American watchman and Delaware advertiser. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1822-1828, 1825-11-15
Faom BLAcKwooD's MAGAZINE.

was on my voyage back to my native country,
after absence Of FIVE years, spent in uDremt,ing
toll in foreign land to which had been driven by
strange fatality. Our voyage had been singular
and prosperous, and on Chrstmas day were
within fifty leagues of port Passengers and crew
were all in the highest spirits and the ship was alive
with mirth and jollty. For my own part, was the
very happiest man in existence. / had been un-
expectedly raised from poverty to affluence-my
parents were once more longing 10 behold their
erring and beloved son, and knew that there was
one dearer even than any parent, who had remained
true to me through all my misfortunes, and would
soon be mine for lille.
About O'Clock in the evening, ] went on deck
The ship was saingupon wind at the rate OF sever
knots an hour, and there was wild grandeur in the
night. strong snow storm blew, but steadily.
and without danger and now and then, when the
struggling moonlight overcame the seety and misty
darkness, we saw for some distance around US, the
agi.ated sea all tumbling with foam. There were
no shoals TO fear, and the ship kept boldly on her
course, closercefed, and mistress of the storm.
leant over the gunwale, admirng the water rushing
past like foamng cataract, when by some unac-
countable accident, lost my balance, and in an in
slant fell overheard into The sea.
remember convulsve shuddering all over my
body, and hurried leaping of my breast, as felt
myself about to lose hold of the vessel, and after
wards sensation of the most icy chlliness from i'm
mersion into the wayes-but nothing resembling a
fall or precipitation. When below the water, think
that the momentary belief rushed across my mind
that the ship had sunk, and that was but one OF
pershing crew. imagined that felt hand with
long fingers clutching at my legs and made vic
lent effort to escape. dragging after me, thought
the body OF some drowning wretch-On rising to
the surface, recollected in moment what had be-
fallen me, and uttered cry Of horror which is in
my ears to this day, and often makes me shudder
as it were the mad shrek Of another person in the
extremity OF perilous agony. Often have dreamed
over again that dire moment, and the cry utter in
my sleep is something more horrible than human
voice No ship was to be seen. She was gone
forever. The little happy world to which mo-
ment before, had belonged. had swept by the
waves dashed on me. and struck me on the face and
howed at me the waves yelled, and snow beat like
drifting sand into my eyes-and there was left to
struggle, and buffet, and gasp. and sink and perish,
alone, unseen and unpltied by man. and as thought
too, by the everlasting God-I tried to penetrate
the surrounding darkness with my glaring eyes, that
eh leaping from their sockets, and saw, as if by
miraculous power, to great distance through the
night-but no ship--nothing but white crested
waves and the dismal noise OF thunder shouted,
shrieked add yelled, that might be heard by the
crew, ill my voice was gone-and that too, when
knew that there was none to hear me. AT last
became utterly speechless and when tried to call
aloud, there was nothing but silent gasp and con-
vulsion.-whilc the waves came upon me like stun
ming blows reiterated and reerating, and drove me
along like log OF wood or dead animal.
Once muttered to myself this is dream, shall
awake. had often before dreamt Of being drowned,
and this idea of its being dream so pressed upon
me, that vainly strove to shrek out, that the noise
might awaken me. But oh the transition from
this momentary and wild hope of its being all
dreadful dream, into the conviction of IT'S reality
~l.ots pla
unstics thought of hell. All at once felt my in
most soul throttled strangled and siiHed by in.
supportable fear Of death. That death which to my