The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1866-11-09
THE EVENING STAR DISASTER.
Interesting Statements OF II Pnsscngor.

Interesting Statements OF II Passenger.
CRY HOSPITAL, November T. 1866.
10 The Editor of Tho Charleston Ne,os:
DEAR Sm viii you bo 30 kind as to allow mo,
through the medium Of your valuable paper to
return my grateful thanks to tho officers
Of the City Hospital for their kind alton
tions to me during my stay at that institution ?
WAS passenger on board tho Inflated ship
Euening Star. We left New York on Saturday,
Septembor Goth, with over three hundred persons
on board passengers and crew. On Tuesday,
October I'd, at p. NJ, the weather looked ugly,
with some rain. At the wind was blowing pretty
strong, and kept increasing. At about II tho
passengers were called up to hop in bailing the
ship. I went on deck. Tho sea was dashing and
broaking over the bulWarks Of our laboring ship.
Tho fire room was flooded, tho fire put out, and
tho vessel creaking in every joint, and leaking
bndly. From that time until daylight the pumps
woro working, abont $50 persons bailing and doing
all We could to keep her floating until daylight;
but the ship was doomed. At o'clock in tho
morning there was two feet OF water in the
engine room. sooing that efforts were
useless, went back to tho cabin and found
all the passengers assembled there some pray
| ing, some crying, somo singing hymns somo call
ing their friends, some in q complete state
OF nudity, with nothing but ifo-presorvor.
left and went on tho upper deck. Daylight was
breaking, and oh, what terrible sight to bcholdl
The wheol-houscs brokon to pieces, and nothing
but death and destruction before us. Tho ship
was sinking slowly; at that moment the passengers
rushed on deck and made for the boats. No prop
arations having been mado for their safety, overy
ono had to look for himself. Tho boats were soon
on level with the watpr. Suddenly tho deok
broke from under Our foet the ship went down,
carrying everything with her. When I came up
to tho surface could nothing but the debris of
the chip. Of tho boats (six in number) two won't
down with the vessel; the others were oil capszed.
Everybody was clngng to piece of the wreck.
My God, what sight to behold tho sinking ship.
The struggles of tho passengers for dear lfe cling
ing to the driftings spars and wreck Of the Eren-
ing &ar, will remain before mo as long as momory
holds it's own. Twas picked up by q boat which
had boen righted, containing ten persons-seven
men and three women. Our boat upsot thrco times;
the last time VIC lost ono OF tho femnles. we had
no water, no provision, tho boat full of water and
the sea washing oyor us overy minute. We were
drifting about watchful and anxious for sail. At
nighto of tho men got delirious and jumped over
board another diod in tho boat probably OF es-
pair. The next morning we fell in again with the
wreck; saw man on O raft, made for him, and
found Captain LYONS, pilot Of Now Orleans. he
took command OF our boat and crew, consisting OF
Messrs. JOHN Berry, e. A. VAN SICKLE, JOHN Ca
| vANAuaH. ANDREW MCMAHON, Captain LYONS, two
| ladies and myself. We hauled our boat on the
raft, got the water out OF hor, picked up q cabin
door, made soil out Of it, and sailed won't to CROSS
| the Gulf stream. On Friday night, ali Of us being
very much exhausted, NO took down our sail to
/ take little rest-when tho sea becoming very
rough wo lost it, and tho boat filed up again. In
that desperate condition we wero drifting about
Saturday morning, hopo almost gone, whom tho
schooner Morning St1', Captain PALs11n, hove il
sight Ono Of our crew, JOHN CAvANAuau, in O f
Of deliriun, jumped overheard at tho very nlomon
Of our rescue and, we regret to state, was drown
cd. We wore kindly received on board by Captain
| PALMBR and MIR. GRUNTnAI, one Of tho ownora
who was on board, who took every care of us
affording every comfort within their power. Or
Wednesday we wore landed In. this city, and i'm,
| mediately taken to the City Hospital and put in
tho Marine department. Here We had tho pleasure
] of moeting with tho Rev. Mr.. YATES the Chaplain
| to whom wo arc indebted for many kind acts.
cannot too much express my thaiiks and gratitude
to tho officers of that woll oondrotod institution
particularly tho Doctors and Mr.. FARLEY, Steward
of the Hospital for their kind attentions and good
treatmont I have beon laying horo four woolts
suffering great pains from bruised hand ana
arm, carbuncle on ono log, and general proB!ra.
rion; but thank God have got over it, and hope
never to meot again with such calamity.
| T ana, gentlemen, most respectfully yours,
| A. SOUZA, Of Louisiana,
! Tafo aaaucnr IN Eneni,o ySf1,-