A SPECIMEN LINER.

New Zealander, Volume 8, Issue 681, 23 October 1852, Page 2

A SPECIMEN LINER.

(Fiom (lie "Polynesian," July 10.) Tlie New Grenadian barque Sarnriento arrived at this poit on the 3rd instant, short of provisions and water, liaung- left Panama for San Francisco on the 29 nd of Rlaich last, with about 240 souls, on board. We see in the Echo, published at Panama in March, the Sarmiento ad veitised for San Fiancisco, and rcpiesented as an "A No. 1 coppered and coppei-f^ten d barque of 800 tons, having gieat height between decks, as well as gieat beam, causing her to be very loomy; besides being one of the fastest ships that ever left Panama." Whereas, she is a very old Ameiican whaler of less than 350 tons, and, we are told by one of the passengers, a most miserable old tub for sailing. It is not strange, therefore, that with over 200 passengers on board, a most distressing- voyage has been experienced, and that suffering and death have jebulted fiom such over-crowding. The ship finally left Tobaga on the 2?th of March. "Five days after leaving Tobaga it was found that the supply of water was short, and on the 30th all hands, together with the passengers were put upon an allowance of 3 pints per day. On the Ctli of May, the weather being warm, the crew demanded moie water, and refused duty. On the 19th of May, the allowance of water was reduced to 2 pints a day, and much suffering was experienced,especi.i!ly by those who were sick with fever. Previous to this point, the ship put back for San Bias, which, after fourteen days, she reached, and remained three days. Oa the 21st of May, a most fearful tiagedy was enacted on board, which made an impression never to be effacted from the minds of those who witnessed it. A young man aged about 19 years, by the name of Woolfork, from Kentucky, shot a German named Johnson, through the heart. The origin of this bloody business was a dispute about a paltry tin cup, of which \voolfork had two, and the German none. In the hasty altercation, the handle was wrenched off, when Woolfolk drew his revolver and shot Johnson dead. A scene of the greatest excitement ensued; the murderer was seized, 114 voted that he should be hung, 32 against it, and the balenco were neutral. A judge was appointed; a jury of 12 empanelled; the prisoner found guilty of murder, and received his sentence to be hung in an houi . During the interval between the sentence and execution, the°dead body was brought on deck, exhibiting its ghastly wounds,the preparations made,and after allowing the condemned man a quarter of an hour over his time, he was run up to the yard arm, where life soon became oxtint. He was then cut adrift, fell upon his face into the sea, and continued floating till left out of sight by the ship. On the 25th of May water was sold for one doller per bottle, b} 7 those of the passengers who required less th<m their fellows. On reaching San Bias, but little was procured except water. A few days' allowance of bread was all, and but little alleviation was experienced from the supply of provisions. The pork was good, but not in any thing like sufficient quantity for such a company. Fiom the beginning of the voyage the beef was so offensive as to be absolutely uneatable except by starving wretches. From San Bias the vessel again sailed for San. Francisco; but instead of being an "A No. 1 ship of 800 tons, and one of the fastest ships that ever left Panama," she was so slow, and the stock of water and provisions so miserable, that after beating about from the Ist till the 20th of June, she put away for these Islands, where she arrived on the 3rd instant, as stated above. Since the 19th of June, they have had no bread, and the last they had was more like sand tban bread, and filthy in the extreme. Among the passengers that embarked there were two children and eleven women, one of each of whom died before reaching San Bias. Six others died on board, besides the murderer and the murdeied man. While reviewing the circumstances attending this unfortunate voyage one's blood tingles at the atrocious conduct of those, who, for gain, could have deceived emigrants bound to California as those by the Sacrimento were deceived. A miserable old whaler of about 332 tons, built in 1823, represented as an lt A No. 1 ship of 800 tons," and putrid beef that could not be eaten,or endured below decks,represen ted as " the best Fulton market beef brought across the Isthmus at a considerable expense for the purpose." Life, health, and everything else exposed, for the almighty dollar, and the ship lying so far off, that she could not be visited before going on board to sail! The fact that suffering and death have resulted is not the mystery on this occasion ; but that results still more disastrous have not followed shcli a disregard of the ordinary precautions necessary to secure the comfort of passengers upon a voyage proverbial for its exposure to delay from calms and adverse winds. We hope these passengers will find the passage hence j more agreeable and prospeious tban their voyage has hitherto been, and such is likely to be the case. The ■ ship is recruiting here, and can have no possible excuse j for leaving this port without an abundant supply of provisions and water. We will only add that Mr. Eugene Fery was the agent at Panama whose name appears to the advertisement giving false statements above quoted, in regard to | the ship, &c.