Governor White
was terribly burned, and by many it was thought this led to his death.
His disease was bronchitis, which supervened soon after this terrible
disaster. The steamer had in her hold considerable powder. This, it
was said at the time, was ignited by the mate of the boat, who had
become enraged from some cause with the captain. The body of Judge
Johnston was never found. The boat was blown to atoms, with the
exception of the floor of the ladies' cabin. The upper works were all
demolished. This floor was thrown, it seemed almost miraculously,
intact upon the water. There were some six or eight ladies on board,
who were saved on this floor. When the smoke had lifted sufficiently
to permit a night view--for it was night--Governor White and Judge
Boyce were seen swimming near this floor of the wreck. White was
burned terribly in the face and on the hands, and was blinded by this
burning. The ladies were in their night-clothes; but what will not
woman do to aid the distressed, especially in the hour of peril? One
of the most accomplished ladies of the State snatched from her person
her _robe de chambre_, and, throwing one end to the struggling
Governor, called to him to reach for it, and with it pulled him to the
wreck, and kindly, with the aid of others, lifted him on.
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