Mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado Co., Cal.) 1854-1860, 1859-02-12
From Chambers' Journal.
A STORY OF A SHIPWRECK.

with us in the days Of frocks and socks, when
we were under the dominion Of the nursery
maid-to 60 to Johns farm and feast on curs
and cream, being one Of the grand delights Of
those unclOudcd days. John titled a small
holding in Wiltshire, and might have TILED it
to the day Of his death, as his father did, had
he had, like his father, but one child: his
offspring, however, numbered seven before he
had been welded ten years and as the land
remained the same while the family increased
exceedingly fast, he had to cast about for
better provision for them. The failure Of
some experiments which, under this pressure,
he was driven to make upon new and stub
born soil, deprived him of good part of his
capital, and dishcartened him from any re.
Moved attempt in that direction He now be-
gan to think Of emigrating. His wife, n busy,
right-minded, active woman, made no obcc-
tiOn to the stcp-if poverty was to come urOn
them, she said she would rather face it abroad
than at home. Just then the newspapers
were tccming with prosperous accounts con-
corning settlers in the far west of North
America, where land, it was said, was to. DC
clearing. The Singers made up their minds
to go; and that point being decided, John lost
no time in disposing Of his lease, his farming
stock, produce, and implements, and putting
money in his pocket. There was quite COM
motion in the district when the news got
wind, and as usual, diversity Of opinions on
the subject. Some said it was the best thing
that Singer could do, seeing that he had such
a large family; while others said it was flying
in the face Of Providence, to throw up The farm
on which the father had got living for fifty
years. The Singers paid small attention to
these various verdicts, but busted themselves
in settling their affairs and in the course Of a
month OF six weeks from the time of forming
their resolution, were ready for their depar.
turc.
DESTROYS Of obtaining an immediate passage
for his numerous family, Jehn set off to B.,
and began to search for vessels about to sail.
There were several in the harbor which would
| clear out within a months time; but the
charge for passage across the Atlantic was
much higher then than it is now, and John,
who had ample reasons for the practice of
economy, was anxious to make the voyage as
little costly as possible. Not much short of a
hundred pounds was demanded by some Of
the captains for the accommodation he want
ed; and he was thinking Of coming away and
trying some other port, when he fell in with
All agent y no offered to introduce him to the
captain Of the Camden, who, he said, would
take him and his family on his own terms
| John followed the man to the basin, and board.
ed the Camden. She was but q small vessel,
and was singularly dirty and disordcrly but
the captain assured him she was sound and
seaworthy, and would be in neat and tidy
trim before she got into blue water. The
terms the captain offered were temptingIy nd.
vantageous and he further profEered for the
use of Singer and his family q strip Of cabin
in tho middle Of the vessel, in which they
would be separated from all intercourse with
the stccrage passengers. This latter considc-
ration decided the bargain. John paid half
the stipulated sum as earnest; and as the yes.
sci would positively sail on that day week, he
lost no time in concluding his preparations
and getting his family on the spot, ready to
embark when tho moment Of departure should
arrive.
| What follows is matter of such momen.
tous interest that we shall decline narrating it
in the third person, and allow John Singer to
tell the story himself, as we shudderingly
heard 1t from his own mouth:
| " It was on the 25th Of july" said John,
"when, with my wife, seven children, and my
wifes neicc, went on board the Camden in
B harbor.- We had never been to sea be-
fore, and We knew well enough that sea.sck-
ness awaited US, and that we should most like.
| ly be all i'll together for day or two. had
made what preparation could for this bad
time, by providing some simple medicines, a
small stock of spirits, and tho means Of pro-
curing hot water at two minutes notice. Sure
enough tho sickness came, and q miserable
time it was. The wife and children were all
laid up In thcE bcrths before We were out off
The Channel, and were unable to help them
selves. | was sick. too, and could have fol-
lowed their example; but in that casc we
should have all been helpless together; so
forced q resolution, and waited ON tho rest as
well as could through 1t all.
"Thc youngest of the children got over it
first; my wife suffered most, We had been
five days at sea before she was sufficiently re-
covered to be able to come or deck. When
at last she got into the fresh sea-air, it revived
her at Once-her appetite and strength return.
ed, and her old cheerful spirits and activity
as well. She set to work to put things in a
comfortable trim, and madc our little cabin
quite parlor
"We had reason to be thankful that We
were separated in all respects from the steer.
| age passengers They numbered about fly
to sixty in all. and were not only of the poor
and miserable, but of the dirty and degraded
class. Nearly all were Irish, and about third
of them were women, who-T will say that
for them, poor souls !-were much better than
the men, and did good deal to restrain the
violence of their conduct and language.
don't think tho whole EtnerNrc cnnll hnve