Crawfordsville Review, Crawfordsville, Montgomery County, 3 October 1857 — Page 1

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NEW SEEIES--VOL. IX, NO, 11.

THESTUHEK CENTRAL MOIK1.

FUI1 Pi RTIOULARS.

STATEMENTS OF THE RESCUED.

WOMEN AND CHILDREN ALL SAVED.

A Night of Horror on the Waves.

THRILLING INCIDENTS:

The Itcccne by the Empirr City.

SUFFERINGS AND SAD APPEARANCE OF TI1E SURVIVORS.

POSSIBLE SAFETY OF CAPT- HEKNDON*.

Ac., &c., Ac-

We give first a brief statement of a pas•eager who was saved in the Marine, as it will enable our readera to have before them a clear and connected view of the whole

disaster:

NARRATIVE OF PRANK A. JONES.

Mr. Frank A. Jones, of Sacramento, gives the following narrative: A terrific gale commenced on the night of our first day out from Jlavana, and continued with unabated fury until the following Saturday. It was a genuine West India hurricanc, the wind blowing from nearly every point of the compass at once. Our ship rode through the storm beautifully, and every one fully expected that she would weather the gale. About noon on Friday, however, the machinery gave out, and the ship fell into the trough of the sea. She was.now leaking from the severe attaining she had endured in the storm, and the water so gained on the pumps as to put out the fires. All hands, passengers and crow, were ordered to go to work bailing, as none of the steam-pumps would work. We rigged pulleys over the liatchwavs, and slung barrels, which were filled, hoisted and emptied as fast as possible.— The pulley ropes were manned by gangs of fifty men, as the donkey engines were useless. Hailing parties were organized, who lined the stairways, and passed the water up in buckets. Wc were by these eueans enabled to keep the steamer afloat. All of

knew how desperate was our sit

uation, and every one worked with a will. We continued bailing until the next dny (Saturday), at noon. The ship was then lying well over on the larboard side, with her portholes in the water. Uy this time the water was up to the second cabin flour. Wc all knew our danger.

About this time the brig Marine, Capt. llurch, hove in .sight, and we hred guns to attract her attention. She saw the smoke, but did not hear the report on account of the storm, and made for us. She came so ucar that wc could have thrown a cracker on board but her officers had very little command over her, as she was nearly wat er-logged and partially dismasted. She passed under our stern, and drifted off in *i t.-ir J:

short time a mile or a mile and a half distant. Capt- llerndou ordered the boats to be lowered, although from the roughness of the sea we did not think that they could live. Three boats were successfully lowered and loaded with the women and children, Capt. Iicrndon personally assisting. While they were getting in the boats there was tho utmost coolness and selt-control amoug the passengers uotawau attempted to get into the boat3. Capt. Hcrndon gave orders that none but the ladies and children should get into the boats, and he was obeyed to the letter. Thirty women and twenty-six children were placed in the boats without accideut. The boats were manned by five men each, Boatswain Black, Quartermaster David, and Chief Engineer Asbby going iu charge of them. In Mr. Black's boat were seven ladies and seven children, and about the same number in David's. In Ashby's boat the passengers were principally men. The first two boats camc back and took a second load. Ashby did not return with his boat for a second load, but the boat did. In his boat was the chief engineer of the Golden Gate, Mr. McCarty. Black went back a third time to the wreck. This was about dark. 11c got within two or three hundred yards of the steamer, when the people on board called out to keep off, as she was going down and would swamp him. Iu tcu minutes afterward she wcut down. I got off in Mr. David's boat, the last but one that left the ship. The other passenger in it was the Chilian Consul the remainder of those saved in it were sailors. 1 met Black afterward on board the brig and he said that he could not save any of the passengers on the last trip, as his men -,would not row up among the drowning peoplo, fearing that they would swamp the boat. He returned at 10 o'clock to the brig, without a passenger. It was then .. that wc first heard that the steamer had ^sunk. The brig Marine did all she could -to get to the place where the steamer wcut down, iu the hope of picking up some passengers, but she was so disabled in her riggiug that wc could not get near her.—

