The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1859-12-28
CORRESPONDENCE OF THE DAY BOOK
U. S. STEAMER LANCASTER,
Panama Boy, Dee, 1Oth, 1853,

U. S. STEAMER LANCASTER,
Panama Boy, Dee. 10th, 1853.
Friend Hathaioay-For the benefit of your
many admired readers of the Dag Book,
embrace the opportunity to send you all the
information relative to this magnificent
steamer.
On tine 2sth Of September we left Rio for
the Pacific. For about eight days we had
strong breezes, until getting to the South Of
the River La Platte, where we encountered
heavy gales of wind, carrying away fore
and main topsail, fore topmast stay sail and
main spencer gaf, which made shipwreck of
chains, cables, mess stores, rooms, &c.
We experienced heavy weather more or
LEGS unti' reaching the latitude of the Fslk-
land Islands. We steamed during the time
as circumstances required. On the 2lst, un-
der steam, we Eade and passed the Straits
Of La Meare, the Southern extremity, and
the last jumping of place OF South America,
about 200 miles East of Cape Horn, In the
Southern Ocean. Thatnight crude Boreas"
bid us defiance, as we did not care about
wasting coal in contsnding with sach a rude
customer. We lay to for the night and bank
ed the fires to rest our iron horses until
morning, which was done with perfect ease;
all was necessary to imagine yourself laying
in Hampton Roads, dry and as comfortable,
amid the bowling of the wind and roaring
of the sea. Then next morning we had
| this dreary and chilling coast on our star
| board head, and Cape Horn about 200
| miles dead ahead, due West. The order was,
! fire up and gear on the iron horse. The
| order was 60 ahead they reared, pitched
| and snorted away she started, passing at
| the same time several vessels laying too
amid the bowling storm for several days and
weeks. On we moved, when on the third
day we passed this rude and stormy coast
called "Cape Horn," within gunshot, and
continued our course outside of the Dia Ra-
marus, until 80 West, where we banked our
fires, made sail, and made the best of way
for Valparaiso, and steamed as before, when
on the 18th of November arrived at Valpa-
raise, where we lay long enough to take in
| about 800 tons of coal and left ON the 2lst
for Panama, and arrived on the 9th all WE'LL
with the mail steamer which preceded us
some or days at Valparaiso, having on
board our letter bag.
| On the 2lst at noon, pleasant weather,
Manuel Pomosin, native of Madeira, Or
binary Seaman, fell overheard from the ibri-
die port aad was drowned. Every exertion
that was necessary to save him, was done.-
He sunk near the Life Buoy; not knowing
how to swim, he could not reach it. His
cap was picked up alongside of it, and
brought on board when the boat returned.
| We found here the Saranac and Levant;
| the latter with the pennsnt Of Flag Officer
| NJ montgomery, from which he transferred
his flag on the 9Th, to this ship.
Since leaving the United States up to the
present time, this ship has been one of the
most successful steamers that ever rounded
Cape Horn. Not the slightest accident has
occurred to any part of her machinery to
give the slightest uneasiness; 8 he moves with
perfect ease and void OF that jar among
propellers generally; she steams easy at 40
revolutions, 8 knots; at As, 10 knots. With
the wind on the quarter, under sail alone,
with top-mast studding sails, she has gone
IL knots, and 10 with her propeller down.
By the wind under sail, after using e of the
coal, she makes good deal of lee-way. Her
melton in sea-way is the most perfect, and
no doubt the fastest in the Pacific.
Yours in haste, TRUTH.