The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1857-10-07
jfllsreltallpuus.
Incidents of the Central America
Disaster.

The papers contain many interesting
incidents attending the late disaster at
sea. la his account Of his iustru,seu,nh.
T. in saving some Of Tue passengers, Cap.
tain tvi'nson, u. the brig Ellen, says;
SINGULAR VISITATION OF BIpp.-
Just before six o'clock, on the afteruoon of
September l2,h, WAS standing on the
Quarter deck with two others Of the crew
on the deck at the same time besides ;he
man of the helm. Suddeulv bird flew
over around me, just grazing my Tight
shoulder. Afterwards, il flew around the
vessel, then it again commenced to fl Y
around my head. lsocn flew a, my face,
When caught hold Of it and made it ~
prisoner. The bird is unlike anv bird
ever Saw before, and | don't know lis
name. The color of its feathers WAS =.
dark iron gray its body was "A foot aud
half III length, with wings three and
halt feet from Zip to tip. 1t had a benk
full eight inches long, and sort Of teeth
ike small handsaw. In Capturing it. il
gave n- good bite on my righ, thumb.
Two OF the crew, who assisted in tying
It's legs, were also bitten. AS il showed
TO bite at ever, body had its head after.
wards cut of aud the body thrown over
board.
TnE BInD's Visr REGARDED A.
When the brrd flew to the
sh'p the bark WAS going little north of
north east. regarded the appearance
oi the h'rd ss All omen, and an udication
to me that must change my course.
accordingly headed 10 the eastward dir
ect. | sdould not have devisted from my
course had not the bird visited the ship,
aud had It not been for tins change of
course | should not have fallen in with
Passengers Of the Central America.
THE BARK ENCOUNTERS rHr Central
AhEmcAs iAssENGEgs.-About one O.
clock SUNDAY morning, the helnsm.n aud
myself, who we're GU deck, were suddenly
startled 10y hearing strange cries short
dIstnnce from the vessel. At first We
could not tell what the cries were. In a
moment the ag'niziug shrieks. as i, seem
ed Of hundred 'oices, was plainly DIS
tlngui-habic. ut once knew tina, we
must be in the vicinity Of n wreck, and
immediately reused every man on board.
H. less than u minute | found that we
"ere surrounded with persons floating ln
the water. The darkness Of the night
made il Impossible TO see them, but the
voices calling Tor Aid rang in my ears
tf1m every direction. As soon As posi-.
bic the lashes Of the small boat were cut
and thrown into the water with ten men
IN II. IL had hardly touched the water
when six men who were in the wafer.
grabbed hold of il ard turned il keel up-
wards. II WAS soon rghted, and the men
taken in aud put on board. The work Of
rescuing the drowning men WAS proceed
ed with AL possible despatch.
Besides the efforts being kept ur 10y
the small boat, three life buoys were
thrown overheard, aud ropes were sus.
pended from the sides OF the ,essol tha,
the passengers might get hold of them.
Altogether, forty-nine persons were pick.
ed up and taken on board. Additional
lights were put up, So that they could be
seen IRON all sides OF the ship. The ut.
most effort was made to catch I'll. cries
Of any who nigh. he in tho water. With
the heavy sea that c. ntinued to roll, and
the noise on board and whistng OF the
wind through the ropes, it was difficaI,
to hear any distance. Five persons were
picked up after daylight. The last per.
son who WAS rescued, was at 8 o'clock in
the morning.
Only two Of the forty nine were able
to be OF any service in rescuing others or
ninisterins to those who had been rescu
ed. These two were Captain Badger
and Mr. A. j. Easton. The rest, from
having remained so long in the water,
were exhausted. The ship lay to ill IL
a. IN. Sunday morning, ia the possibility
that additional survivors might be found.
fin'ling no more | beaded the brig for
Cape Hatteras and landed the rescued
passengers at Norfolk, on Friday, the 10,
Of September.
SEEKING 4 CoAPAEIoS.-One man
hoa:ing in solitude, and terrified at his
loneliness, after shouting himself boarse
to find companion, saw At length man
with two life preservers fastened about
his body drifting towards him. His heart
lesped for joy at the welcomed sight, for
the feeling of dssolation which had over.
come him was terrible to endure. He
called to the other to join him, IL possible,
and made every exertion to meet him
LII