Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1870-01-01
= PANIC AT SEA.
Terrible scene On Board IN British
steamcr-A Courageous American

Terrible scene On Board "A British
steamcr-A Courageous American
Engineer
The Kingston, Jamaica, correspondent
of the New York World, furnishes the
following particulars of 4 thrilling cpl:
sOde
A sad accident has happened to the
British steamer Twinkling Star, late
American steamer Estrells, which left this
port on the goth cit. for Cape Haiti,
with a valuable cargo on board. On Sat
urday, the 27th ult., when about fifty miles
from St. Nicholas Mole, and about 9
o'clock at night, the engineers discovered
that the iron plates about mid-ships, and
in front Of the paddle-wheels, had been
strained, from the heavy seas through
.ghich she was passing, and that large
volumes of water were coming into the
hold of the vessel, through cracks on Ell
Their side, below the water-maTk. Some
Of the passengers on board were advised
of this, and gradually the passengers and
crew were uYertaken by panic, when
| there was q rush to the life-bOat, which
was speedily lowered, and into it escaped
the United States Consul of this port, Mr..
-...rUn Gregg, and several others. But
the lowering of TINS boat was so badly
managed, in the effort of every one to
save himself, that the bow or the boat
was elevated out of the water, while the
stern was submerged in the foam which
left the paddle-wheel, but they man
aged at last to cut the rope, and so olsen
| tangled them from the steamer. No sooner
had the lifebOat parted from the ship than
a panic overlook the fTemen and others
who were left on board, and the scene
when the firemen fOrsOOk the furnaces,
the oilmen the engines, the stewards the
! kitchens, and the Captain took leave of
his senses, was perfectly hellish. The
panic-stricken crew, seeing that the life
| boat had left them, believed that the ship
| was about ready to part and ready TO
founder, and just al this critical moment
Mr.. Thomas Lewis, the second engineer,
| and the only American citizen on board,
seeing every post deserted and all hands
aving in the jaws of death, rushed
upon the deck, and with 2 voice
| of thunder and thrilling caTnestness,
| addressed himself TO them in this
! wise: ''HallO there where are you, who
call yourselves Englishmen! who fly from
your stations when there is little bit of
danger, and call yourselves men, and En-
| glishmen? Come back here to your pla-
| ces-I am not afraid! III stake my life,
and back all have, that | win take the
vessel into port with perfect safety-f
YOU but do your duty" Then turning
TO the CAPTAIN, he said ''YOu, cap
tain, you've lost your head, and al
lowed these cowardly fellows, these Ia
Nv land-ubbers, who call themselves
English, to take your senses from you.
| Go up TO your place, on the hurricane
| deck, and order the wheelman back to
his place Turning again to the fire.
men, who stood with their bags ready to
quit the ship,) eco back to your places,
and do your duty, and if we are TO die,
let US die ike brave men, and not as COW
ards. l am but yOung man yet, and do
you think ] am going unnecessarily to
risk my life2 And | have young wife
and little family in Jamaica, and dc
you think l am going to leave them &c
want? Not bit of it. mean TO &C
back there, and not to run away in lit
tie emergency like this. " Then address
ing tIr. Nathan, a solicitor, whC
was buckling on life belt
said "Take that off, sir; no
the slightest necessity for an
nonsense of that kind. You stand by me
and everything viii go well. And tina
little American citizen, Mr.. Lewis, so in
spired confidence into the whole panic
stricken crew, that they resumed thei
places, and carried the steamer success
fully into the harbor of ST. Nicholas Mole
and / am informed by Mr.. Nathan,
passenger on board, that had it not bee
fer the courage and presence of mind o
this second engineer, the steamer mus
have foundered, and all hands been lost
whereas the steamer was safely conducte
into one of the best harbOrs in the world
, without her cargo having been damage
I'd the extent of a sinple shilling.