The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1860-02-11
wHrN TEE SNIP srRuCx.

the ship struck could not have been larger than maus
head So eight was The jar that but lew Of the pas
gers had any idea Of what II was.
The tug has just up 10 this place with Captains w.
l. aod c. G. Dali We learn IRON them that the bodies
were all buried In separate graves and marked so that
they win be known.
ACCOUNT BY AN EYE wIrNEss-NARRATIvE OF MR..
DEFINING, THE HEAD OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES AND
THRILLING NcIDENTs-LErTER FROM CAPT. DALI.
from the Alta California, Jan. 20
BY the brig George Emery Capt Dryden. which arrived
Jan IT, FROM Humb blot, Mr. John Dennng head steward
tanned by Capt Dali ut Humboldt with the view OF send
log him down with dispatches by the vickery but an
accident prevented hts coming In that vessel Mr.. Den
ming has letters Tor many persons In this city relative W
the late disaster We had short interview with him on
bis arrival, and though he was much pressed with
business copded 10 his care be time 10 answer our
inquiries u the incidents Of the wreck We let
Mr. Denring tell his own story
RUNNING ON THE ROCK.
1t vas about tive O'Clock on Thursday the 9Th inst that
the dsaster occurred The rock upon which the
struck about midway Bunts Reef and
is always covered, and is not the Humooitt rptes
states, point no bigger than mans head, - rather
shelf The weather had been hne all day. The water
was smooth, and the ship was going along nj speed Of
perhaps twelve miles an hour. Capt 0au deck.
Was attending TO The setting Of the cabin tabs with my
force and remember that toe water smooth that
rack required on the table, is the case 10
heavy Suddenly felt the ship touch lightly aud
gate for some distance over hard substance Tae re-
bnt little sr-so le in fact that many persons di
not know that any thing had happened.
Ny iist impression was that IDe ship had touched
VI
saw the Teef well on the starooard beam Then
ran ait 70 see in gong over the rock she had toru Of
any OF her bottom which might be floating IN her wa<e;
but nothing 10 be the impression that
had NOE hurt herse; mn:h The ship did not stop and
ihen swpg or from the rock, as mas been represented,
but cob nue3 her course straight as arrow, aud
without any sensible dmipu,iou OF speed In fact she
jest grated the rock and passed on but in that
che either bave torn of portion Of the plank
ing or have epGt open her bottom.
THE SHIP FOUND TO BE LEAKING.
Ihere was no confusion or hose after tbs accident for
oyoer Of Captain Dali when Il as tound that tho sho
leaking fast Captain Dali then ordered inform
the ladies in the cabin mos, OF whos were in their bertbs
nj the time that they might have take 70 the boats,
and 70 leave their clothes on ready for emergency
but not tn alarm them Al the time the ship bead
was turned towards the shore and the land full
sFed. the cabin told the LADIES' they
had better dress Some OF them aid-''0h, no;
don't want any dinner" thinking that wanted them to
get ready for dinner told them t. the ship leak
ing some and that PERHAPS they nigh. have To take 10
the boats They thought was joking, aud it took some
time for me 10 convince them OF the They then
dressed and all went into the Captains state room,
the star board side.
! then went on deck, and Mr. French directed me to
take my men (xaers cooks, &c. and get 10 quantity
Of ship bread from below in shonId have take
70 the boats While doing this water appeared
above the lower Deck and evidently gaining fast
reported this 10 the captain then get
the mails on the hurricane deck and then to up
which ord.
EFFORTS TO KEEP AFLOAT-ALL HANDS AND THE
PASSENGERS AT WORK.
Meantime the engineers and remen TO their work
below ike tigers, ana continued TO do long after the
increasing water had put out OF the fires the ship
bad struck. Not man showed the white feather. I
never saw more GOODNESS in my life any time OF danger
Even the ladies' we're calm and collected though showing
in their faces the anxiety which regned in their
Two Of the men were set TO firing signals OF distress with
rockets the ship as fast as possible Thepumps were
rugged nj and worked WELL while the passengers and
ali the available force in the ship were put TO bang water
oOt Of the bold with beef barrels slung in ropes and
hosted with tackles and the donkey engine. All worked
systematically and with a will The utmost order aud
BEAcH1NG THE sHIP--AN AWFUL SURF.
