Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1857-10-10
Incidents of Central America Disaster.

In Ills account of his instrumentaliy in saw
ing some of the passengers, Captain John
son, OF the brig Ellen, says:
SINGULAR VISITATION OF a BGRD.-Just
before six o'clock. on the afternoon of Sep
tembor II, was standing on the quarter
deck with two others of the crew on the
deck at the same time besides the man of
the helm. Suddenly bird flew over a
round me, just grazing my right shoulder.
Afterwards, it flew around the vessel, then
it again commenced to fly around my head
F., II soon flew at my face, when caught hold
of it and made it prisoner. The bird is
unlike any bird | ever saw before, and
don't know its name The color of its
feathers was dark iron gray; its body was
foot and half in length, with wings three
and half feet from tip to tip. 1t had
beak full eight inches long, aud sort OF teeth
like small handsaw. In capturing it, it
gave inc good bite on my right thumb
Two of the crew, who assisted in tying it,
legs, ere also bitten. As it showed to
bite at everybody had its head afterwards
cut of and the body thrown overheard.
TIE lRD's VISIT REGARDED As a WARN.
1NG.-Whcn the bird flew to the ship the
bark WAS going little north of northeast.
| regarded the appearance of the bird as
an omen, and an indication to me that
must change my course. | accordingly
headed TO the eastward direct | should
not have deviated from my course had not
the bird visited tue ship, and had it not been
for this change OF course | should not have
fallen in with such passengers of the Cen
trail America
The BARK ENCOUNTERS THE CENTRAL
! AMERICAS PAssENGERs-About / o'clock
Sunday morning, the hclmsman and my
self, who were on deck, were suddenly star
tied by hearing strange cries a short dis
! tancc from the vessel. AT first I'VE could
4 not tell what the cries were. In moment
the agonizng shrieks, as it seemed of hun
! drcd voices, was plainly distnguishablc.
at once knew that we must be in the vicini.
ty of a wreck, and Immediately reused eve
nv man on board. In less than minute
found that we were surrounded with per-
sons floating in the water. Tho darkness
but the voices calling for aid rang in my
ears from every direction. AS soon as pos
siblo the lashes of the small boat were cut
and thrown into the wator with ten men in
it. 1t had hardly touched the water when
six men, who were in the water, grabbed
hold of it and turned it keel upwards. 1t
was soon righted and the men taken in
and put on boaro. The work of rescung
the drowning men was proceedcd with all
possible despatch.
Besides the efforts being kept up by the
small boat, three life buoys were thrown
overheard, and ropes were suspended from
the sides of the vessel that the passengers
might get hold of them. Altogether, for
ty-nine persons we're picked up and taken
on board. Additional lights were put up,
so that they could be seen from all sides OF
the ship. The utmost effort was made 10
catch the cries of any who might be in the
water. With the heavy sea that continu-
cd to roll, and the noise on board and whist
ling Of the wind through the ropes, it WAS
difficult TO hear any distance. Five persons
were picked up after daylight. Tho last
person who was rescued was at s o'clock
in tho morning.
Only two Of the forty.nine were able to
be of any service in rescuing others or min
istering to those who had been rescued
, These two were Captain Badger and Mr.
NAMED so long in the water, were eXhaus
ted. The ship lay so till IL a. IN. Sun
day morning, in the possibility that addi
lional survivors might be found. Finding
no more headed the brig for Cape Halter
as and landed the rescued passengers al
Norfolk, on Friday, the 10Th OF September
SEEKING a CoMpANIoN.-One man float.
, ing in solitude, and terrified at bis loneli
ness, after shouting himself hoarse to find
companion, saw at length man with
7 two life preservers fastened about his body
, drifting towards him His heart lcaped
for JOY at the welcome sight, for the feeling
Q Of desolaton which had overcome him va,
+, terrible to endure. He called TO the otheI
to join him, if possible, and made every
=. cxerton to meet him halfway. There was
, no reply, bat tho other drifted nearer ant
1 nearer. a wave threw them together
0 They touched. The living man shHeket
3 in the face ola corpse. The other had beer
: drowned by the dash of the billows, OF hac
$ perished from exhaustion.
SEND MY Love TO MY DEAR WIFE=On'
I man called to another, in our informant
u hearing, "If you are saved, Frank, send m,
o love to my dear wife," but the friend ap
: pealed to answered ouIy with gurgle o
: the throat. He was washed off his plank
c and pcrishod as his comrade spoke Man,
were iesiroGs Of separSi0g themselves a
far as possible from the rest, being fearful
: lest some dcathstruggle might seize hold O
them and draw them under. Others, afrai,
;. Of their loneliness. called totheir neighbor
J. to keep together. Generally, they slrov
o to cheer each other as long as they remain
n cd vitbin boatino, ~