Virginia statesman. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1828-1829, 1828-06-11

out ofsight before they detected him IN the
commission in the very act which he re-
probated in others.
Winchester Republican.
Narratire ola Sailors Escape from a
Frigate.-We were not more than three
quarters ola mile from barren and rocky
island, and determined to risk every thing
to gainit, and got on board one Of the mer-
chant ships in the morning. The first
thing was to get my money from my bag
of clothes, which was snugly tied up over
my hammock, on the lower deck. ] stole
quietly down, and was in the act Of search
ing the bag when the sergeant of marines
and master-at-arms, who were gong their
halfhourly rounds, nearly cOught me; but
springing unobseryed into my hammock, /
lay covered till they passed, and was not a
little alarmed to find that was the subject
other conversation. DO you know the
number ofthe pressed mans BIRTH" said
the serieant; Il heard the officer say he
was worth keeping, and 1t would be well to
keep an eye upon him." 81 don't know
MS number" replied the master-at-arms,
"but l saw him on the forecastle Just after
the watch was mustered" Sosoon as they
were on the ladder | united my bag and
pocketedmy purse. You know, Harold,
how soundly men sleep after having been
well nounced ina gale, and got both in
and out ofmy hammock without question
from my snoring neighbours. then mount
ed the tOrecastle again, and made point of
being seen BY the sepeant: after which |
s. u,aed through the port holes under the
main channels, as the island lay astern.
Having buttOned my Jacket tight around
me, and tied the button of my trousers, |
fastened a ropes end, which was hanging
overheard by the channels, "a thing almost
unknown in the frigate, to the irons below,
81 slid without splashing into the water; but
when my head was Just above the surface,
| found my legs pressed as 1t were, against
the bottom OF the ship, and it was not till |
let 90 the rope, and struck offa little from
the side, that | was disentangled from this
effect.
l scarcely breathed on the water, and
moved my arms and limbs as little as pos
sibIe; but nv heart beat within me as |
found myselfAoating with the tide past the
quarter of the ship. was beginning to
feel fresh yigour at neutrality-suspicious.
cling the fiigate, when | heard the hoarse
voice of an old owl of quarter-master say
to the officer of the watch, "There Is
something in the water astern, Sir !" The
voice acted upon me like electricity, and |
do believe bounded twO-thirds out of the
wafer "Tis man, by all that's holy,
Sir !" said the old fellow. "Ahoi come
back YOU rascal,' cried the officer; fire
sentinel fire" And as it seemed TO me, the
very moment | saw the CLEAN on the water,
| felt sharp cut on my left heel. Ano-
other and another ball followed but with
less success. away there, black cutters
of the watch, away" followed the boats
wain's mate: but luckily for me, the boats
had been secured for sea, in consequence
ofwhlch they took more time in being clear
ed way, and was halfway TO the shore
before / heard the running cracking Of the
tackles and the boat 90 splash into the wa
ter. The noise seemed so near TO me that
| looked round, but saw nothing; soon,
however, | heard the rolling of the oars in
the hullocks, and my hopes began to fail
me, when sight of the freezing surf on the
rocks cheered and saved me from sinking
with despair. IPlied every nerve, and in
a fw minutes more was close to the break
ers. None but swimmers can conceive
the narrow limits of the view when the head
is only above the surface; every wave is a
boundary; and to a person pursued as ! was,
and in search of landing place, noun
tains could not have been more agouizing
barrier. at last perceived a black shelly
ing point ola rock, on which the surf was
rolling heavily on one side, while on the
other the water appeared smoother. For
this point | Immediately swan, as a forlOrn
hope.
On approaching | found myself between
two white ridges of foaming water, and oc-
casiOnally sunk in the hollow ABYSS ofthe
,r-,1-ae and sou1pfiu,oe 1,eb,1 H.. q, -, J 1.