The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-12-24
PRICE TWO CENTS
THE BARKPARTHIAN.

A letter to the Richmond DiyDafch. written from
st. Thomas, December l. thus describes the gale in
which the Parthian dismasted:
We have arrived at st. Thomas on the bark
Parthian, after being at the very portal Of DEATH
The Parthian sailed from Hampton Roads on the
4th, with l30 men for Rio, but was driven back BY
a gale on the night of the 5th. The next morning
she again set SAIL and made fine progress until
crossing the Gulf Stream the evening of the Sth
when she encountered severe blow which lasted
four hours, and damaged the rigging a little. BY
O'Clock the morning of the 18th we were POS miles
east OF Bermuda, in lat. 36 20. 1t was here that
we first encountered the terrific cyclone, which
came so near sending the ship to the bottom; and
by O'Clock that morning, we were in its very
vortex.
The vessel was not found unprcpared, however,
as the Captain had furled every sail in anticipation
OF the hurricane. The wind struck her on the
stern and changing, struck her broadside, and for
nve minutes she was her beam ends and then
buried In the water six inches over the bulwarks
from stem to stern When the wind struck in broad
side, Capt. Miller thundered out to cut away the
mlZzen mast, but before the order could be execu-
ted, the fore and main masts had been blown away
close to the decks, with loud crash, carrying
away the lIbboom bowsprit and the gunwaes on
the starboard side. In few moments the mizzen
. mast went over, and the vessel, relieved of her
'stlcks," actually bounced out of the water and
py 8 O'Clock was rolling and pitching on the broad
Atlantic without sail or mast-a complete wreck
standing sometimes at an angle of 45 degrees, and
rolling until she buried her gunwales.
Dullng the storm the cabin passengers displayed
admirable coolness, running from point to point of
the snip, with their knives between their teeth,
cutting away the hanging rigging and clearing the
Wreck-a little pale, probably, but as selfpOssessed
almost as ifthey had been at home on shore AZ
Ter the gale had subsided partially, Capt. Miller,
VINO IS the bravest and coolest in time of dan
ger ever saw, came down into the cabin where we
mad all collected and a truly affecting scene fol-
lowed; the tears were streaming down his cheeks,
ana ne was so choked with emotion that he could
NOT Gfnoal n1I4
cheers for Capt. Miller" with vigor that fairly
Jared the ship, and then grasped his hand in a
hearty shake. He said he had been 35 years at
sea, and this was the first time he had ever lost
mast, ana our salvation seemed to him to be a
miracle. One of the passengers tainted and il
was half an hour before he was restored to CON
sciOusness.
The next day Nov 13,) we rugged jury mast,
ana shortly after schooner, bound to Bermuda,
bore down ta us, and promised to send us a steamer
We bore up for Bermuda under a sort of mainsal
Tor eight days, but meeting no steamer and en-
co9nterlng heavy head winds, Captain Miller star
ted for the West Indies, and on the last of Novem
Der we reached St. Thomas, and cast anchor before
TINS lovely city. We are all very proud of Can't
Miller, and bear almost family affection for him.
Among our cabin passengers is Mr.. Tyler, a nephew
of EX-President Tyler.
All of our Irish llborprs went ashore vastardo,,
and got drunk; two Of them got into prison costing
Mr. Wilson $50 to get them out. We set to work
to get them aboard, and had terrible time of il
Alter we got them on the vessel the struggle COM
menced to keep them in the place set apart for
them. They refused to go down in the hold At
last we were armed with sabres, bowie knives and
pistols, and the order was given to fire, and then
charge on them, if they were not down in fifteen
minutes. This had the desired effect, and they
made grand rush for the hatchway tumbIinp in
to the hold head foremost
house on shore will be rented tomorrow, and
they will be put in it while we are here's which will
be one or two months as the hull of the Par
thlan Is to be sold and another ship is to be char
tered.
very hearty card of thanks to Captain Miller
appears in the Richmond papers, signed by the
cabin passengers of the Parthian