We laid by all night, but next morning wc eould not sec anything of the wreck nor her passengers. We saw the bark Ellen in the morning, to the uorthward, but did not speak her. After cruising about in the vicinity for some hours and seeing no one, Capt. Birt headed his vessel for Norfolk. The worthy mariner and his officers did all in their power to render the ladies com fortable. But he was short of provisions, and their situation was pitiable in the extreme. The little cabin contaiued only four berths, in one of which was Lucy, the sick stewardess of the Central America, who died as wc were going into Hampton lloads. Two days

before

getting into the

Bonds, wc met the ship Euphrasia of New York, from New Orleans, and her captain supplied us with bread, potatoes and chickens. The ladies on board had most of them to sleep on the bare deck, in the open air, with very little clothing to cover their persons, and scarcely any bedding whatever. Capt. Burt, however, was a truehearted sailor, and did not spare anything that would minister to our comfort. His time and attention were, however, constantly occupied in earing for bis vessel, which was crippled in her spars, and nearly wat-•r-lof|*d. Her Mb in floor wt* all the tim«

.•tl -zuoDi iioes i*.'*S S5jti

covered with one or two fwt water. Ob Thursday afternoon, as we were becalmed in Hampton Boads, we saw the propeller Norfolk going op, and hailed her for a tow. Her captain demanded $500 for the service. We finally compromised on $300.— On oar way np we met the Empire City, Capt. McGowan, and were taken on board. To our joy we learned that a largo number of our fellow passengers had been paved by the bark Ellen, and were on board the steamer.

In a subsequent conversation Mr. Jones stated that after the ladies and children bad left the Central America all discipline was at an end, as the fate of the ship was rapidly and surely approaching. It wias every man for himself. Two other boats were lowered,

but

they were instantly stove

against the ships side. When the boats returned they would jnst pass under the stern, and the men would throw themselves overboard like sheep, filling them in an instant. Those who did not succeed in getting into the boats were hauled on board again by means of ropes. In that trying hour gold was valueless. The miner threw his hard-earned "pile" into the sea, lest its weight might drag him down. I saw many men thus relieve themselves of their treasure, and hundreds of thousands of dollars were thus thrown away. Capt. Badger threw down $17,000 in gold in the captain's cabin, just before jumping into the boat and saved his lite. When I left the

ship they were cutting up the upper deck,

and making rafts of gratings, hatchway

covers, and other stuff. It was about .dark

when I got on the brig Marine. I fouud Engineer Ashby on her. He said that his boat's crew had deserted him. His boat, however, returned to the ship, although he staid on the brig. After I got there he endeavored to induce his men to man the boat, but they would not. lie offered them a hundred dollars each if they would, but they still refused. Then he tried to force them into the boat, but could not.

The last boat camc back to the brig about 10 o'clock on Saturday night. Mr. Black, who was in charge, tried to induce his men to go with him in the boat, to pick up any of the passengers who might be floating about. They utterly refused, and jumped aboard, all but one man, David Raymond, who staid iu the boat, at the risk ot his life, and tried to induce his mates to do the same. lie utterly refused to go on board the brig wliile his fellow-creatures were perishing, without making another effort to save them. They, however, refused to risk their lives further—having been in the boat over eight baiirs—and Raymond was eventually dragged on board, the brig.

REPORTS OF THE LADIES.

Mrs. Harris, of California, who was coming on to New York with her child, makes the following statements:

THE CAPTAIN IN THE CABIN.

During all this time the Captain kept coming down into the cabin, and going all around the ship, to cheer up the spirits of the passengers and to quiet their fears. I do not mean that he could quiet our fears, for no one could do that. The water was gaining iu the ship, and the men were getting more aud more fatigued, lie did not try to disguise the danger, but he made us all look more cheerfully at it than some other men might have done.

GETTING INTO THE LIFE-BOAT.

In the afternoon (I am speaking of Saturday) it became necccssary for us to leave the ship. The eaptniu came and said that the women and the children were to go first. A noose was made on the cud of a rope and slipped over me, and I was lowered down. The Captain tied a rope around inc, and I think he was one of the men that had hold of it when I was lowered down. He was a noble man, aud I shall never forget him as long as 1 live. When I began to slide down, a great wave dashed up between mo and the little boat, which threw the boat off from the ship and left me hanging in the air with the rope around my waist. I was swung hither aud thither over the waves by the tossing of the ship, until the boat camc under me. I was dropped suddenly into the boat when it happened to come directly under inc. As soou a# I got into the boat, I looked up and saw the captain was fixing a rope around my child, and in a few momcuts afterward he lowered it down to mc. -o

Eveu before 1 got into the boat, when I was coming up the cabin stairs with the baby iu my arms Capt Herudou saw that 1 could hardly walk from the motion of the ship, and he requested oue of the passengers, a gentleman, to come and assist me, which he did. The captain's kindness to me, and to all the ladies, was unremitting, and in the end he sacrificed his life for us.

