The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1821-08-08 00:00:00

:.. ~,

• THE FATAL Kls P 43 l';
[From (+Blackwood's IfitigittgA Nepssiars.l
We had been nearly five weeks at ass when the
Captain loam!, by • nautical observation. teat we
were within one hundred sad thirty miles of the
north aide of Jamaica. Favourable winds amid
smooth seas had hitherto been our continua attend..
ants, and every thing on board conspired to render
the coughs...sent aieLsnonotony of a long voyage
less annoying than they usually are. The cabin ittlaw
sengersconsnited of Major and Mre. L--, a new-
samied couple; Miss rioter to the lat-
ter ; Mr. D—, a young Irishman, sod myself.
Our Captain was a man of pleasing manner* and
liberal ideas, and formed an important acquiaition
atoffordottriupgaretvye.rybyfajciiiiiiiitiyngtolntheallinditssireeiteurecastioonfs and
'them.
Much of our time was *Peat in conversetion, said
iu walking on deck ; and when the dews of evening
obliged us to descend to the cabin, the Captaiii
would ()flea entertain us with a relation of the va-
rious dangers which he and other persons had en-
costitered at *ea, or detail with great gravity sonic
of, the previinnOuperstitioas of. sailors.
'Although fic ptioirseed more general information
than usually fiats to the lot of sea-faring persons,
his mind was tioctured with some of their weak-
nesses and prejodices. The Ladies of our party
had i great tame for natural history, sod wished to
obtain speciineui stall the most interesting kinds of
sea-birds. They had severel times requested the
Captain to @Wet one of Mother Carry's chickens,
that they might take a drawing from it; however,
he always declined doing so, 'but never gave any
satisfactory reason for his unwillingness to oblige
theta in this respect. At last, Mr. 1). killed
two of the birds, after having several time. missed
whole flocks of them. The Captain seemed very
much startled when he saw the ',Mamie (bop
On the waves—"" Will you have the goodness to let
dose the bout to pick up the genie?" said Mr.
D--. rs Yes, Sir," replied he, rr if you'll go off
in her, and never returu on hoard this ves.el—here
is a serious laneiesess—be assured we have not seen
the end of it." He then walked away without
offeriug to give soy orders about loweiiug the boat ;
and the seamen, who witnessed the transaction,
looked as if they would taut have obeyed him had
he even done so.
Though we saw no lend, every thing proved that
we were in the West India seas. The sky had, 1,
within a fesedays, begun to assume a more doz.
zling aspect, sod long ranges of conical-shaped
clouds floated along the horizon. Laud birds,
with beautiful plumage, often hovered round the
vessel, and we eometinies fancied we could discover
a vegetuble fragrance in the breezes that swelled
our sails.
One delightful clear morning, when we were in
hourly expectation of milking 16 land, some dol-
phin opprared astern. As the weather was very
moderate, the Captain proposed that we should 6,1 i
for them ; and a rest many hooks were imme-
diately baited for that purpose by the "cameo. We
caught large quantities of dolphin, still of afloat r
kind of fide and put the whole into the heads of
the steward, with orders that part should be dressed
fur dinner, amid part distributed among the crew.
When the diuuer hour arrived, we ill assembled
is the cabin, in hialeopinta, and set down to table.
It being St. George's day, the Captain, who was an
Englishman, had ordered that every thing should be
provided cud set forth in the most sumptuous
style, and the steward had done full justice to his
directions. We made the swims, which were exqui-
site and abundant, circulate rapidly, red every glass
increased oar gaiety and good humour, while the
icflueuce of our mirth rendered the Lerlies addi-
tionally amusing and animated. The Captain re-
marked, that as there were two clariusset-players
among the crew, we ought to have a dance upon the
quarterAeck at nun-set. This proposal was re-
ceived with much delight, particular'', by the fe-
males of unr party ; and the Captain had just told
the servant in wattitog to bid the mueciaris prepare
themaelver, when the mate entered the cabin, and
said, that the man at the helm had dropped down
almost seiweless, and that another of the crew was so
ill that he could scarcely speak.
The Csidain, on receiving this information, grew
very pale,aud seemed at a loss what to reply. At last,
he started from his chair, and hurried up the gang-
way. Our mirth ceased in a moment, 'hough none
of usappearetl to know whys but the minds of all
were evidently occupied by what they had jug ,
heard, and Major L-- remarked, a ith a Wilier-
int; voice, that Dedillell were very liable to be tuken
niddeuly ill iii hot (Amery.

Aftrra little time, we sent the servant to ircpoire
what was going forward upon deck. He returned
immediately, and infinmed us that the taro sailors
were wur.e, aud that r third had just been attacked
in the seine wry. He had scarcely said these words,
when Mrs. L--gars a shriek, and crird out that
her sister. had fainted sway. This added to our
confusion and alarm ; and the Major awl Mr. ()
trembled so much that they were hardly able to
cutlery the young Lady to her state room.
All conveisatirin was now ut au end, and no one
uttered a word until Mrs. L returned from her
sister's apartment. While we were imploring how
the latter was, tise•Cuptisin entered the c!ahiii in u
state of grearegitatioa, " This is a dreadful hosi-
Iltb14" said he. " The faet is—it is sty duty to
tell you—l fear we are all poisoned by the halt we
have ate : one of the crew died s few minutes since,
and five adhere are dangerrmaly
.66 Poisoned! my Crud !Do you sly so? Must
we all the ?" exeliiiined Mrs. L--, 1110PPi"g on
her knees. " What is to be done ?" cried the
Major thetructeilly ; "are there no means of corm-
teractioy,ji ?"—'6 None that I' know of," returned
the Captain. 6' All remedies arevain. The piii.oll
is always Mal, except...but I begin to feel its el-
fects—suoport, me—oln this be iitiremiution ?"
II- et:lgen-a to one" sitt, and would here fallen
upon. the Burn, had not assisted him. Mrs. L--,
uotwittivoniling has aAsarerit clung to
his arms, cryingout, iii a t me of despair, "Is their
uphelp—mo pity slo our to Pave us?" and the,.
•fainted oil her husband's bosom, who, turning
.1. •
to me, ,dd,with quivering lips, "You are a happy
wuu ; )oia toave nothing to milker your Isla 11111).•
meths. Oh, Provide-me I was l permitted to
totape so unsay Joust's, merely that I might suffer
this vises), ?"
Mrs. snow regained her senses, sad I ea.