The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1858-10-07

luCc. CfOin tht tunc tnc sup War iu'u ol
her course we experienced strong westerly
gales On the 18th the weather was more
favorable, and on the 18th speed OF eleven
knots had been attained, and all were in the
high hopes of reaching New York by the
18th. At u little after z o'clock L. NJ,
was on the quarter deck. ! saw u dense
volume OF smoke burst from tho after en-.
trance of the siecrage. Some women ran
ait. exclaiming, The ship is IN fire. what
will become OF us The ship was instant
ly put at halt speed at which the continued
until the magazine exploded, from which !
infer the engineers were instantly sullocated, L.,
| only walked from where ! was ON the
quarter deck TO the waist ol the ship, when
saw the flames breaking through the lights
amidships, As the ship was head 10 the
wind. the fire Travelled with fearful rapidi,y.
then went to the man al the wheel and
told him TO put the vessel with her side 10
the wind, lio hesitatod- probably did not
understand me, IN hc was u native Of Ham.
burg. then got u German gentleman 10
speak to him. At this time saw some
persons letting down the boat on tho por,
the boat don't know. but think she was
crushed under the screw. then went 10
let I oat over the starboafd side Of the
quarterback. but the moment We laid our
hands on the rops there were No many
people who crowded into II that We could
not llit il on the blocks, We therefore lon
il for few minutes, until the people got
out, when W. returned and launched il over
the side Of the ship, wbcn the people all
rushing into il again. IL descended with
great violence into the water, and WAS in
slan,ly swampcd, all the people being swept
ont excepting three, who held on to the
sides
We then let down rope, and pulled up
one person, who proved 10 be the steward
Another, Ia the oct Of being hauled up. WAS
stranglcd by the rope. The FIRE now came
on too hercely 70 attempt u get up any
more from the swampod boat. II the first
cabin passengers were on the poop, with the
exception OF lev gentlemen, who must
have been snothcr,d In the smoking room.
Many Of the second cabin passengers were
also on the poop. but "a number Ol them got
shut into their cabins by the fire. Some Of
them were pulled up through thc ventIlator,
but the greater number could not be cstri-
Gated. The last woman who was drawn up
said there were six already suiIocalcd We
now perceived that thu ship had got her
head 10 the wind again, ~ that the ilnm,r
came over the quarter deck IN consequence
Of the crowd ! could not get 10 the wheel.
house 10 ascertain the reason, but ] was IN
formed that tho hclInsman had deserted his
post, anI that the vessel, being leit to her
ell, headed Ia the VIVID oi her own accord.
At this time the scene on the quarter deck
was indscribablc aud truly heart rGDdihg.
Passengers were rushing iraptically 10 nud
iro--husbaDds sekiDg their wives. wives IN
search ol their husbands, relatives looking
after relatives, mothers lamentlug the loss ol
their children, some wholly pafalyzed by
fear, Others crying mady 10 bc saved but
a few perfectly calm aud collected. The
flames pressed 40 cIo"'l y upon ,hcn, that
many jumped INTO thc sea, relatives claspcd
10 each others arms, IeaIed over and mt u
watery grave. Two glris, supposcd 10 be
sisters, jumped over, and sank 1is.IDg each
other A missionary and wiic ieapcd INTO
the sna together and the stewur,i'es and IA
sistaut steward, arm Ia arm, followed. DBe
Hungarian gentleman with seven fne chi.
drn, lour oi them gfls, made hn wile jump
m. then biessed hrs eldest chlldfcn. made
tbrm jump ia oDc alter the other, and fol.
lowed thcm with all infant ~ bis own affus.
J. about this time, wa. standing outside the
bulwarks, holding on by the dayits, lcanng
out TO avoid The flames, which were IeapIng
toward me. saw .Samped boat undef
me spinning by fopc stlii attached to the
ship. A the oars were tied IN bcr, thought
II ! could get 10 her. would b. enabled TO
save myself and some others. ! let myself
down by q rope, passing over man who
wa- cingIng 10 II, but who Refused " come
with ne. ] took out my penknile 10 cut the
tackle the large blade broke: and ] then
sevcred il with the small blade. The ship
J,asss-i ahead. AZ the screw approac he'd !
ionnd the boat drawn toward 1t. tfied 10
kop the boa, ofl but the screw caught and
caISrzed her over mr..
diyed away from the ship and came 10
tie surface near boat which ~as keri up
ward ! ~, On her. and by pre~Ing on one
side with the aasistancs u a wave she right
I'd, bu, was still swanpd The oars had
i,een knocked out by the screw. The Only
thing could find ia bef 10 paddle with was
some lathe nail.d together IN n sh'nthlDg for
the ,ides When ODked round the ship was
a quarter Of a nile away from me. ] could
sec the aii's aud gentlemen jumping oil the
pop into tbs water by two. and tbros,
some Of the ladies ia flames. ~yrcyeral besI.
ts,sd to leap ifom the burning ship until the
la, moment, ~ thc heigh, was twenty-five
loet, and we're only AT iength compelled 10
thrOs themselves "a 70 AVOID more pain
iuI death. 10 hail al hour not soul Wa,
no, 10 be sesn On the pop. ! pulloi after
tt.e .hip ard piesod up German who was
swimming strongly got him beside me on