I was in the first boat that left the steamer

1 was in ineur«

and I

»m

bo* llutw» mimed

bjr

the b"g..

mate. The sailors were in it, and one the waiters who belonged to the Ceutral America was ordered into it to assist iu rowing. I believe the number of women wore six. There were also six children in the boat.

GETTING ABOARD THE BRIG.,

It was a long time before wc got to the brig. She was a great way off—1 should think two or three miles. She did not venture to come near the steamer, for fear of collusion. It was impossible to tell what might happen in such a sea. 1 think wc must have been two hours, and perhaps more, in going from one ship to the other. As soon as we approach'cd the brig near enough to get on board, I watched a chancc to spring at the rigging, and to get-hold of a rope. I had a life-preserver on, which somewhat encumbcrcd mc, and almost prevented my cscapc. I caught the rigging with nty hands, hut my life-preserver under my arms was so Luge that!eould not get betwoon the ropes. I hung there tor a few moments over the side of the ship, in almost equal peril, as when I dangled: at the end of a rope over the side of the steamer. 1 was every moment expecting to fall, when the captain oaught hold of me, and pulled me inby cutting off my life-prcscrv-er. 0

"LCCT," THX STIWAB.DEM." iiir

The stewardess of the Central America, who was takes off in the same boat thai I was, fell into the water three times before eh» conld be go ton beard- mentioned

tomethai -she was hurt between the lifeboat and) brig! twbile she was in Ute water. A wave dashed the small boat against the large one, and she was between them. A life-boat jras swamped in this way by striking' the side of the brig, but it was after all the people were out of it. and nothing but the boat was lost. huef'died, as I have already said. I think ,her death occurred the next cfay. She was a bright, active woman, and was very much esteemed by the passengers.

Mrs. McNeill, of San Francisco, whose husband was on board and is supposed to be lost, says: r,v

BAGS OF GOLD'FOR 'COMMON t'SE.

Many of the ladies had a great deal of money that they did not give to the purser of the steamer two of these went into their state rooms and took out bags of gold— $20 peiees, $11,000 in all and threw them down in ther cabin, so that any persons who wanted money could take what they jjleased. The two ladies had just returned from California, and

said,

arrjvcjj

jj on

weeping, "That that mon

ey was all they bad made, there, and they were returning home to enjoy it." None of the ladies could take more than two $20 gold pieces with them. We had to strip off all our clothes and skirts except our outside dress, in order to keep our clothes from sinking us. We (the women) then commenced putting on life-preservers the men remained working still, saying they would remain on board till another ship

the Marine could not take them

'oard

SHIPPING OF THE LADIES.

About 1 o'clock the captain's boy came down in the cabin aud said, "The captain says all the ladies must goon deck." We all went on deck. The water dashed over us. We were wet through almost in an instant.

I never would have gone on deck, but remained with my husband unless he had assured that he would go with me to the Marine. I believed that he was going with me till I was in the boat, or I never would have left him. 1 saved $17,000 in money, chiefly in drafts all my diamonds and jewelry but if I had not thought my husband was going with mc I would not be here now. He said, after I had got into the boat, that he had secured my safety, and he could easily look out for himself.

One of the boats had been dashed in and another had been lost three or four were let down to take us to the Mariuc.^ We were let down into the boats by a kind of rope chair a noose was passed around our feet and dress, there was nothing to support our backs, but we seized a rope which camc down iu front, with our hands. The boat could only approach the steamer between the waves, so we had to remain suspended sometimes while the wave, passed. These waves would also drive us under the side of the steamer the cook was hurt considerably that way she died on the home passage, but I guess it was from fear, not bruises. We were placed iu the bottom of the boats and rowed to the Marine, the spray dashing over us all the time they were excelleut boats and excellent oarsmen or we would never have reached the brig. Thirty women, twenty-six children and a number of men

were

thus conveyed on

board the Marine. TLe first passengers got on board of her at half past two o'clock P. M., on Saturday, September 12 the last at 7 o'clock in the evening. The last person who got on board from the Central America was a fireman he said "the steamer was gone down and every soul on board of her." This statement was false, but it terrified us awfully wc shrieked and halloed at the loss of our husbands, most of whom, alas, we will see no more. Among that number is my husband.

Mrs. Isaac McKim Bowley, with two young children was bound for New York from California. Her husband, who was not on board, had come to this city two or three months previous, where she was to rejoin him. Ilcr ohildrcn are Charles M., aged two years, and Isabella aged one. In uarrating her story she said:

THE WOMEN PROPOSING TO WORK AT THE

'A 1 1 ...rUMPS.

