Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1884-03-07
Narrow Esq. pc OF a Cunaraer.

ne IeGnng oil the public mind to-
ward determination To- lind a victim
for public censurc who shall be held re-
for the loss OF the Columbus
inclines me to send YOU statement
that may in some way modify the ex-
ising state of things concerning the
Ia g wreck. In the summer OF 1857 |
took passage in the China, of the
Cunard line, for Liverpool We had
very dismal run across the Atlantic,
rain alternat ng with thick fog for
twelve days, the snip rolling incsssant-
-ly, and every niSht becoming new
horror in the constantly-increas ng fear.
that something would happen 90 the
steamer. Fastnct Light, of. the coast
of ireland, was seen for few minutes
7during fOg-lilt on the evening Of the
thirteenth day, and the Captain told
aus, one anil all, that our wretched pas
sage would soon be over.
The night that followed was denscly
black and very stormy. but the sh. :.
swas under full sail, and was driven
sthrougl tremendous seas with all steam
on. | tJirled in about ten. o. lock auI
slept, 1 should say, two hours, when an
stable-and 10 this day uuaCcount-
able-inhuencc compelled me TO get up
and dress myself. The ship TO le,t fear
fully. but | managed to reach the deck
and to- gropc my way. hand over hand.
by the deck railing 10 the smnke-pipe.
where | stood q lew minutes thorough
" appalled, nj the blackness OF the
night and the mad plunging of the YES
sci.
Suddenly this terrific cry came up
from the deck below me; God AZ
mighty help us, we're going ashore.
Put the ship about" family saw Tho
white waving of an arm i'm n shirt
sleeve. aud the next minute was thrown.
from my feet by the sudden change of
the ships course brought about by an
officer telegram to the wheel-house.
Every thing was I'm instant confusion,
not bet cred by the fa that the dark
rocks OF tie Irish coast were plainly
visible To many OF the frightened pas.
scngers. The ship shook like Il reed in
the fierce wind that blew. for every sail
was abaCk and hca seemed utterly
impossible 10 make Itwas a longtime
before the vessel answered her he IN.
aud nothing but the naval discipline OF
the sailors saved the China from bccom-
ing 4 total wreck. -
IN V mention here that the Captain
of the Three Bclls-thc savior OF the
san Francisco's passengers after she
was dismasted-was with Us, and he
assured us that in all his long life as a
sailor he never had so narrow an escape
from Instant death. The ship was
nearly upon the rocks, and at he rate
she was gong she would have SMASHED
herself 10 n ppps in n Very short tis,,a.
After breakfast the next day some one
said: - Let Us have up the man who
gave the alarm for we had learned
that the man l saw ut m dnight was q
steerage passenger; and soon he APP
Pearer among us. gTay-haired son OF
the sea. seventy years OF age, or there
about. who niodestly said to as. rs we
gathered about him. "Good friends,
give thanks TO Col, and DO not prais,
me. fOniy smelled the land groW.nI
nearer and nearer, and WAS but His
humble instrument TO save you
:. The TACT S we were drawn in some
mysterious manner o ght miles out oil
our coUrs'. Captain Hockey was wide
" censurcd by the London papers and
has never been seen, so I have heard,
upon the ocean since. POSSIBLY the
magnetism of the land, or the effect OF
the iron and steel in the ships construe-
tiOn, or some powerful element of the
stormy atmosphere. PRODUCED a deyia /.
zion of the needle of the compass, aud
perhaps counter currents or other eoHs
trary forces OF resistlcss tides made the
greatship n plaything for the PREACHER
Gus seas.-Cor. Boston Journal.