The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1857-09-29
THE SHIPwREcK.


one of the lady passengers who was saved
About o'clock the captains boy came
down i'm the cabin and said, 1.-The captain
SAYS all the ladies must go on deck. We
all went on deck. The water dashed over US.
We we're wet through almost in an instant.
I never would have gone on deck, but
| remained with my husband, unless he had
assured me that he would go with me to the
| brig Marine. believed that he was going
| with me till | was in the boat, or l never
| would have left him. | saved $17,OOO in
| money, chiefly in drafts; all my diamonds
| and icwelry; but if L had not thought my
| husband was going with me / would not be
here now. He said, after got in the boat,
| that he had secured my safety and he could
easily look out for himself.
One of the boats had been dashed in and
another had been lost ; three or four were
| let down to take US to the Marine. We
| we're let down into the boats by kind of
rope chair a moose was passed round our
! feet and dress there was nothing to sup
| port our backs, but we seized rope which
came down in front, with our hands. The
boat could only approach the steamer be-
! tween the waves, so we had to remain sus-
pended sometimes while the wave passed.
| These waves could also drive US under the
| side of the steamer; the cook was hurt consid-
| erablv that way she died on the home pas
sage, but guess it was from fear, no bruises.
We were placed in the bottom of the boats
and rowed to the Marine, the spray dashing
! over US all the time they were excellent
| boats and excellent oarsmen. or we would
never have reached the brig. Thirty
| women, twenty six children and a number
of men were thus conveyed ON board the
| Marine. The first passenger got on board
| 4 n 81 l. NJ
September IL the last at o'clock in the
evening. The last person who got on board
from the Central America was fireman;
! he said 1.-The steamer had gone down and
every soul on board of her." This state
ment was false, but it terrified us awfully;
| we shrieked and halloed at the loss of our
| husbands, most of whom, alas, we will see
| no more. Among that number is my hus-
| band.
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
statc-rooms and took out bags of gold-$20
gold pieces, Sll, 900 in 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 money
was all they had made there. and they were
l W IL" ANOhC VI IhO
| ladies could take more than two $50 gold
pieces with them. We had to strip off all
our clothes and skirts except our outside
dress, in order to keep our clothes from
sinking US. We 1.-THE women) then COM
menced putting on life preservers the men
still remained working, saying they would
remain on board till another ship arrived.
| as the Marine could not take them all on
board.
A Fearful Night on the Waves.
| Mr.. George gives thrilling account of
the scenes after the steamer had gone down.
The waves, as they rose and fell, revealed
a crowd ofhuman heads. Those unfortunates
who had lost their life -preservers or planks
while under the water, owing to the force
of the whirlpool. were frantically snatching
at the broken pieces of the wreck, which,
breaking from the ship as she continued to
descend, leapt above the surface and fell
with a heavy splash. The cries arose,
| mingled into one inarticulate wall, and then
the lustier and less terrified shouted for as
sistance to the bark Marine which was far
| beyond hailing distance. The waves dash
ed them one against another at first, but
speedily they began to separate. and the
last farewells were taken. One man called
| to another in our informant's hearing, IF
you are saved, Frank, send my love to my
dear wife, but the friend appealed to an
swered only with a gurgle of the throat
He was washed off his plank and persisted
as his companion spoke. Many were de-
6,
possible from the rest, being fearful lest
some desperate struggler might seize hold
of them and draw them under. Others,
afraid of their loneliness, called to their
neighbors to keep together. Generally,
they strove to cheer each other as long as
they remained within hearing. and when
the roar of the waves drowned all but the
loudest shouting, the call of friendship or
the cry of despair was heard in the distance,
| and infused confidence or increased dismay
in many failing bosom.
1t was when he had drifted far from the
companionship of any of his fellows in mis-
fortune that Mr. George began to realize
his situation. The night was quite dark.
| Occasionally, as the driving clouds parted
| and gave glimpse of sky, star or two
would be visible, but this was very seldom,
and offered but the faintest CLEAN of hope
that the morning would dawn fair and calm.
The swell of the sea was great, and success
sively the poor foaters, holding on to their
planks with energy and despair, were riding
on brink of a precipice and buried in the
deep valley of water. Our informant, like
many of the rest, was seized with the fear
of sharks. Respiration was very difficult,
owing to the masses of water which were
constantly dashed upon them, as wave af-
ter wave rolled by. For two or three
hours the water was not unpleasantly cold,
and it was not until about O'Clock on the
morning of Sunday, when they had been
nearly five hours in the water, and fresh
chilling wind arose, that their limbs began
/ Tn feel haDup,had