The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1865-08-08
Burning ofthe william Nelson.

FIJI Sail-Men Women and Chill
dren Roasted 4live-A Fight for a
Rqtt-FeaaJm Panic.
By the British steamer Scotia, arrived
in New York from Liverpool, we are en-
ab!ed to furnish our rerders with the fol-
lowing condensed account of the burning
of the steamehip William Nelson, drawn
up by the Captain at the American Con-
sulate at Havre.
"The William Nelson left Antwerp,
June 1st, with a cargo of rails, wine, and
various merchandise, about four hundred
and forty eight emigrant passengers, and
a crew of thirty, including the Captain.
The ship did not, however, put to sea
until the 4th. The voyage was without
any remarkable incident until the goth
of June, when they reached lat 4l.20,
long. 2.20 w. Here, several emigrauts
who had been i'll for some days were suf-
fering from violent fever; and, fearing
that it might become contagious, the
Captain gave orders on the Goth to the
first mate and carpenter to so below and
ask the passengers on deck, SO that the
ship might be fumigated. Having all
ascended, the first mate and carpenter
were again sent below with several sail
ors,. furnished with tar buckets and red
hot irons The operation was nearly
completed about 123 o'clock, when the
last tar barre. burst into fame, and the
boiling tar flowed over upon the deck of
the centre of the ship, burning the car
penter and the sailor assisting him. The
vessel Immediately took fire. The mid
die deck was soon full of smoke, and the
tar flowed under the bed of one of the
emigrants, setting it Gu fire. The flames
spread scon to all the other beds, render
ing it impossible for the men to 90 any
thing. Even before they could reach
the deck immense columns of fame shot
through the hatchwaY, and, reaching the
sheets Of the mainsail, Gall sail was set at
that moment) enveloped the mainmast
with the rapidity of lightning. Ere long
all the sails on the mainmast were on fire,
as well as the rigging. The captain i'm
mediately ordered part of the crew to get
the boats ready, and the rest to close the
Ventilator and the hatchways. This was
hardly done, when a number of men,
consisting partly of sailors aud partly of
emgrauts, formed chain fore and eft,
in order to pass buckets Of water, which
were poured down the main hatchWay,
whence issued column of fame. The
pumps were also set at work. Hitherto
discipline and good order had been main
tanned. The fire, however, made such
rapid progress that the captain ordered
the lowering Of the boats Immediate y.
Now a geneal panic seized the unfortun-
ate passengers, all throwing themselves
upon the boats, which from their num-
bers it was impossible to prevent. The
first boat was no sooner in the water than
she was capsized By number of emi-
grants who jumped into her. These were
nearly all drowned Four sailors, how
ever, succeeded in rightiug the boat and
bringing her to the side of the vessel
again, and then saved some of them. But
while the boat was still alongside, moro
emigrants Ieaped into it, and capsized
her again. She was once more righted,
and as many as possible taken on board,
Two other boats were lowered with much
trouble. The largest contained no less
than thirty-fve, with six of the crew,
some of whom gos into another boat, less
heavily laden, leaving two to steer. The
last boat, with the same number of sail
ors, and full Of emigrants, succeeded in
getting clear Of those who, endeavoring
to Jump in off the ship, fell into the wa
ter and swan around it. The captain,
seeing that he could do nothing more,
ordered the rest of the crew, about ff.
teen men, to throw overheard everything
that would float. All were lashed to.
gether so as to form kind of raft. This
was hardly done, when some of the pas
sengers still on board threw themselves
upon it in large numbers, followed by
several of the sailors, filling the air with
despairing cries. At this time others
rushed madly from one end OF the deck
to the other. The tumult was such that
it was impossible for the captain to make
himself heard, though giving reiterated
orders and seeking to stop the panic. At
this time from one hundred and thirty to
one hundred aad fifty emigrants had sue
ceeded in getting upon spars alongside
the ship, though many were still strug,
Cling in the water, when the topmasts,
with their yards, &C., all on fire, suddenly
gave way. and fell right upon those in
the boat, killing many at once and throw
ing the others into the sea. The cries
/ of the wounded and drowning were torri-
bic. Words are powerless to give an idea
Of the horrors of the scene. The unfor.
tunate still on board the ship in their
great terror surrounded the captain and
the sailors, clinging to them and beseeoh-
ing them to save them. Some time after,