The Nevada Democrat., 1862-09-11
the Malls Ofthe GOideA Gate-the last
..a Rites OF the Dead.

I
Rites OF the Dead.
Mr.. NOrrell, U. S. Consul at Mauzanillo,
writes as follows, under da,e of August Is,
to the San Francisco Postmaster:
SlR-Yonr communication of the 10Th
instant, In relation 10 the U. S mails which
were on board the Golden Gate at the time
OF her burning, was received yesterday per
Golden Age. regret to inform you that
but small portion of that mail matter has
been recovered. 1t has been mostly ystolen
or wantonly destroyed by thieves and ma
rauders, who tiocked 10 the wreck a day or
two after the disaster, and were busy with
the work of plumber for some days. | bad
20 reason to suppose that any mails bad
been washed ashore. Capt. Hudson reported
that when be left the beach in front Of the
wreck, on the moPnng after the disaster,
none bad been seen up 10 that time; and
the inference was that the mails had been
burned along with the baggage. But few
days afterwards, when ho visited the wreck,
be says be saw seven mail bags. or rather
the remains of them, which had been cut
open, and the beach was covered with let
lerS all ePen, and most of them torn.
About the same time learned that bills Of
exchange, drafts aud certificates, some of
which | saw, were being brought here by
various persons, who, In their ignorance,
expected TO gain some profit from them.
Among the arst lot which was shown to me,
were two or three Treasury notes, for small
amounts. Immediately communicated
with the Captain of the Port, and requested
him to take possession of oil letters and
papers Of every kind. whatever. that might
be brought here ard also TO send word 10
bic men, who, for the time being, had su-
pervision of the wreck, to secure all papers
that might be found there, and TO deliver
them TO me, in sealed packages. for trans-
mission TO San Francisco. He acceded
readily to my request, and on the 9th in-
stant delivered me sack, sealed as reques-
ted, the contents Of which am unacquain-
ted with; and on the same day delivered
IL 10 Cept. Hudson, who forwarded II. per
Orizaba, TO the Agents Of the r. N. S. s.
Company in San francisco II seems that
greater portion of the whole letter mail
was robbed. | have already represented
this, as well as all other facts connected
with The loss Of the III fated stsamer, 10 the
Secretary OF State of the U. s. A., and
have included them ell In Capt. HudsOn's
protest. returned from The wreck on the
10th inst, having been there for the purpose
Of burying the remainder Of the dead; and
there were then only 0 few fragments OF
letters scattered about. Should any more
letters or papers make their way here,
will cause them 10 be secured and forward
ed to you.
In private letter to another party the
consul says:
II was not till the morning OF the 18Th
that reached the beach, at point miles
from lbe wreck. The first object that met
my sight was Il body which had been thrown
up by the sea, along with portions Of the
wreck and other drift wood 1t was entire
" destitute Of clothing, lying on the face,
and the attitude was that Of one In the act
of trying TO scramble up the beach
while the underiow was dragging him back.
Close by was another, also lying on the
face, the arms reaching forward and the
legs Strengthened out, as 10 the act Of swim
ming The several remains were in various
stages OF decay, aud 10 all possible attitudes
and with two or three exceptions, destitute
Of clothing. / ssw none that had reason
to suppose were females, though II was
wholly impossible TO distinguish either sex
or age. Some few we're underneath massive
pieces of timber and spars, 20 filed np
above and around them that IL was impos
sible to get at them for interment. knew
not what TO do, except to leave them as
they were. One Of the persons With me
suggested burning. that, as IL well known,
being the inyariable method In this country
OF disposIng of those killed in battle, friend,
and foes alike. Shocking as was the alter
native. thought It preferable to leaving
them thus TO rot above ground; and there
fore, after taking away the skulls, which
were more or lees detached. for inteTme0t,
the fires were kindled God forgive me il
did wrong.
without going into further particnlars.
ace II to say that the earthly remains OF
tnOse rs victims lie buried on the bank
above the beach, their graves scattered
over an extent Of five miles aleDg the shore
and a cross marks the resting place OF
each.
puOuaVax ANn IFIq poRTRA AITa " men