The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1866-10-23

Thrilling Narrative Of the Great DssdseeT ~
the Steamship E0entng Star.
The propeller Virgo, from Savannah October
10th ,Iriyed at New York last Sunday evening,
having on board three of the survivors of the
lost steamer Evening Star. The following is
The essential portion of the statement of Mr. w.
IA. Harris, giving the details OF the dreadful
tragedy:
The mail steamship Evening Star, Captain
Kn.pp, sailed from New York September 10Th,
at 8 o'clock 2. NJ On the morning of the I'd
of October it began to blow pretty bard, and
continued to increase gradually until the mora
ing of the Sd, when it blew perfect hurricane.
At this time we we're one hundred and eighty
miles East of Tybee Islands After Weathering
the storm for fourteen hours she foundered at
daylight on the morning of the 3D., with two
hundred and seventy five souls on board, only
sixteen of whom were saved l. will endeavor
to relate the details of the calamity as far as L
can of my own knowledge. About o'clock on
the morning OF the I'd it Logan to blow very
hard stood in the doorway of what was call
ed the "social hail. which is little saloon at
the head of the stairway leading to the main
saloon. This saloon was filed with ladies at
this time. At o'clock the vessel commenced
to ship such heavy seas that the floor OF the hall
was covered with water, and made it very dis
agreeable for the ladies to remain there went
down in the dining room and laid down, but
found that the water had come in through the
deck and wet all the cushions. She was then
leaking over all the deck. At 11:3O O'Clock all
hands were called on deck to bail water out Of
the engine room, the seas having washed down
over the vessel and into the room. A party Of
men went forward and succeeded in getting the
water all out of there. A break was then dis
covered in the pantry or stewards room, and all
hands went to bailing there. At the same time
she broke away her bulwarks on her starboard
side The damage here was speedily repaired,
10 manner sufficiently strong to keep out the
water for the time. At II o'clock the vessel
became unmsnageable, from losing the use Of
the rudder. At 2 o'clock we commenced cut
ting hole in the deck for the purpose Of bail
ing the water out of the hold. We took out
sufficient freight to enable US to look in, but
found but few inches of water. However, by
the time We were ready to bail it had gained
considerably in depth. We all set to work bail
ing, and worked as long as We could, the women
laboring as hard as the men. They would pass
the empty buckets, while the men carried the
full ones They worked quietly in all that ter
rible storm without a murmur. We had some
trouble with the Frenchmen of the Opera
Troupe, in consequence of their not being able
TO understand English. However, they did
their best and worked willingly when they
understood what to do. At 2 o'clock the men
were all tired out with hard work, and, as the
water continued to gain upon US, We gave up all
as lost. The water at this time was six feet
deep in the hole, and the ship was rolling about
10 the tempest like log, the waves breaking
over her in quick succession. However, all was
done that coulG be done, and as darkness came
on, most of the passengers went below. At 5
o'clock next morning went on deck, and the
sight that there met my gaze never be erased
from my memory. AT daylight on looking
around, l found the ship, sure enough, total
wreck, and the sight one to make the stoutest
heart quail. The whole of the paddle boxes
had been carried away, nothing but the fans be-
ing left. The pilot-house was gone, and the
guards also. The was running mountains
high, the spray blowing about like rain, and the
wind rushing through the rigging and about
the dismanted ship The hurricane was now
at its height forgot to mention that the en-
gine stopped working at o'clock in the morn
ing in consequence of the breaking of the steam
pipe, aud the fires being put out The donkey
engine was therefore also useless. At daylight
the Captain told the women that nothing more
could be done, and that if any of them wanted
to get into the boats they could do co. He
then went away, and / did not see him again.
Mr. Allen, the purser, then came with the ladies
out of the cabin. All those who could get life
prcservers had them, and they were very few.
He placed them in boat, but she no sooner
touched the water than she capsizcd, and all
were washed away.
The ship all this time was filing fast. stood
by some matches, intending to hold on to them
along with several women, when we shipped
heavy sea forward of the wheelhouse, on the
starboard side, and went down. In an instant
the sea swept me clear of the deck, and carried
ME down some twenty five feet thought
When L came to the surface | found myself in
the midst OF the wreck OF the vessel surrounded
by floating spars and driftwood Men and wo-
men were floating all about, clinging to any
thing they could lay hold Of All shouts for aid
we're drowned by the fury of the hurricane. l
secured piece of the wreck with which to sup
port myself, but had to abandon this, owing to
the danger was in of being struck by pieces of
the flying wreck, which were being hurled about
in all directions by the wind and the waves. l
then got bold Of piece Of the fragments of the
saloon, upon which pulled myself, but was
thrown Oft again and again by the violence OF
the waves, in each new cffort to regain my po
stion, lacerating my hands aud limbs on the
nails anc sphnters in the pieces of wreck. In
this way L chung to life for two or three hours
While drifting about in this way could see the
whole of the wreck as it lay before me- | saw
the hurricane deck, two hundred feet long
crowded with human beings, herded together
Some of these were standing, and some sitting
all Helpless and despairing. l now drifted near
. life-boat, keel up, for which abandoned my
piece of wreck and swan. Others were cling.
ing to it, whom l assisted to right it, When
succeeded in getting in with tho others recoe
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