American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1824-04-20
sEA-sroRM AND NARROW ESCAPE.


From the Cincinnati Literary Gazette, January a.
1.-THE note in which the following enclosed mentions
that it is an account OF an event which really occurred to
the writer related.
&C ! sailed from New Orleans in the beginning Of
February, 1920, in small schooner bound for New
York We descended the river without any accident,
and went to sea with fire breeze we had favor
able winds and good weather for the FIRST five days.
On the morning Of the sixth, ii began to cloud up
and as the day wore away, the gloom increased,
and when the night set in, il was intensely dark
as ever remember to have seen it. The novelty
and interest OF my situation prevented me from
turning In; the scene was awlully grand the roll
ling OF the thunder could ius be distinguished above
the roaring OF the waves, and the vivid flashes OF
lightning dispersed for moment the gloom, and
showed the raging waters around US. fcontinued
walking the deck with the captain, who was rela-
ting to some Of the many dangers and difficult
ties that life of thirty years on The ocean had
subjected him TO. He had been thrice shipwreckgd,
and twice captured by the enemy in the late war
with England. He was good seaman, and had all
he virtues and vices of sailor. We continued on
deck some time ; the wind had now increased to a
gale. The waves ran mountain high, aud our lit
tie vessel danced them in fine style, when, &C
cidentaly casting my eye over one side, precelved
something dark moving in the water. | pointed it
out 10 the captain, who no sooner saw it, than with
an exclamation Of terror and despair. he cried we
are all lost,'' and sprang to The pinnacle for his
trumpet, saw in an instant our danger; it was
large ship with all her sails set, bearing full upon
us. knew if she struck US, our destruction was
inevitable. She would pass over US in moment.
The people on her deck would be scarce sensible of
the event, and we should be buried in The ocean
without the least possibility of relief. The captain
twice raised his trumpet to hail her, but fright and
despair made him mute. snatched it from him,
and in voice rendered supernaturally loud by the
danger OF my situation, and which was heard even
Iaboye the roaring of the waves, | hailed her with
1" starboard your helm In instant alter, heard
the officer on her deck in voice scarcely less loud
than mine pass the word of :" hard slarboard.''
In another instant she passed us with the velocity
of lightning, her huge bulk and lofty sails casting
Ia still deeper gloom the deck Of little
sci. She rolled in the chasm occasioned by the
passing Of the vast body so nigh her, and'nearly up
set. | sunk on deck overcome by the intensity
of my feelings, and deprivedas it were Of the pow
Ter OF motion. | recovered my self aud approached
cur captain. He was standing in the same position
before the vessel had passed and apprsred to
be insensible to the objects around him. ! spoke
10 him; bur he answered me not. shook him,
land he aroused as from stupor or revetie.
1t was some time before his mind resumed her
Iempire. and he afterwards tald me, that in all
his danger and perls, and when death stared him
in the face, and deliverance seemed impossible he
was never so impressed with the certainty of his