The weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1858-1860, 1858-11-30

NJ. gohn Iowless y eahtD paseeges ~ board
Ihs Eaatern Ctap, furnishes ! gnphis a1ecsat q
he burnins Of that vsssel a the passage rom
Liverpool u MelbourSe. Eeuth Australia The
Eastesn City 80 = o&ip 6f 1858 tons burden
md ~ psoeostyfo E Ae1ess. Raines = TO-. Of
LivescSol. - Va 1oasnandsd By Uspt. John
ton. Ana had Z crsw 81 " men, including ON
pssa She left Liverpool on the 10th Of July,
with ls0 passengers and l,c0O tons of general
cargo.
" According 20 W. Fowier's narrative, the
Eastern City reached the equator on the 18th of
August, alter long continuance Of contrary
aud battling winds, and the passengers were 10
expectations OF reaching Australia in 70 or 10
days On the 2lss oi August the wind blcs
strong from the northwest, and on the follow
ing day IL increased 70 half gale, with heavy
sea, the ship rolling great deal, and frequent.
ly going from IL 70 IL knots hour. On tho
2Sd the wind veered round TO the southwest,
but the sea continued high, and at T. NJ. an
alarm Of ere was raised, and smoke was seen
issuing from the fore hatch. The passengers
and crew we're all ordered on deck, and i was
believed that all had obeyed the order; but it
was afterwards discovered that ore Of the steer
age passengers, named Mclean, was missing,
and he is supposed 70 have been suffOcated IN
his berth. Hopes were entertained at first Of
extinguishng the FIRE, as it did not seem to in
crease; but after half an hour it was found that
no progress was made, Notwithstanding the
vast quantities Of water that had been pumped
into the hold. II was now apparent that the
only chance wsa to cndeavor 10 smother the
fire. Accordingly blankets, shawls, plaids and
old sails were used for that purpose, but all in
vain The women and children, about so in
number, we're removed to the poop. The cap
-. IL Al NeH. rtxs
before the wind, bad the boats provisioned, and
everything in readiness to lower away at mo-
ment's notice. Both passengers and crew
worked all night in their endeavors to subdue
the flames, the captain cheering them all the
while, and never leaving the deck for mo-
ment. His courage is described as admirable,
and he never ceased to comfort the women and
children by assurances that they would all be
safe in the boats. To add to their danger they
we're more than 6U0 miles from the nearest
land, the boats could carry no more than one
half of the persona in the ship, and the sea ran
so high that no boat could be launched In safe
~, nor live long, crowded.as they must neces-
sarly have been. Their only chance was Of
being picked up, but this forlorn hope, as they
we're out of the track OF vessels and those who
realized tie inll extent of their danger felt that
their destruction was simply question Of
every means to smother the fire. The morning
Of the oath broke at length; but the sea still
ran high, and the ship scudded before,ths wind.
About noon the foreyafd came down by the
run, but without injnring any one. There was
evidently very little hope, and many Of those
on board became quite resigned 10 their terri
BILE fate. The decks became very hot. and the
flames we're expected every moment to be seen
issuing from the bows, and they we're in dread
Of the foremost giving way, which must have
precipitated their fate as its fall must have torn
up part Of the deck, through which the flames
would burst. At this stage. the captain, purser,
and Mr.. Fowler threw bottles overheard, con-
tanning details of the sad catastrophe. Their
rescue from immediate death is thus described
by Mr.. Fowler:
The capt-in, chief officer, purser, doctor, Mr..
Warner, the other chief cabin passenger and
myself, went into the saloon at o'clock P. NJ.
to eat something, for we were all becoming faint.
We were eating what We believed to be our last
meal, but We were all calm, and even cheerful,
Capt. Johnston asking to be excused for the
manner IN which he was breaking up the pre-
served salmon, which, with few biscuits, was
to form our dinner; and |, for appearing at din
ner in such gaise, being literally covered,
hands and face, with tar. AT about 2:30 o'clock
P. NJ, and when about TO say goodbye in
case Of not meeting again before the final ca
tastroPhe, we were startled with the cry "A sail!
do not know how we all tnmbed on deck, but
We were there in an instant. How | looked 10
wirdwari, and how faint and i'll felt when |
at first failed to perceive any thing bat the ocean
and a few black clouds Just ut the edge of the
horizon; how we all at last saw the sail, last like
a distant gull-she was coming down upon lis
CLOSE by the edge Of the suns rays on the
sea; how We all cheered, ana wept and prayed,
and laughed aud cia>ped each Others hands and
cheered again; how great rough fellows Rugged
each other and wept ike children; how men
who had probably never prayed before mutter-
ed sincere thanksgisings; and hos those who
had preserved the greatest Indifference when
death seemed so near were now completely
overcome, | cannot describe. | shook hands
with at least lUU-miny OF them rough, Hitter.
ate men, but who had worked with a high cour-
age in the hour of danger, and we're now az
sincere in their feelings of thankfuness as the
best OF us. In less than half an hour from the
time we first sighted her, the vessel, which pro.
we'd to be the Merchantmen, OF and from Lon
don, with troops for Calcutta, passed close I'M
der our stern. How We cheered her, and she
returned our cheers only British soldiers and
sailors can cheer. Our captain hailed through
lis trumpet, We are on fire; will you stand BY
usy to which Capt. Brown returned hearty
Aye, aye, and send my boasts to assist you'
Soon two of the Merchantman's boats and
three OF our own were launched; bur the sea still
was high, and we expected every mon Z ut to sec
some Of them swamped or dashed in pieces
alongside; but thanks to the ability and care
OF Mr. Punnel and Mr.. Jones, the first and
second officers in charge of the Merchantmen,
aud OF our own officers in charge of the boats,
they were conducted between the two vessels
without single accident. We first embarked
the women and children, and by r. NJ We
were oil safely on board the Merchantmen, cur
captain being the last TO leave.
On arriving on board the Merchantmen, eve.
~ thing had been provided by Capt. Brown
for the relief and comfort of The rescued pas.
sengers, in which he was assisted by Captain
Dawson, commanding the troops They had
prepared hot tea and biscuits for 400, The
women and children were accommodated in the
cnddy aud officers rooms, and the crew and
passengers told On to mess with the soldiers
and sailors, without the slightest con usion.-
The MerchantThan stood BY the burning ship
during the night, and about 2 A. n. the flames
burst out over the topeallant iorecastle; soon
alter the foremost Went over the side, and in
Ialf an hour the main and mzzen masts went,
and soon after she was one mass OF flames. We
could see her burning until about O'Clock
Fable Bay, the distance became too great for |
IS to distinguish other than dark cloud rest.
ng on the dim horizon, which was the last we |
Jaw Of our ship. We in the first cabin saved a |
portion Of our luggage, bat the whole Of the |
'ther passengers and the majority of the crew
ost everything. But we were all thankful for
,ur preservation from terrible and inevitable
leath, and we all feel that the finger Of Provi.
icnce was in il, for had the Merchantmen
lot been obliged to PIT into Rio de Janeiro, in
consequence OF the illness Of her medical officer
hen in charge of the troops, she could not have
'een SO far out of her course, and in position
o rescue Us.
The origin of the FIRE has been attributed to
pontaneous combustion, by the friction OF bad
: slowed packages, during the previous day,
'hen the ship rolled so heavily in the high sea-
he ship, cargo, and property belonging to the
assengers, have been estimated at foo, 900 or
100000.
Peter Nelson, of South Troy, New York, re-
emily discovered that his wife loved somebody
lse better than she did him, and, unlike most
outraged husbands" he sought out the ode
troyer Of his peace" and disposed of his .bet.
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