The men continued at tiicir work, but it was excessively wearisome, and it gradually wore thein out. When the ladies fouud that that the men could not hold out much longer, some of them proposed to work themselves at the pumps. But they were not suffered to do this. The men took fresh courage aud stayed at their posts, and did their duty bravely, even when they were long past being fit for it.

The ladies were in no worse spirits towards the end than they w.ere ft the.begiuing of the danger. In fact, we all appeared to grow more and more calm and resigned. Those that had no little children to take

"onanmtbo bo»l. It ^fuj

be wer(J

tle me Bu

myMU th„, bci„g

„ick

and weak, and with those two helpless little ones clinging to ine, I became somewhat discouraged and disheartened. A few of the ladies showed no signs of fear, and kept up to the last. It was wonderful to see their composure. In fact, it was wonderful that we were not all frantic.

NOTHING TO EAT TWO DAYS- BEFORE THE

DISASTER.

We were all weak and reduced, from having nothing to cat of any consequence, for two days before the ship went down.—— There was no fire to cook anything, and there was no chance to get any hearty, sustaining food. We hardly had water todrink. Some of the men, ai work, became so exhausted that they dropped down in their places as if they were dead.

Mrs. Birch, of San Francisco, makes the following statement: A CANARY BIRD SAVED.

When the first boat was ready, my husband caxne to the cabin, aud asked me to prepare myself to go in the brig.. He put a life preserver around me. A.s was leaving the state room,.I saw my pet canary in the cage, and instinctively I opened the door, took him out of the cage and nestled him in .my bosom.. Whsn on deck! gave my husband a good bye. fully belie ving that soon he would be with me on the brig. A• rope was placed under my armiv and I .was lowered into the boat, but was completely saturated by the waves. Mrs. Thomtf, Mr»- Pahnd, Mrs. Harris, and

\&h&wdl ,81 ,tLG£ bit* an-1

..UT«1 i/SjjJY.

Awt LiicyJ ttoltcwtMess, with sortie I6f the AiWrin,-we#e in the boat with mc.— The lowering of the •hildreabrecallcd to my mind my btfd, and my first thought was tfait it had been crushed by the rope about ny Waist. I looked and found the little fellow lying qnietly under the edge of my dress, unhurt.-' i'I Thfc Siakiag »f tke Ship—The Straggle in the Water. .fn (f

STATEMENT OF. MR. CHASE OF MICHIGAN.

Mr. William Chase, a miner, of Washtenaw county, Michigan,

wsb

angry

contests between man and

man, in many instances amounting to outright tight, for the possession of articles on which to keep themselves afloat in the water.

A great many of the passengers were miners having considerable sums of gold about them, the product of toil but the love of gold was forgotten in the anxiety and terror of the moment, and many a man unbuckled his' gold-stuffed belt and flung his hard earned treasure upon the dcck, some hoping thereby to lighten their weight and thus more easily keep themselves afloat, while others threw it away in despair, thinking there was no use for it in the watery grave they were going to.— Mr. Chase says that he might have picked up tens of thousands of dollars which had beeu thrown away and lay strewn about the decks but he did not think there was sufficient prospect of his surviving to use it, to pay him for the trouble. A Capt. Thos. W. Badger of San Francisco had $20,000 in gold in a carpet-bag which just before the sinking of the ship, he threw, iu the Captain's state-room. He however, succeeded in saving himself, being one of the number picked up by the bark Ellen. Mr. S. Caldwell of New York had twenty pounds of gold dust in a belt about his his waist. He kept himself afloat upon a door which he secured at the time the ship sunk, and was picked up by the Ellen.

THE NIGHT ON THE WAVES—THRILLING

SCENES STATEMENT OF MB. GEORGE.

Not the least interesting feature in the narrative of this terrible catastrophe, is the description of the night passed^ on the bosom of the waves by those who were rescued by the. bark Ellen. Mr. George, a most intelligent passenger has given a thrilling account of-.the fearful scene. lie was one of the hundred who had supplied themselves with, lite preservers, picces of plank, Ac., and jrcfered to await the ship's going downjto leap overboard in anticipation of 'her fate. When she went down stern foremoBt, after giving, three lurches that made every timber quiver, and which were to every quaking heart as the throes that instantly proceeded lier dissolution, he was dragged with thc Tast on board of her some twenty or twenty-five feet beneath the surface. He heard no shriek, noting-but the seething rush and hiss of waters, that closcd above her aa she hurried,, almost with the speed of an arrow, to her ocean bed. Night had closed in before the vessel sank, and he was sucked in by the whirlpool caused by her switt -.descent, to a depth that iu its seeming was unfathomable, and into a darkness that he had neyer dreamed of. Compared with it the blackest night, without jnpon or stars, was as the broad noonday.

