Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-10-09
rnRaInLn SCENES ar sEA.
.7iayFRS5rc Of n SSrrisos G-OB, She ssoEdc1
GlGfC.


.7'z,T@s5rc ofG s'syrisor from 'he Ssosdc
siGfe.
Mr A. Bate, steerage passenger on boar
? the California steamer Golden Gate, furnishes
San Francisco paper the following interestin;
narrative of the scenes on board that vessa
when she was burned at sea:
The day was very warm, aud was sitting o.
deck forward. This was about hglfpast four
0 clock in the afternoon. All was suiet L sud
denly saw smoke issuing from the deck, about
mldshipS and near the smoke stack. I watched
1t d moment, when, becoming convinced there
was fire, I eriod out Just at this moment
others saw the smoke too, aud we sll rushed To-
ward the pumps or brakes forward, which were
chiefly used for cleaning the deck
We used the pumps as best we could We
took turns working. / worked 3 few minutes,
when, seeing it would do no good, went for
ward. All then began to crowd forward and
had no Iifep preserves for they were in the boats
/ behind, and no one could 60 through the tre
after them, In about tive minutes from the time
l saw the smoke the flames burst through the
/ decks. IL seemed as if the means for exHnguish-
/ ing nre had been neglected, for the pumps
would not work.
The flames kept coming forward every mo-
meut, aud all pressed still closer to the bows
Ropes were now attached to the vessel and
thrown over the sides, to hold on to. Some were
SO frightened that the moment the fl ,e came near
them they plunged wildly overheard and were
drowned. Others climbed over and held on to
the ropes as long IS they could. They got ex-
hagsted and dropped Oft, singly and in pairs,
and were lost.
There were ten boats aboard-snough to save
every soul on bOard-but only thee of them
could be got at. Two OF these, loaded chiefly
with the crew, got safely to the shore. The other
sailed away for MauZanilla and has not been
heard from. The men that got into the boats
jumped overheard, and were picked up The
OLncers seemed to do very well, and the men
were not insu0ordinste, but appeared to obey
orders aud work well.
l secured a rope, and determined to stay
aboard to the last moment, and then swim for
the shore am very good swimmer l had
stripped myself of everything bat my shirt.
had about my waist belt with some money:
but large sum which had in my trunks, was
lost
While thus standing at the bows, grssping my
rope, continued Mr. Bates, 3 little girl, a lovely
child about eight years Of age came uD to me
and asted ne 70 save her. Her name was Ad-
die Manchester, and her father lives in San Fran
cisco. She said
Oh, mister, can you swim ?''
L told her could. She begged me so hard to |
9afo Aot lLAs ucV6ILltl61 20 Ty 20 dG SO any /
how. told her I would try to save her if she /
would do just as ! told her. She said
Twill DO just as yuu tel me. Save me, DO, |
please-I don't want TO be drowned'
l showed her how to act; 10 get on my back !
and grasp me tightly, but that she must not /
choke me. She promised to DO lust as told her !
She was quite cool Just as the fire got up to /
US, the vessel struck the bar. got over, taking |
Addie with me- She held on to me tight. as / /
told her to do l struck for the beach. not tar /
OF. The breakers ran very high. got past |
the FIRST one in safety with my burden l got /
past the second ore, also. After l passed. the /
third one, l found that Addis was gone. l /
turned round and saw her going down behind /
me. 4 man on a plank, who was passing,
gTasped her by the hair and pulleal her on his /
plank. l saw she was safer than with me, so 1 !
continued on, and was dragged on the beach 1 /
lay On the beach insensible for about half an
hour. When came 80 I saw Addie. She was
lively.
dug hole in the sand to keep warm in. We /
buried She dead each in g separate grave, which 1
we screped out with our hands and pieces Of |
board.
Next morning we Travelled inland. About ve /
miles of we reached a spring; here we rested. |
Some of cur party then started across the noun 1
taiHs 10 reach Nauzauills; others, including my
self, were TO remain until assistance reached Us.
We had nothing to eat. That afternoon, and /
after our ffieu had left US, the ST. Louis came
along and took gs aboard.