The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1857-09-21

steamer from being kept before the wind and she
Tell into the trough Of the sea. and commenced la
boring but not very heavily. The passengers were
then called aft irformed of the danger of their no.
siton, with which they were already fully impress
ed They were organized into parties for the pur-
pose OF bailing, knowing that upon these efforts
depended their only hope of safety. The water
was passed up in buckets by files of men, and bar
rels were rugged and raised by ropes from the hold
Though these efforts were steadily and earnestly
pursued. the water still continued to gain upon
them On Saturday the gale had some what abated
and though the steamer was then almost water
logged the bailing operations were continued with
the hope of keeping her ahoat until relief came
from some passing vessel The behavior of both
passengers and crew, Mr.. Birch, and all with whom
We conversed, describes admirable. They were
calm orderly and cOurages, cheerfully obeying the
directions given and promptly relieving each other
in their efforts to keep the water down. The fe-
males on board were especially marked by that
fortitude and presence of mind which is SO often
developed by the sex in hours of great danger
saturday morning wore slowly and wearil,
away The tremendous ezertions of the baiter-
seemed to have no effect upon the water the labor
ing of the vessel caused the leak to gain faster am
faster, and death for the greater portion at least
Of those on board seemed inevitable. Still a good
degFee OF order WAS maintained. Even in that
dreadful hour. the tired workers who had Iabored
through the night, were lying asleep, whilst Others
on deck were scanning the horizon in search Of b
sail, or devising means for their safety when the
final plunge came
AOOLt . CLOCK on SATURDAY AFTERNOON a glad
announced an approaching vessel. The flag of the
steamer was set at half mast and By Captain Iern-
dons direction guns wore fired. These signals at
tiacted the desired attention and soon the vessel
which proved to be the brig Marine. of Boston
bore down. The brig WAS in crippled condition
having had carried away part of her mainmast.
but the prnmptness with which she answered the
signals and the readiness with which she came u
cheered the hearts of the passengers and CAV,
them an almost assured hope Of safety The gal
hon rd hri fb.r
seemed no doubt she would be able to get into nor
with all. The boats of the steamer two OF whici-
had previously been st0ved or washed away durinl
the gale were got out and by Capt. Herndous d
rections, III the propriety of which the male pas
9eTgeFs willingly .c4uesCed, the women and CHI
dren were first inced i'll the boats. The create
portion ot them were slowed in the two first boat.
and started for the brig. In the third boat Nr
Birch saw the first engineer, George f. Ashby witt
three ladies who were last in leaving the ship
Another man jumped into the boat aud Ashby or
ltred him out and threatened him with dirk for
not going Mr.. Birch was acquainted with Ashb,
and called TO him 10 take him on board. He d.
rccted him to fiud James Birch United States mail
contractor, who board. lie was sent IN
search Of his na!nesake, found him In his stat
room changing his clothes told him that the buat
WAS waiting and Immediately returned to the side
The engineer was then At some distance with bu:
ie" persons on board Ills leaving the ship Wa
said 10 be III opposition to the Captain orders
was generally censured by the passengers.
me tnFte boats were eagerly watched a5 they
approached the brig, and general feelings Of joy
were experienced when their Passengers were seen
afely ira . rred 20 10 ks CT ct rec boats
that went off Mr.. Birch st" but tnv 4eturn. 4.
these approached the steamer general rush took
place - get III them. One boat filled imme-
dmtey and put off Those in the other boat be
came alarmed at the rush and showed of with about
half load. 1t then about six o'clock in the
evening, the brig had 'drifted to considerable
distance from the steamer, a heavy sea was still
md hpf he hn1 fha asHj
their return trip, darkness came on.
