Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-09-20
another OF the worlds Heroes.

The Detroit Free Press of the 18th inst, in COM
menting on the Lady Elgin disaster, says:
From a conversation with one of the survivors Of
the wreck we have gathered some facts not specially
enlarged upon in the newspaper accounts A Lake
Superior miner named James Rellman. an English-
man bv BIRTH arrived in the city yesterday morning
TO take the first boat from this city for the haven
which the Lady Elgin failed to reach. He was on
board the boat at the time of the disaster and gives
n somewhat confused account of the occurrence.
When the vessel struck the steamer he was lying
down between decks and was thrown from his po-
sition several feet by the conclusion Unraveling
the bewidered and disconnected tale which he gives
we have glimpses of terrific panic among the pas
sengers in the midst of which everywhere the self
possessed commander, giving orders and overseeing
such measures as were most conducive to the gene
raj safety. The cattle were driven overheard, and
the freight and luggage Immediately followed. Pas
sengers were Weakened from their sIumbers by
sturdy blows of the axe, which dashed in their
state-room doors and called them to a of their
danger.
All were finally collected on deck and when the
steamer went down the hurricane deck which con-
sttuted the roof of the upper cabin oated clear Of
the hull and sustained the crowd Mr.. Bellman says
that on this extempore raft not less than 800 persons
were collected the majority of whom chung to their
places until near daylight The raft was most I'M
der water from the weight of its living burden and
very few who chung to it but were above the waist
| in the turbulent sea- The Captain constantly
on his feet encouraging the crowd and seems TO have
been the only man who dared TO stir from the re-
| cumbent position which WIS necessary to keep a
secure hold on the precarious raft
He carried child. which he found in the arms
| of an exhausted and submerged woman to On ele-
waited norton of the raft and left it in charge of
woman when it was soon lost. He constantly ex-
| horted the crowd to keep SILENT and not only to
make no noise out to refrain from moving, in order
| that the frsil framework might last longer. Bell
man says that during the time which elapsed while
| the raft kept together. there scarcely sound
| from man. woman or child They chung to their
places in silent terror and neither groans nor prayers
were audible no voice, that of the Captain
raised aloud in encouragement and coed cheer be-
ing heard amid the roar of the wind and the cease
| less splash of the cOmbing waves. Finally the con
| slant action of the water broke up the raft anC
large pieces doaed off detached pieces, and gradu
| ally the multitude melted away by couples and soI
| tary individuals until but 1.-THE of the whole mum
| Der remained.
The swell tumble the light RATS about like feather
weights and a weary struggle the hapless survivors
had during the long drift of ten miles intervening
| the shore. Buman ten hours on his raft ant
| says thai he was capsZed and thrown into the ses
| with his two companions every third minute. Wher
they reached shore they were dashed about helpless
ly in the surf, and, more fortunate than their com
panion, were lifted upon the beach by the breakers
| and dragged ashore by strong hands which awaited
| them. 1t was here that, having surmounted the
| pers of that terrible voyage. the commander sue
stumbled and gave way to the irresistible force which
| had worn out his strength and vlgor. Perhaps ht
had rather died thus than to have lived in TIE exer
! else of more selfish motives than those which mark
ed his character through the whole of this trying
! ordeal.