He was rather stunned than stifled, and his sensations on coming to the surface were almost as painful, from their reaction, as those which he endured at the greatest depth to which he sank. When he becamc conscious after the lapse of a minute or two, (be could distinguished every object around him for a considerable distance.— The waves as they rose and fell,.revealed a crowd of human heads. Those unfortunates, who had lost their life-preservers "or pl'auks

while

arose,

under, water, owing to the force

of the whirlpool were frantically snatch--fng at the broken pieces of the wreck, which breaking front the ship as she continued to descend, leapt above the surface, and fell back With a hiaVy splash. Thcrh- cries

thit mingled into one inarticulate wail, and then the lustier and less terrified' shouted'&r assistance to the bark Marine, which was far beyond hailing distance.— Tiif waves dashed them one agjainst another, at first, but* speedily they be^an to separate, and theJast farewells were taken.— One 'than calleif tb another, in our informant's hearing, "If you are, saved, Frank, send my love .to' my dear wife,"- but the friend appealed to, answered only with a le of the thrtfat. He was waahed off and perished, as his^companion

«poi Many wore desirous of separating tbom-

.Haafc'J

among the

forty-nine passengers picked np by the bark Ellen. He has been in California since 1852. His statement relative to the loss of the steamship is much the same, in all important particulars, as that of the other passengers herewith published. He remained-on* the ship until she went down and having provided himself with two life preservers'and afterward securing a portion of a box and another life preserver, which he* found in the water, he managed to float without much difficulty.

He describes the effect of the sinking of the ship as like that produced by inserting a red-hot bar of iron into a tub of water— a moments hissing and seething, and she was enveloped in the angry flood. Mr. Chase thinks that nearly all the passengers had been provided with life-preservers', but many of them had lost all hopes and become discouraged before the critical moment arrived, And when the ship sunk they lacked the energy to make any effort to save themselves, while others were affrighted out of all presence of mind, and lacked the judgment to convert to their use means which might have been rendered available. The majority of the crew and a number of the passengers, at the. time of 'the- sinking of the the ship, were below, engaged iu bailing, and so little warning was-given that they had not time to escape to the deck before she was under water.- After it becamc apparent that the ship must, sooner or later surrender to the angry elements, thcscenc among the passengers on deck and throughout the vessel was one of the most indescribable confusion and alarm. The prayers of the pious aud penitent, the curses of the maddened, and the groans and shrieks of the affrighted, were all commingled together, added to which were numerous

tl r. iT«

-selves as far as possible from the rest, faeingfcarfuli lbatisonie despearate struggle^ might seixe hold of them, and. draw .them undicr. Othcw, afraid of their loneliness, called id their, teighbors to. keep 'together^ Generally'/ they strove to cheer each other, as long as they remained within hearing, and,when the: roar of the, waxes drowned alLbut the aloudestJihouting, the call..of friendship, or the cry of despair, was heard in the distance, and infused contidence, or increased disniay, in many a failing bosom.

It was when he had drifted far from the companionship of any of his fellows in misfortune, that Mr. George began to realise his situation. The night was quite dark. OccasionkllyTas the "driving .clouds parted and gave a glimpse of sky, a star or two would be visible, but this was very seldom and offered but the faintest gleam of hope that the. morning would dawn fair and calm. The swell of the sea was great, and successively the poor floaters, holding on to their planks with the energy of despair, were riding onr the brink of a precipice and buried in a deep Valley of waiter. Our informant,-like many of the rest, was seized with the fear of sharks. Respiration was very difficult, owing to the .masses of water which were constantly dashed upon them, as wave after wave rolled by. For two or three hours the water was not unpleasantly cold, and it was not till about o'clock on the morning of Sunday, when they had been five hours in the water, and a fresh, chilling wind arose, that their limbs began to feel benumbed.

MEETING A CORPSE.

remained iu this way until the ship

sunk, and then I was left sitting on the door in the open sea, the waves sweeping me off it every two or three minutes. A raft had been partially constructed before the foundering oi the steamer, but only 6 persons were able to get on it when it was required for some reason that I cannot explaifi. After drifting about on my door for about an hour, the raft was so close to iiie that

I thought ot^ab^ndoiiing thd door for it! and accordingly I' did so, and from this

forward I was^not^^cr ^miserable.

