, 1872-12-30

-uF1llsu LLctu WILL AI Tile 14tItf LIc4 NaItGus
SAo kept their names etrictl; secret, which Was
doubtless great element OF her SUCCESS.
sH!PWRECK IN THE PACIFIC.
3hc Steamship sacramento NrccrIcd-
.Efac P.1rsc-ycrs Safely g.asded on q
S:.zsl.b2z,lz Ealnad-1ncidcat4 ana E's-
RAJ akesc1zc.
San Geronimo 5xana {2ee. 11> Correspondence Of TIC
You Will probably ueel to consult yoHr atlas in
order to discover my geographical position rs in
dicated by the dale Of this letter. an not earo
that even tle1. YOU could find it, for IT is but
nero srccl-n tea;, CT SAID (. half milo long and
4 quarter wide, seldom visited except by scal-
hunters but now made moro notable rs tho ref
ugo of tho shipwrecased passengers of the Pacific
null steamer Sacramento. 1t cal he found 9 few
200 miles south OF San Diego. How we csEle
here will be best told BY the recital OF another
story of the perils OF the eea.
We were near tho end OF orr long voyage, as
VIC hoped. after very smooth run up the Tactic
from Panama, and lad retired on tho night Of
the 5th inst. when about II O'Clock tho sudden
rlunging Of tie vessel from siao to side, the
crash of lamps api 'asswaro III the saloon, the
cries and slrieEy y. :o bewih!crci Passengers
suddenly aroused LION sleep, gaTe Us tho 1irst
intimation Of danger.
We Bnctched together few articles of clothing
and hugTying to the hurrisane deck found the
passengers tying On IT, nle-escry,ers md IND
to take to the beas. for wo were on reef,
and crunchlng aEainst the sharp edges Of the
hidden rocks. The Incidents Of that hour
will live in the memory for Q lifetime. Tho
darkness, the plunging and tossing Of the
great vessel III the beating eurf, the terror
stricken passengers, the sharp ordere of the
officers, tue lowering Of lfe-boats, the white line
OF breakers fow feet from oar bow, made
tablcau Of intense yet fearful interest. Would
the ship so to pieces. and nlust wo venture out
in the small boas in that lashing sea? faw
moments would tell. We remained on the deck,
and the minutes ran into hours-tho slip be-
came more steady, and as the night wore away
ne were assured That would not have to leave
the vessel baiora dayhrealz, SO we went below to
olr stateroom dressed warmly, and returned to
eagerly await the day. TLo crew lightencd the
yessel as far as possible By throwing overheard
| sonso heavy freight, in the expectation that the
engines would be ablo to hack the ship from tha
reef hut souo portion or tho machinery break
lnE e., no hope Of cxtrlcatng our vessel was left
Tha Captain now announced that the vessel
was filling with water. the hull having been
brok an on the reef but as nc lay upon the Ice
ward side Of tho rocks, the ship settled until
large part rested securely On tao bottom, and VIC
were thus comparatively safe, and would not
! lrcak up unless the wind c1lanEo1 and brought
tue rollers under our stern. After consultation
with his chief officers, tho Captain called tho
| passengers together and stated as his opinion
| that VIC were s:afe for tho ,reacnt that . boat
| had been scEt to san DieGn, witt, tho second
officer and crew OF Chinamcn, for help. and
tl.at cur comfort and security would probably 10
| enhanced by remaining On tho ship; bur the
fears OF tho passengers Ind hccn TO far increas-
| Cd by the constant thumpiny Of the ship and
tho crcahlng ii tho Woodwork n1ail-shps,
| great seams. half foot wide, crcning around
tic castings Of the engine, That it was suggested
| to tho Captain, in Wow Of the difficulty Of dis
e1nlarkiag in q moment Of hurry and cxcitc-
t 1ncnt, so large 4 number CT helpless women AID
Children, that steps should be ut once taken 10
leave the vessel. This was agreed to- aud tho
boats being manned, the women and children
| wc-o qHictly put aboard. Each passenger was
permitted to iako only blankets and very email
packages for their pressing necessities. Nrat
constituted the necessary Outfit of E,lpvrcc!i
| ed person WAS left to the inclination Of tic rarity
| interested. The gentleman Who entered onc cf
the boats with i,icn ell"tcr and blnc1l Of
bananas, might not be considered justified in
hi& selection b." tho Ao.;eau la!y who took only
| 1:cr parrot and guitar: Hut ideas Of comfort
| ami cc,al ncctl. oven under ouch trying circu1n-
| stances, Elllb5 bo purely matters Of personal
| taste.
Our nearest land WIS some ci~ft r,'!ca distant,
the main i:al ':iu:, perhaps :.>o !:.t III Gto
from rs. Tho la.scc WAS l.;ien range u hills
| without any Eign Of human habraticn Vi .:7.:S:,
Walk shore l!ne os l,.eakin; sN( Id !. N:,..
vel Encw1 liz. tho .,c'c ;cnil,sN.a tt la: er
California was but spar~clr settled With -a. CHI
men: poorly supplied with wafer, AID "!th 10
means Of communicating except Ey mule paths,
it WAS determined that rc shon>1 land At tl:o
ur,il assistance could reach u.s.
After rowing for three 1,our5, 4 salo landing
IVES effected on graycly beach. and tAo whole
e.:ins con;,aay Of 53S souls were rlscad safely
OF tho santi-hcar, known as San Geronimo
| Island. Not sjSn of vegetation apparent.
Tho barking of hundreds of seals, who were
frolicking in the breakers, WIS the only sound
Of life. The boats wcro drawn M on tho beach.
and officers and mcn.-mea, women and chill
| c~istinr -nftnr shar;uG ronal ra.ions If s;ns,o
! biscuit and a hnif slsss of watcr aniece, tho
omly meal since lie morning. turnea to tho cold
earth for sleep and rest, while the stars looked
| wildly ne If dcenoj]el of i}s r,rcv
There was certain rIc.uresuucness to tbs
scene on that tirst night Of our camp lilo whicl,
n,ale our cold. and hunger, and wearircss. oven
eut|urab1e. Wrapned in blankets and sna,yls wa
lay in groups upon tho sand. awaiting the dav to
|