Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1858-12-28
THE NICARAGUAN EMIGRANTS ON
BOARD THE SUSAN.

THE NICARAGUAN EMIGRANTS ON
BOARD THE SUSAN.
From the New Orleans Daily Delta, Dec Is I
Lieut.. White, OF the revenue service who
was taken off by Capt Maury on the schooner
Susan, and whose arrival in our city we men
toned yesterday, is quite q young man, 1t
being his twenty-third birthday the day he
was placed in command Of the Susan by Capt
Morrison OF the cutter McClelland Mr. White
says that the cutter was so much faster than
the Susan that she could sail all around her
with her mainsail and jb, while the Susan was
carrying all sail He states that he was down
In the cabin OF the schooner when he heard the
order to let go the anchor, and hearing the
chain rattling through the horse pipe, supposed
of course that she had come to anchor.
Some time afterward, and before he had re-
tired, he heard the order of Capt. Maury en-
deck, though given in an undertone, to the
man at the helm, to keep her south south east,
and thinking IL rather strange that a vessel
could be made TO head any other way than
that which the tide would cause her to swing
whom at anchor, went on deck, and was aston.
iShed to end all sail set and the vessol under
way, and heading down for Sand Island light.
He told Capt. Maury that he should order the
vessel to come to anchor. Maury replied
laughingly, You can order, lieutenant, but
your order will not be obeyed.''
Upon examination he found that the anchor
was still swinging to the cat head, and the
chain which had been allowed to run ont TO
deceive the cutter and the Lieut. was
mlde fast to the jib halyards and could be
hOIsted on board again without ever having
touched the mud. A vessel was visible on the
star-bOard quarter, which ne supposes was one
OF the fleet, but which Captain Maury said was
the cutter, and remarked facetiously that the
"d-n cutter stuck to them like q leech, and
seemed bound to follow them The wind
being from the northward, and blowing fresh,
the Susan went flying over the bar with every
stitch OF canvas set, throwing the spray over
her decks.
Morning found them scudding before north.
er, with q gOodly number Of sea- sick men living
around the decks. The wind hauled around
to the northwest, and came out half a gale
but, though the vessels which they saw to the
windward were closely reefed, Maury stuck
every bit Of canvas he could find on the schoon-
er, and, though requested when the port dead
eyes Of the schooner dragged in the water to
take in q little sail, he laughed at the idea.
The old schooner, which Mr.. White informs US
Wa. at one tine condemned, groaned and bent
in the heavy sea; but Maury was in for a quick
trip, and was determined to make her do her
best.
Mr.. White states that he was treated in the
kindest manner possible, and was offered a
pruning hook and plow, If he would Join his
fortunes with theirs, but that he politely de-
clined, though he wss Of opinion that q more
resoiute and determined set Of officers and men
could not have been picked out to be sent pom
expedition to Nicaragua. They all stated
that they should resist to the death any at
tempt made by any foreign vessel to take
them. Msury, Bruneau, Anderson, and Mr.
White occupied the cabin, while the other Of
hcers occupied the wardroom.
The officers spent the time reading and in
dulging in champagne; number of baskets of
the latter being slowed away under the berths.
And while sitting around the social board,
nd Il.
coming in with the best-pressnting q striking
appearance, with his blue flannel pants, red
night-cap, and high-topped boots. Upon be-
ing asked, by Lieut.. White. what was the Iati-
tude, no hunted up his quadrant, but said
that with reading law, acting Marshal, and
keeping store, he had become little rusty
IN the science Of navigation, bat expected TO
rub up in day or two. They, however soon
ascertained the latitude, and, having a chro-
nOmeter on board, are all right in their reck-
Oning.
Maury, who is as thorough a sailor as ever
placed his foot ON the deck Of a vessel, related
an anecdote illustrative Of his dead reckoning
sailing. which many of his friends will no doubt
recognize. During the Cuban excitement and
just at the time that Crittenden and others had
been shot At Havana, crew Of a shipwrecked
Spanish brig were taken TO Mobile and the
Spanish Consul, fearing for their lives Gu
gagged Maury to take them to Havana. Start
ing with his little schooner, be ran down and
made the headlands Of Cuba, and went into
Havana by guess. Going aboard of one Of our
men-Of-war. which was lying in the port the
commander asked him If his chronometer was
all right. Maury laughed, and said he had
not single instrument on board. " How did
you come down, Captain Maury?" inquired
the commander.
"8teered for it, sir, and made it," replied
Maury. "Ah, but" replied the questiOner,
- how do you expect to return?' Well, the
fact is, said Maury, in his peculiar way, 1--WE
laid in pretty good stock Of champagne before
We started, and as each bottle was finished ( and
it was not long between drinks, assure you,
sir,) threw it over the stern, and am going
10 sail back by the bottles" The commander
eyed him pretty closely. and set him down for
q fast boy. some weeks afterwards it is told
Of the commander, that when out in the
gulf be spied something floating on the water,
and, calling his qusrtermaster, took the spy
glass and bore down on it. Seeing that il
was q bottle, he said to the lieutenant on
watch, There is some Of Capt. Maury's longi-
tude."
Mr.. White says that the men are very much
crowded and We might we'll expect such to be
the case when We come to think of 220 men, be
side the crew, upon q vessel Of about so tons
The men are divided into messes Of six; and it
taxes them from noon until o'clock to get
dinner, and about the time the last mess comes
up TO the galley for dinner, the first are pre-
pairing for supper. There was not the least
sign Of dissatisfaction when Mr. White left and
be describes them dancing on the deck of the
vessel in the heavy swell TO the music of q I'D
die, the performer sitting upon the eapstan,
and calling out the figures with as much earn
es,ness as if he were seated upon the platform
Of odd Fellows Hall
was the intention Of Capt Maury TO put
Nr White upon the frst homeyard- bonnd YES.
sci, and though they saw several before thew
met the Oregon, they were all too far to wind.
ward. The sea was very rough when the trans.
fer was made, and II proved to be rather dan.
gerous undertaking, but the Oregon being 70
leeSsrd, the little yawl with three men he,
sides the Lieutenant, reached her in a short
time. The swell was so great that, after the
yswl was cast of from the Susan, the Lieuten.
ant could only get glimpse Of her now and
then. The last glimpse he got Of her, be saw
the men still dancing and Capt. Man,y ,,an5'
ing on the after deck, waving 10 his hand the