Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1860-01-20

ooo COOLIES AND io EUROPEANS PROBABLY LOST
The following graphic report of the terrible
wreck Of the American clipper ship Elcfa Tenn.
pie, Of Baltimore in The China Sea, On the sth Of
October, is Written by Dr.. A. p Childs. F.R.C
.. VINO was passenger on board:
Hone koSG, CHINA Nov II 1.5o
The Flora Tempe left Macao for Havana on
saturday morning, the Sth of October 1s5o and
on the following Friday, at 80 D. m. She struck
upon one OF the numerous reefs not marked upon
tne cna,.s, winch render tine navigation Of the
NINA Sea so uncertain and dangerous She struck
hrst lightly, and then very soon afterwards, seye
raj times with Tremendous crash, the breakers
running very high alongside
Having list aport the water had ranidlv in
creased from two and a half feet till If had
reached the between decks, where the coolie.
We're There was no longer shadow of ground
for hope that the vessel could be Drese,ved
w nile THIS was going On-indesd. almost imme
dlately after the ship first struck-a fear that the
coolies would rise and murder all on board seemed
10 have possessed itself of the minds of the crew.
ana 10 such height did this rise tina. .he rant,in
(having at the time, hpwcvcf no intention of
abandoning the ship,) had tue two quarter boats
lowered, ana placed officer and five mon in
each "l'h orders to remain near the ship so that
refuge might be at hand, if by any chance thev
should become needful. The crew was thorouuE
~ unmanned their only anxiety seemed to he to
ieaVe the sup, no matter how. and had il not
oeeh lor the captain, his brother and one or two
others OH board, the boats would have left the
snip absolutely unprovided with the ner.st nee
esSaries of lfe-the men could lie cot 70 do
nothing The boats were lowered about ten
O'CLOCK About twelve the other small boats were
got out safely, and there now remained only The
long peat, which the panic-stricken men had de.
cldred 1t vas impossible 70 get out Fifteen with
the captain, remained OH board
The labor and difficulty of getting this ho,t ont
was immense. The Captain bad to climb the
Halnsay TO hook on the tackle; but at last II was
got out at about a. m, and with its crew passed
safely over the breakers immediately hrfore
leaving tue ship the lead was hove and ION,
fathoins Were found under her bows and stern
anu 'nIe. fathn",o apidships; just through tho
breakers there was 10 bottom at fourteen fathomS
ne earliest lights Of the morning Were now
showing themselves in the east and soon after the
day broke the coolies were all collected on the
upper decks. Having passed round the northern
extremity Of the line of breakers the Captain i'm
the long boat Joined the quarter-boat with the
smaller boats in company, the port quarter boa
with the second mate i'll charge having deserted
Us during the night, alarmed probably al tn,
firing of the guns, which to their terrified ears
seemed to denote another outbreak Of the cool,
The Captain had all transferred from the dinpies
u tne long boat and quarterback and about 9
a m sail was made 10 the westward In very
snort time the wind increased till it became !,
severe gale from w .S.W accompanied bv a IRE.
nendous sea and heavy rain
The boats parted COmpany and bencefo,,b 7
can only speak OF the one in which by the proyi-
| dehce OIL God, after fourteen DAYS and nights of
| China. ~ 00oni'
immediately on orr arrival Tou,,n Can.,,,
Johnson called OH the French Admiral Al P,Un
anu begged him to send in search of the missfno
Doats as well as to the of the coolies it6
| the greatest readiness this request was at once
| colnPneo with, the steamer Gironde was de.
| sPalched with orders to proceed to the scene Of
ulsdsier Our men were transferred to anotber
Vessei 10 be sent on to Hong Kong; Captain John.
son, his brother and myself proceeded in the G j.
| ionde: On Wednesday, the 2d of November AT
| TWO O'Clock, we were again in sight of the reef
NO relic of the the gallant ship we had left an
Peared, till on proceeding closer in boat tn,
port side, from the main chains forward, could he
wreck by the rigging, together with the bowspri,
ana Jloboom and the top of what seemed to be
| tne main skysail mast. OF eight hundred and
nifty coolies not one remained