The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 32, July 1928 - April, 1929 Page: 128
361 p. : maps ; 23 cm.View a full description of this periodical.
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Southwestern Historical Quarterly
Left Columbia on my journey to N. Orleans[.] Arived in Bra-
zoria same day. Procured passage on board the Sch' D'art bound
to new Orleans and proceeded down the river on our voyage.
Having arived at Velasco the number of passengers whare [were]
greatly augmented on account of the Empress having been con-
demned as unseaworthy
Nov 11th Passengers and pilot all on board[.] got under way
about 61 0 clock A. M. but ran imiediately upon the bar whare we
remained thumping for about 4 hours when we were so unfortunate
as to get over[.] Our Capt' who to drown trouble had in the
mean time got quite intoxicated determined to put to sea in op-
position to the united request of all the passengers, excepting one,
on board, there being twenty-five in number, and the pumps were
kept continually agoing[.] The wind was strong and favourable
and drove us on our course at the rate of 8 nots. Night soon
drew her sable curtains around us and we being wet and fateagued
soon retired to our berths. In vain did I court the smiles of mor-
pheus [.] "Tired nature's calm restorer balmy sleep" refused to
spread his veil of oblivion over my weary, agitated senses; and the
realities of our situation, and the gloomy prospects before us were
to [o] agonizing to permit me to take the least repose. The sound
of the pumps was incessant. Still we were speeding our way from
the land at the rate of 8 nots. About 10, O'clock all on board
were called. Our case was becoming, momentarily, more danger-
ous[.] The sailors had become exausted withh fateague, and
though both pumps had been kept continually agoing the water
in the vessel had continued to increase untill it was already over
the cabbin floor on the leaside of the vessel[.] In this situation
there was no allternative but to work and our lives was the price
of our labour[.] Persons who before had never been used to
labour were now ready to take there turn at the pumps or at the
buckets as their fellow suffers became exauste [d] with fateague.
Not only were both pumps kept in opperation but we dipped up
the water from the cabbin and passed it up the companion way in
buckets. In this way we continued to work during the whole of
the night which was chill and dark. But when first called on deck
we demanded of the capt to put for the nearest land he could make,
which was nearly on the back track, and he immediately called the
crew aft, with whom he held a consultation, all of whom, with one128
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Texas State Historical Association. The Southwestern Historical Quarterly, Volume 32, July 1928 - April, 1929, periodical, 1929; Austin, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth101089/m1/132/: accessed April 23, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Texas State Historical Association.