Ma
riae could not take them on board.
The Ladies Offer to Work the Pumps.
Some of the ladies, feeling for the men,
and learning that some Of them were getting
both disheartened and exhausted at the
pumps, volunteered to give helping hand
And the ladies' VOuld hare acorked too Ike
good teiloics # the chance had been giren Il
them.
4 Canary Bird Among the Sared.
When the ladies were told to go on deck,
and prepare to get in the small boats, they
were told that they could carry nothing
heavy with them. Mrs, Birch had little
canary bird in a nice cage, both of which she
thong hit she would have to leave, she could
not bear the thought of parting with her
dear canary, and the bright thought sug-
gested itself to her to put it in her bosom,
which she did. In getting into the small
boat she fell upon her breast, and expected
nothing now but that her bird was crushed.
Fortunately, it proved otherwise, and she
carried the canary-her hearts treasure
next to her "Billy''-safely in its place till
she reached the brig Marine. A box cage
was furnished her by Captain Birch. In the
height of the storm the bird kept up its
cheering songs, and on board the gloomy
and uncomfortable Marine it did not cease
from its roaring sweet carol.
Scenes at Norfolk.
When the survivors by the Marine enter
ed the parlor of the National Hotel, which
had been thrown open for their reception,
scene of anguish and distress was present
ed. which moved the stoutest heart, and be-
dewed every eye with tears. The ladies
would cast a hurried glance around the room,
and with the smothered exclamation of "my
husband, Tor son, or brother, is not saved"
would sink helpless to the floor. The scene
was distressing in the extreme, and beg
cars all description. Many citizens we're
present, and deeply affected, as the tears
which stole down their cheeks too plainly
attested.
In his account of his fundamentally in
saving some of the passengers, Capt. John
son of the brig Ellen, says;
Singular Visitation Of a Bird.
Just before six o'clock on the afternoon of
September u, was standing on the quar-
ter deck with two others of the crew on the
deck at the same time, besides the man
at the helm. Suddenly a bird flew over
around me, just grazing my right shoulder.
Afterwards, it flew around the vessel then
it again commenced to fly around my head
1t soon flew at my face, when | caught hold
of it and made it prisoner. The bird is
unlike any bird l ever saw before, and [
don't know its name.