New-York daily tribune., 1857-10-19
THE NORTHERN LIGHT on 4 CORAL
REEF

The Northern Lish: on her Psssase ssme~~ra
WAS in some danger Of sharing tie fac II the
Central America. Twenty. three hours OF: she n.
on coral reef three miles from Cd PnriSsaes,
small inland in the Caribbean Sea, in Ia.
l30 2f n, ard about hundred miles east Of
the Mosquito coast The steamer lay ca the reef
some eight or nine hours bef,re sae succeeded
in getting on. The sea wss perfectly cam
and the shore was nigh, bat the passengers,
who had ust before hesrd of the loss of the Csut-
America, could not but Contemplate vita somo
spprehensions the contir gercy, shOuA = stcrr
arise, Of similar fate.
The purser Of the ship, for some reasOn or other.
seems to have kept this accident to himseii. We
subjoin an account furnished by passenger:
I'VE left Aapiuwsl at s O'Clock p. m, on X ,sIAy,
October s. having just hes-d The pews OF the los Of
the Central America We bad beautiful weather, and
at noon on Tuesday had made ls0 miles on our way 10
Havana. We were then in la. 100 - north, on.
So 46' west. The afternoon pissed of ple.ssI:ly,
and we were making twelve knots an hosr, when, a.
few minutes before in the evening, startled
by the ships humping Eve distinct timss upcS VIA.
proved to be coral reef. The engines were lmmea
stely stopped ard the sounding lines throw, over.
boat was soon lowered away, and We found but shest
IA feet Of water all around the ship. Rockets -sre
thrown up, ard were answered by the arrival fom
the Island Of Old Providence about three msss ds-
tsnt, of two dugouts, manned by the iEhabtana bet
having with them the captsin OF a eOashp in the
Company service, which hsd been wrecked near the
same place some eight weeks previously. His usn
went to Aspinwsl in open bosts, took passage in the
Central America home, and loet in ths, urfortu
nate steamer. He informed US that there was plenty
Of water and provisions on the island, and . coed
harbor on the opposite side, where three Sv~tao
schoorers were then lying. We then sent the second
officer with boat TO induce the schocners to 10
the steamer, but there was no wind, and one ocly
reached Us about O'Clock the mex. morAisg. 10
the mean time, the engines were started every
few minutes, and the passengers sent from ster'
to stern and from aibosd TO starbosrd, thss Their
weight might sssis. in moving her. At midnight
an anchor was dropped ahead, which, By the
help of the windsss, caused the ship 10 swisg
almost round The bows were clesy, bat she SAL
seemed to be fast, from midships TO stern. About
3 O'Clock in the morning four bost loads Of px-
sepgers were sent on shore and thirty urs Of wafer
discharged from the boilers The tide had rev rsss.
strong pull was made upon the anchor, both wheels
were put in notion and a, O'Clock che went Of iate
deeper water having beer on the rssf all sghs. Guns
were then fred to recall the boats, which werc sl
hosted on board by o'clock sndthe steamer stood on
her course. Atthat moment the steam.hisae Wshash.
which we had left at Aspnws TO ssin twelve hours,
came in sight, and fired two guns, which we did Not
answer, as we no longer needed assistance. Jat {"
we got off, the lady passengers were all preparing TO
90 on board the schooner which was now approaching
u.s. After the first panic which was very grss: at
fret, perfect order prevailed on board. The captain
was perfectly cool and showed great deal ofseansI-
chip in getting the steamer of. He had been saam's-
ing his chart just before, but wS on deck when We
struck The sea was calm, and while We lay On the
rocks the ship made no water ss Wa proved BY try
ing the pumps"