The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1856-1888, 1859-09-28

back by the smoke and hame,s md nothing coulQ
be done hut to save lIs. rs 0p<6in with adj
mirable presence Of mind; himself got out and
threw overheard the magazine, which contained
sufficient powder to have blown us all sky-high,
and was in a room directly over the fire. A sig
nal of distress was then set, four boats cleared
away and launched without accident. Conster-
nation began to manifest itself among the
Chinese, and a rush was made for the boats, but
they were promptly restrained by the Captain,
officers and cabin passengers, who having antici-
pated the panic, were armed for the purpose.
The Captain had given them to understand
that life would be saved in preference to every
they else, that each should have a fair chance.
MIR. Bailey, (the mate) having stationed himself
in the forechains, and retaining all his presence
of mind in directing, the crew likewise obeying
orders implicitly, the Cinnamon became in a
measure treasured. The Achilles having closed
with us in the mean time, lay to about two miles
to windward of us, and dispatched a boat in
charge of her second mate to our assistance.
The Achilles was managed with such skill,
and our boats were worked with such activity,
that in one hour from the time the first boat was
launched all the passengers were out OF the ship,
and the cabin passengers returned to the ship
Will tHt nODc Ol SuNliiS SOmc VI tuCh CHCCtcs anu
to assist in saving what property could be saved.
| At six and half O'Clock, the flames burst out at
all points, and the ship was left to her fate, Capt.
johnson being the last man to leave, and having
the satisfaction of knowing that but one life was
lost, that of a Chinaman who went below, to
get the key of his iron chest which he had Cotton
deck: he was smothered. The Captain had taken
from the ship in his boat, all the specie which
constituted a part of his cargo, amounting to
about $50 900.
On repairing on board the Achilles, we were
received by Capt. Hart, with that cordiality al
ways manifested by a British sailor towards those
in distress, and it would be difficult to determine
whether we were the most grateful that we had
been delivered from our peril, or those on board
the Achilles that they were able to receive us.
Capt. Hart Immediately set himself to making
arrangements to feed the large addition to his
ships company, which was no easy task.
Both Capt. IL. and his wife during the passage
regarded us as their guests, for whom too much
could not be done, and left in the mind of each
one of those whom they were the instruments of
relieving, a sense of gratitude which it will be a
pleasure to us to bear till the end of life. The
officers and passengers on board the Achilles sub
uiiltcu III tic tufOc CuctI inc Vic WI
venience necessarily attendant on the addition of
SO large a number to their company, sharing
with us whatsoever they had.
The Achilles is loaded with wheat and bound
to Sydney. After we came on board a con-
~sultation was held whether it were better to
go back to San Francisco, but it was a unanimous
opinion that the most proper course to be pursued
was to proceed to the islands, as involving less
loss of time to the achilles, and being the most
desirable course for the passengers, who were
thus forwarded on their way TO their port of
destination.
The MastiF was a first class clipper of 1895
tons burthen, built at Boston in 1856, by Donald
Mackay. Esq, and fitted with all the modern i'm
provements cost when built about 800, 600, and
was insured, as we understand, in ten Boston
Insurance Offices for $50, 900.
1t is rare, if not indeed unprecedented, that in
such a scene as that above sketched, SO few casu-
occur. The loss of but one life, ard that
from a cause entirely independent. of any one ex-
cept himself, and the fact that no accident hap
pened to the boats, either in leaving the burning,
or coming along side of the sailing, ship, is most
remarkable. Capt. johnson was most ably sec
onded by Mr.. VIM. Bailey, first officer, and Mr..
George c.. johnson, second officer, whose conduct
on this occasion showed them to be entitled to
the utmost confidence in the line of their pro-
fession. The conduct and fidelity of the steward.
Trafatter, in saving personal effects of
others to the absolute neglect of his own, was lik G.
in the highest degree meritorious.