The independent. (Harrisonburg, La.) 1853-18??, 1857-10-07
The Late Disaster in the Gulf.

HoHesty IS tue DcsL pOllcy.
The Late Disaster i'm the Gulf.
-Four hundred and seventy six persons i
is ascertaied were lost in the late ship wrecl
of an old steam vessel formerly known Al
the George Law" which had become unf
for service, and which had recently been
made as fine, as scraping over and new
coat Of paint could make her, and given all
the advantage which the high sounding name
of Central Amenca" could give her. Many
vessels were exposed to the fury o.. the same
gale and none Of them except the Central
America" were lost. Comment on such
calamities has become useless, and we notice
but few structures nowadays on the reckless
conduct of ship owners, who impose upon the
community in so shameful a manner. by
keeping Old rotton huks in service, as long
as they can by any means be kept ahoat
But not upon the owners Of such crafts should
all the blame rest 1t is known that til ese
bare faced impositions are practsed with i'm
punity in this "free America" and knowing
these facts, people ought to be on their
guard, and use due diligence to ascertain
before stepping on board vessel of any
kind, to make sea voyage, that they would
have fair chance of escaping the perils of
the sea, so far as a sound staunch vessel is
necessary to afford such chance. 1t is
high time too that it should be more gener-
ally known than it is, that no laws can be
made and enforced in the United States. to
punish the perpetrators Of such outrages, or
to put stop to this species Of homicide.
The evil is most serious one, but it is an
evil without a remedy in our country, and
every prudent man should throw himself up
on his reserved sense if he has any, and try
to keep off from such dangerous traps. In
the narrative of this awful disaster, one of the
passengers says that on Friday about IL A.
NJ. it was ascertained that the steamer had
sprung leak and was making water fast"
Now III the name of reason does not every
sane man know that a crazy old ship during
severe gale and a heavy sea is almost certain
to spring leak!
AS usual on such occasions, we see state
ments in the New York papers to the effec,
that the Central America was "sea worthy"
"stood 4 No at the insurance Offices" and
all that sort of thing. That her cargo was
insured, there is no doubt, but who does not
know that insurance is species of gambling,
and that certificates of "sea worthiness" can
at any time be had for the asking and a
small bonus for the troubled
THE SEA-SERpENr ExpLAINEp-Mr. Met
calf, the pleasant author Of 1.-The Oxonian in
Norway" relates in the Home Journal how
he met with the sea-serpcnt in this man
my eyes lazily from this noble
sight along the base of the stupendous bar
rler OF limestone that grded that side of the |
flord, which was in deep shadow, and as
still as mili-pond, became aware that
was owly moving along in the
water close to the rocks, at tie distance of
SOinc quarter ol mile rom where | was
1t was black, Shiny object, seemingly about
sixty feet loug. as well as could Judge. |
could not see its whole shape at once, but
only part OF it, for it kept partially appear
ing and disappearing as it glided along. II
could not be fish, for no fish would move
n that manner; nothing but a serpent would
hus advance, contracting and expanding the
muscles of its back. A few days afterward.
Is stood on the shore, to my great delight
saw him again. He was not far out at sea,
md was proceeding in the same rolling,
,oiling manner, though the pace was deci-
ledly improved. This time l fortunately
lad my telescope with me, which l lost no
ime in adjusting, being determined to send
description of the beast to the Lnnaan, or ,
ome other society. On examination, found
hat it was half a dozen porpoises following
lose to each other, whose Respondent backs,
IS they went up and down, had mistaken ,
or the connected whole of one tremendous
Make 1,