Occasionally

but would

her. She hove to and commenced the

work of picking up. At this time there

after another, It was now seven in the morning, and few traces of the wreck were visible, except those parts to which the passengers had clung. When we were takeia fjrf'board the bark, which proved to

Sreciatc

«t

LL/Od

Some of the incidents described as occuring before about that time, were truly thrilling. One man, floating in' solitude, and terrified at his loneliness, after shouting himself hoarse to find a companion, saw at length a man with two life-preser-vers fastened about his body drifting towards him. His heart leapt with joy at the welcome sight, for the feeling of desolation which had overcome him was terrible to endure. He called to the other to join him, if possible, and made every exertion to meet him half way. There was no reply, but the other drifted nearer and nearer. A wave threw them together.— They touched. The living man shrieked in the face of a corpsc. The other had been drowned by the dash of the billows, or had perished from cxhaustation.

THE ELLEN IN SIGHT.

When, raising and falling with the swell of the waves, the lights of the bark Ellun were first discerned by the. survivors in the water, the thrill of hope that at once filled every breast, amounted, it may well be believed, to a perfect cctacy. Let Mr. George speak for all. He says: "I never felt so thankful in all my life. I never knew what gratitude was before. I do not know whether I cried or not, but I know I was astonished to hear my own laughter ringing in my ears. I do not know why I laughed. That verse, "God moves in a mysterious way," kept passing in and out of me, through me, rather, as if I had been the pipe of an organ. It did not come to me, by my own volition, but somehow made me remember it. When lights apapproaehed nearer, a score of voices sprang up around me, crying, "Ship.ahoy," "Boat ahoy," and then I began to shout too. And I had never any doubt that I should be saved, till I saw the lights pass by, about half a mile from where I was, and recede in the distance. Then I began to give myself up for lost indeed. But 1 slowly drifted toward her again, till I could make out her hull aud one of her masts, aud presently I floated closc to her, and shouted, and was taken up. When 1 got on the dcck I could not stand. I did not know till then how exhausted I was.

Mr. George, before he was thus happily rescucd, encountered six men clinging to a log of wood, two of whom washed off in his sight, within a short distance of the bark. The others must have afterwards

shared

the same fate, as they were not

taken on board the bark, and were never again seen.

MR. T. E. WELLS'STATEMENT HOW HE SAV

ED HIMSiELF FROM THE WRECK

When I saw there was no chance of cscapc, wrenched a! door from the cabin, and after placing it on the deck, sat down on it,

and.

nzo

3S1I85I

board

generally reach it before it had

the raft were useless, and-the poor fellows

who were so i^fortunatc as to lose their

hold without having itiu their power to re-

gain it, perished within a few yards of ui*.

crying

congratulated each other on the sight °f

mi 5 junfj"*aJJ*I

*lll

T^JWl •'TW ."~ints

and conveyed to New York. 1 lost everything- I was returning from California.

The Empire C.ty.

HER CRUISE TO RfiSCUE THE SURVIVORS.

The Empire City, Captain John McGowan, left her wharf, at Norfolk, Va., at 10$ A. M. on the 18th, for New York, ghe had been victualed and coaled during the previous two days, for a thorough cruise "in search of the missing steamer Central America, at whose ultimate safety, however, none on board felt any misgiving.

But on the day of appointed departure at 5 A. M., a pilot-boat comc up from outside, anchored in the stream, near us, and we were Boon boarded by a gentleman, one of four passengers, who electrified us with the announcement of the total loss of the Central America, foundered at sea, at 8 P. M. of the 12th inst., during the late severe gale, carrying down with her most of her officers and crew, nearly 400.passengers, and $1,800,000 in treasure.

Our informant had been picked up, on the night of the disaster, floating about on fragments of the wreck, with 48 others, by the -Norwegian bark Ellen, Capt. Johnson, from Balize, Honduras, then coming up the bav, in tow of a small steamer.

It was likewise understood that all the women and children, some of the latter infants, in all 56 in number, had been saved in the steamer's boats before she sunk, and put on board the brig Marine of Boston. "Sir," said our informant, "500 men, with death yawning before them at an}' moment, stood solid as a rock," nor made a movementfor the boats until the womc and had all been safely transported to the brig, after which about 40 of the crew and male passengers, in a few trips, reachcd the latter vessel before1 the steamer went down."

Capt. McGowan, abandoning his prcious intention, immediately got bis ship under weigh, steamed down the harbor and when near the lightship, spoke the bark with her quota ot the saved.

Hailing her, we proffered a passage to New York to all who chose to accept.— The majority were taken on board, aud with a

parting

regard three hearty cheers

for their preservers, we proceeded on our course, hoping to fall in with the brig and relieve the women and children.