Nothing more was seen Of the brig. and the hopes
OF the passengers, lately ela.ed by the prosp
Of safety gave way to despair. 1t wa5 evident thai
no more Efforts could be made before morning for
the transfer Of the passengers, and every moment
the certainty increased that the steamer would
float but n short time longer A few determined
men were still working with the buckets and bar
rels but the major portion were Disposed in differ
en portions of the ship, fastening life preservers
on securing themselves to pieces of boards. doors
etc. Still there was wonderful degree of calm
ness and con pNure exhibited. The first pre-
mOnitOry symptom Of the sinking Of the steamer
WAS u heavy lurch, when Il large wave struck and
went over her. A good many were swept of By this
and others, seeing that the final moment ap.
prUaChing, jumped on, and were carried away by
the drift of the
Mr. Birch had tied short rope to his arm, think
ing it might be useful, and started forward where
raft WAS in progress of construction. On the
wheel house he saw Captain ilerndun still calm nd
who was on the wheel house Of the Arctic when she
went down, was saved by Cliuging t6 it he for a
moment thought of taking position by Captain
ilerndon. Fearing he would be struck by the
chimneyS, which We're abreast the wheel-house, he
continued on to the forward part of the boat At
this time the most of the passengers were on deck
dispersed in different quarters, the greatest mum.
ber, perhaps, being aft, and upon the hurricane
deck. Arrived forward, Mr.. Birch secured a piece
of board aud stood ready for the final plunge. 4
I'll int
sea, and almost Immediately afterward came third
lufch, and then the steamer settled rapidly, going
down, as our informant described it, with what
seemed the rapidity OF an arrow from bow. lie
drawn down, down in the vortex caused by
the sinking of the vessel receiving two severe
blows GU the shoulder from what he supposed to be
an iron bar. IN the lightuing-like thought of that
fearful moment he gave up hope, but finally the
downward tendency was arrested and he shot up t.
the srrlace amidst confused mass of strug.
Cling human beings, mixed with floating boards
parts of the hurricane deck, loose boards, and 9th
er light portions of the ship which had broken
away from the hull.
Mr. Birch, in his return to the surface. had in
voluntarily grasped some boards, and, sustained by
these, reached hatchway, on which there wer,
already three young men. He secured himself q
this with the piece OF rope, and with his compaI.
ions watched for any sail that might bring relief
When he first rose to the surface, far as eoulC
be seen and everywhere around were heard til,
shouts and cries OF the hundreds who were strug
Cling in the water for'lite Gradually these subs
ded. Many, who had secured nothing to float up
on, soon sank for ever the others were separate,
by the force of the waves, and driven off in groups
All, it may be presumed, were earnestly WATCHING
for relief but during many anxious hours none ap
peared. Shouts continued to re-echo from the dii
frrent parties who hoped thus to attract attention
and these finally brought to their aid the Nerve
gan bark Ellen. Capt. johnson, who hearing erie.
of distress recued those nearest him and learn
lug from them that others were still in the water
continued his search until clock the next morn
irg, at which time forty-nine persons had beef
Rescued. lie continued cruising around the viclni
ty until afternoon on sunday, when, no more be
lug seen, the Ellen bore away for Norfolk. tn,
nearest point. The conduct Of Capt johnson
| merits the highest praise. His action in comm,
to the aid Of the sufferers was prompt and til
search was continued as long as a hope RENAME,
that another life could be saved His kindness /
the saved was afterwards unceasing.
Mr. sirCh lost everything he had on board excep
some jewelry on his person. His wife very uI
willingly left him and went board the bril-
Marine, under the suppostion that he would fol
low IN succeeding boat. Until that vessel al
rives her rescued passengers must necessarily b
under the impression that all on board the steam
er were lost. IF the twenty-six ladies boar,
the brig, sixteen it is said have been made widow
~ this tremendous calamity MIR. Erich. who's
narrative We haze given above, is well known il
this city as formerly member of kunkel's Uper
Troupe. lie is now the guest of Sir. John 1
| Ford.
STATEMENT OF OLIVER P. MANLoyE, OF WISCONSIN.
The storm commenced shortly after leaving la
yaua Oh tuesday. and continued with great viz
.ence, and increased until Friday On Friday al
| ternoon were called up to bail--vesse continued t
ship WATERFALL went to work with buckets bar
rels, &c, during all of Friday night and saturday
On saturday. about o'clock. bark Marine how
in sight; all the ladies ana children put OIL
her about o'clock in the evening, and the eugi
them launching
of the five were stove and the other three wer
dispatched with the women and children, leavin.
about an hour before sunset. The Marine was ly
ing nearly mile off, and by the time the boat
reached her, it became evident that the ship mus
go down before they could get back All hand
then seized pieces Of spars, chairs, and life pre-
servers, while others rushed below to secure thei
Treasure. The confusion at this time became yer,
great though all acted with ealmness, each eli
deavorng to uSke the best effort for his own safe