Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Mass.) 1828-1830, 1828-05-27
MISCELLANEOUS,
NARRATIVE OF A SAILORS ESCAPE FROM
A FRIGATE.

We were not more than three quarters of
mile from barren and rocky island. and
l determined to risk every thing to gain it.
and get on board one of the merchant
ships in the morning. The first thing was
to get my money from my bag of clothes,
which was snugly tied up over nv ham,
mock, on the lower deck. stole quietly
down, and was in the act of searching the
bag when the SERGEANT of marines and mas
ter-at-arms, who We're going their half
hourly rounds, nearly caught me; but
springing unobserved into my hammock.
l lay covered till they passed, and was not
a little alarmed to find that was the SUBJ
Ject OF their conversation. "Do you know
the number of the pressed mans birth 2"
said the serjeant; l heard the officers
say he was worth keeping, and it would be
well to keep an eye upon him." ct don't
know his number" replied the master-at-
arms, {" but | saw him on the forecastle
just after the watch was mustered" So
soon as they were on the ladder | united
my bag and pocketed my purse. You
know, Harold, how soundly men sleep af-
ter been well trounced in gale, and got
both in and ~ses Of my hammock witho,It
question from my snoring neighbours. |
then mounted the forecastle again, and
made point of being seen by the SER
jeant; after which | skulked through the
portfolios under the main channels, as the
island lay astern. Having buttoned my
jacket tight round me, and tied the bottom
of my trowsers, l fastened ropes end,
which was hanging overheard from the
channels, "a thing almost unknown in the
frigate,) to the irons below, and slid with
out splash into the water; but when my
head was just above the surface, I found
my legs pressed, as itwere, against the bot
tom of the ship, and it was not till l let
60 the rope, and struck off little from
the side, that l was disentangled from
this effect.
scarcely breathed on the water, and
moved my arm and limbs as little as posi-
bic; but my heart beat within me as l
found myself floating with the tide past the
quarter of the ship. was beginning to
feel fresh vigour at observing myself dis
tancing the frigate, when ! heard the
hoarse voice of an old owl of qurter-
master say to the officer of the watch,
"There is something in the water astern
sir p The voice acted upon me like cleo
tricity, and l do believe | bounded two
thirds out of the water. "'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. Another and another ball
followed, but with less success. " Away
there, black cutters of the watch, away p
halloed the boatswain's mate but lucki-
ly for me, the boats had been secured for
sea, in consequence of which they took
more time in being cleared away, and l
was half way to the shore before | heard
the running cracking of the tackles and
the boat 60 splash into the water. The
noise seemed so near to me that looked
round, but saw nothing: soon, however, l
heard the rolling of the oars in the hull
locks, and my hopes began to fail me,
when sight of the fretting surf on the
rocks cheered and saved me from sinking
with depair. 1 piled every nerve, and in
few 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
boundary; and to person pursued as |
was. and in search of landing place,
mountains could not have been more
agonizing barrier. | at last perceived a