Within three miles of Cape lleury, a vessel was described ahead in tow of a propellor, bound in, immediately speculation was rife as to whether she might or might not prove to be the vessel we sought glasses were leveled at her by anxious groups gathered forward, and as we rapidly closed together, certainty succeeded surmise, and to the joy of all, she proved to be the brig "Mariue," in tow of the "City of Norfolk," propeller, her low and confined decks swarming with wretched looking objccts, many of them women and children, wringing their hands, aud weeping and laughing by turns hysterically.— Our boats were speedily lowered, and Capt. McGowan in the first, boarded the brig in person, caressed, embraced, and, indeed half strangled by the poor women, who threw themselves upon him as he reached the deck.

As boat-load after boat-load reached our ship's sides and ladder, each vied with the uther in assisting them to our decks, and in a short time the greater portion of them were comfortably quartered in our cabins. To the bystanders the recognition and greeting between the two parties—mother claiming son, and husband wife, the eager scanning of each face in agonizing fear and expectation, the joy and grief manifested, as recognition or disappointment awaited the gazer, was touching in the extreme, straining the heart-strings and moistening the

eyes of

many

lines

coul(

wc were swept on the ratt,

j1jul jrom

ell

dom clcclled if

was only three of us left on the raft,^and Providence hereafter to place them in the

considered ourselves safe now: Gradually but slowly the vessel picked up all the passengers* who were until this time floating on planks &c., and scattered far on the sea, and at last she came to us and

ttie'Etocn, -we were kindly received. The men-gave us what.clothes they could, and we regailcd ourselves over a breakfast, and we baa an appetite and a feeling of thankfulness which enabled us to enjoy and ap-

it. As soon as we got oar clothes

ricd we returned the

seamen

their's, and

put our own on us. Nothing* yery particular oeenred from this time until-we arrived

Hampton Ro«ds on Friday feat, when we were taken on b*?ard the Empire City,.

The bark Ellen had previous had all her these pumps of course, were useless after boats stove iu the gale, and every individu- the engine stopped. aJ of those saved by her were drawn on

j, going ahead getting sternway on her,,

auti

drifted out of our reach. In three instau- the darkness of the night dieta- British Government conveying dispatchcs e'es, however, these attempts to return to

tC( Their

nals 0 mar

^cers

the lusa of thoir

for help—which, alas, was far be- jng that they died at their posts, striving Atlantic this year. He says, in summing yond'their reach. to save life to the la3t, and point to the fact: the results already attained and that At length a vessel hove in sight, and we

tbat a jj jjC womcu an

same strait, they wish no better eulogium.

their

WHOLE NUMBER 791.

both of shoer for their feet and hats for their .heads. The ladies.on going from the sinking steamer to the brig, were not allowed to carry with them anything which might encumber or unduly load the life-boats. Even their thick shawls were necessaryily denied to them, and very few wore' away their bonnets. They could choose only one suit of clothes, and could take it with them only by wearing it.

On board the brig they of course eould not be supplied from a lady's wardrobe, and were compelled to wrap themselves with sheets, bed-quilts or blankets to shieldf themselves from the coldness of the wcathcr. Many of the sheets were cut up to make underclothes for the children, and rags were tied around the feet of those who had no shoes. When the dresses of the ladies bccamc dirty, there was no chance of washing them, as they had no changc of garments to substitute for them in the meantime.

The faces of the men, women and children were brown, as if they had from long exposure to a burning sun. The skin had pealed off in various places all over their necks and heads. Many of them were also, particularly the children, suffering from smarting blisters, occasioned, in some degree, by contact with the salt water.

HOPES, SURMISES, ETC.

Captain Herndon.—Mr.Fraser,the second officer of the Central Americe, reports that he went down'on the wheel-house with Capt. Herndon, whose last orders were: "Now, buckle on your life-preservers.— We arc going down!"

Mr. Fraser then went down: and, wonderful to say, came up through the metal ventilator of the steamer, and with difficulty was worked through the crooked part of it to the top of the water!

Mr. Fraser states that two men saved in the Marine, one of them Mr. Jones, told him that they saw Captain Hcrndon two hours after lie was up—that is, two hours after the vessel was wrecked. He was then hopeful—'talking with others, and encouraging those around him. He had two lifepreservers on—one certainly, and that believed to be a cork one.

The vessel which was

Been

thrown them as she sailed It is settled. gather from the

through the drifting masses of men—her latest London papers that the experiment captain handling his vessel as only a sailor J0f laying the Atlantic telegraph cable will

near

the Central America on Saturday and which then gave no assistance and now believed to be blown off, was seen on Saturday morning, and it is thought she may have picked up passengers. It is possible that Herndon and others may have been paved on this unknown vessel, we shall await report from her with anxiety.