Gradually nesred the shore towards the mouth Of
Bear river was growing dark rapidly. The weather
bad suddenly changed and II had commenced blowing
fro the southwest with fine rain We saw that we were
running into heavy surf One OF the res had gone out
and by this time the engineers had been driven
from below Dy the water. The paddle wheels, however
continued 10 make very slow revolutions. drew
near, could only discern the dim outline Of the shore
which seemed TO be rocky bluff but the darkness pre-
vented seeing anything distinctly, and very the
shore was entirely shut out from view There wereover
gers provided themselves with these "a they pleased
Capt. DAN, Mr French, Mr. 0Neii, and III IA all the Off
GERS, tncoursgrg them with the hope that ali would
saved by keepog calm aud obeying orders strictly.
was about six O'Clock wnen the ship frtt struck;
should judge she went stem ana being in the surf
roller came AMER her the moment she stopped washing
fore and att the Ship taking several of their eet
none were washed verboard This was however, but
email specimen OF the surf which Afterwards made no az
the wind Increased Tho ship took a sand spit,
and remained there but few moments, when she
went over into deeper water and worked up humid, I'd
was evident that she could not get shore
now grew quite DARK ana commenced raining and blow
made up began to break the ship. She heeled
out from the shore, and the hong walls o. water appalling
in their appearance, would strike upon the face OF tho
deck ew OF these served TO break the hurricane deck
in pieces which with the staterooms and finally all the
light work about the ship, swept away Nobody was
washed of at this time II was very chilly and the dark
ness intense.
SAVING THE LADY PASSENGERS.
me hst thing that vas done was TO lower boat ou the
larboard sidea the starboard boats having been got
board and taken over TO that side Of the ship for that
purpose Tie ship lay with her head to south ward
and her arboard side was consequently In shore MT.
French the first officer, was oectei by Captain Dali to
lower his boat and try and save the ladies' No at
tempt had been made yet 70 run line to the shore The
boat was got overheard safely and four ladies', vzMrs
lew, Misi Hartney, Mrs. Sweitzer, and Mrs. Thompson
and child, with three children OF Mrs. rew-were placed
srs S on board No one could see y yards IN shore
I'VE 10 tuch an awful eurf; but was tho only chance
The ladies behaved noby. There was whmpering no
uDless her brother in whose charge che was could be al
lowed TO go also but this could be, and after vany
expostuapg With her, the boat went without her and
reached the shore in safety.
Loss OF THE TWO BOATS.
sIbe next boat that started ashore commanded by
Mr. Birch the second officer which capsized in the
this boat the was dashed violently ashore after being
nearly drowned, and was rescued from the surf by the
less Tor more than hour and took the utmost efforts Of
her friends BY rubbing and other restore to
CQusCousnetB Mr. bIrC0, inc SECOND OucSr, narrowly
escaped with bis kfc.
all OF this passed unseen by those who remained on
board the darkness being intense, and the booming Of
the breakers dcafenng The passengers, such q re-
NAMED, chung 10 the wreck with the momentary expecta-
ton that she would break pieces under the fearful as
saus of the eur As yet she formed sort OF lec be-
meath which the boats bad been launched Another boat
was now got and sent ashore under the COM
mand Of Mr.. Thomas CALDWELL the Columbia river pilot
Ihs too, wac capezsd In the surf and Mr. Caldwell aud
three others drowned The ship lay about four hundred
yards from the beach.
DEATE OF ME-. FRENCH.
Mr. French who had landed his boat with the ladies' In
safety was about starting OFT again the ship, and
attempted several times TO launch her through the surf,
hut was unable to Go until after repeated trials The
party shore clustered around him begged him not
TO rsk bis life again. They pointed that he had got
ashore this time almost by miracle and tina. tho Of
the other two boats should be warning TO him. but he
replied with his characteristic spirit az have got Is much
to I've for as any OF you but going of to that steam
er and stand by Capt DALI my life belongs 70 the passen
gers in herand he succeeded at last 10 launching her,
was standing near amfdshps when Mr. French came
wards the ship the second time When the surf broke the
water would reco with fearful violence against the ship