The wind however increased Saturday enough to give the waves white caps, which must have destroyed many lives.

Capt. 11. gave his watch to Mr. Thcadorc Payne, of San Francisco, when in one of the life-boats, to give to his wife, in case he was saved. Mr. Payne has the watch, and is now on his way from Norfolk. Captain llerndon also sent a mcssage to his wife by Mr. Payne.

Mr. Fraser saved himself not only by his life-preserver but by a door of the ship. Me thrust his hands through the windows, and then put his head through. He had not quit his post on the ship for four days.

A Full Inresti'.'rttion to be hml—The Caoso of toe Oi.sa-.te!'.

The company will at once cause a thorough investigation to be made into everything connected with the terrible disaster, receiving the statements of every person saved from the wreck, if possible. Mr. Ashby's demand fur an investigation into his conduct has been complied with, and he will be examined this afternoon before a commission consisting of engineers ap« pointed by the officers of the company.

hitherto unused to such mani- that the vessel was lost through the carefestations. A portion remained on board I lessness of some of the passengers in the brig preferring to go up to Norfolk, I leaving the port holes open, through which and when all who wished had been taken the water rushed in. Some of the survivou board, the Empire City again started ing crew state that they had as much aa with her freight of unfortunates for New York.

Ninety-six in all were reported to have beeu saved by the brig, exclusive of the colored steward who died from cxhaustation shortly after having been taken in from the wreck. All speak in highest

A strong impression begins to prevail

they could do to keep them closed, some of them being engaged all the time going around shutting port holes. The water in the ship wahot, but if it had come iu through the bottom it would have been cold. .Mr. Huberts thinks the story that the mast which was cut away knocked a

terms of the attention paid them, and the hole in the ship's bottom is unreliable.— humanity displayed by the officers and She was too strongly built for that. crew of both brig and bark, the former There does not appear to have been any conveying the woman was about to serve fault in the pumps, and it is now establishout her last days ratioii of water, and had led that they were worked to good advannot an opportune supply of provisions been tagc until they were broken. She had two received from a passing vessel, they must nine inch bilge pumps connected with her have been driveu to great straits, with engines, enough to keep any ship free of hunger aa well as thirst. the leak had it been an ordinary one But

be ted thh Th probsb

drifting to leeward, as the cries about ,i.

those whom he could not see destiny of the cable is tho service of

escape is unequalcd in the an- to and from India. Professor Morse, ad-

inc disaster and relief. I'he ]res.,in.r the Secretary of the Atlautio

the Empire City, grieving for' nn

brother officers, have yet Telegraph Coinpanv, advises o-

fcelibg of pride and satisfaction in know-. ther attempt to lay the cable across the

children were sav-: _k

ci.

prospect:

(not an infaut lost) as an instance of ., .i,.

_dcV0ti0I1 coolness and manliness scl-' °,

equaled. Should itplcasc J™ Ijlana

*SVAPFEABANCE OP THE PASSENGERS.^' !ajdc ],

picked us up bv means of ropes,'"^, one^ thinfi else, their appearance on board the can be paid out. ,nw seven in the! Empire City, as she camc into port, was, _\0w with regard to the future:such as to betoken the extreme poverty The advanced state of

Pllclni

ica

As the rescued passengers of the lost present devised on b^ard. steamer saved their lives, but lost everv-j Wc have demonstrated that the cable

condition, and painfully to recall the:p0scs an obstacle to any further attempt suffering through which they had parsed.—

make apologies for their destitute and rag-!

ged appearance, to the visitors that camc!

their mothers arms were., nearly naked, and many of them crying. The men wore rough flannel shirts, such

as they were able to procure from the

tailors, and of th'-im wfrp

laying the coble this year.

The men wore so thinly clad that many of^ Before a supply of the quantity lost can them feared to encounter the exposure of jfce had and coiled on board a ship the scathe deck, and the women were forced to

son 0

pr*-

We have demonstrated that the cable once paid out from the ship is not rccovcr*

certainty by the means at

the

season op-

rough weather sets iu adding uutri-»

difficulties to the undertaking. II--nce

postponement till the mild season of June

on board. The children except those |0r July of another year would secra desirwhich were small enough. to be placed in able.

The weight of opinion is that the next experiment will be made early next year.

., gn that is the first effort should be suocess-

80 10

reJ. th» trial may spswily repMftiRi: