Literary cadet and Rhode-Island statesman. [volume] (Providence, R.I.) 1827-1829, 1828-04-02

they fell with crushing noise into
the bed Of the sea. At length all the
fury Of the tempest seemed gathered,
and again the lightning glanced along
the deck, and mingled with the wash
ing waves 80 that II was not casy to
say whether the water wa, no, light
ning, or the lightning the water, for
they appeared one. The crazy YES
sci now dipped down, ant now hcaycd
to this side, and now to the other, ike
"A toy in the hands of the mighty tenn
pest. The master gave command,
seeing that the sea broke with every
rush over the ship, that those who
feared the peril should 90 below; but
not one of the trembling throng stirred
from where they held by the ship
for all saw the worst, and none thought
it possible to escape from it. Blanca
clung in horror, 10 her husband, who
strove to comfort her, aud bid her
take heart. The old man covered
his gray head with the iolIings Of hi
cloak (; and, as he sat motionless and
wordless, seemed the very resignation
of despair"
The storm increasing, the vessel
was driven on the rocks; but again
loatcd off, without sinking. The
tragedy now :hickcns:
at was true that she had endured
but little hurt, and with the rccoiIing
rush Of the waves, was thrown ahoat
| again; but ere the master could leap
to the helm, to put her further out,
strong sea came driving before the
wind, which now blew as it would part
the poles, and again flung her, as if
she was no mighlier than a sea. shell,
upon the sharp rocks. She broke at
the blow like parted bread, the stcrn
half Of her hulk tumbing over into the
sea, while the head Of the vessel lay
rccling on the rock. Then the shrek
Of dismay and death went up from
men that were never more to call on
Heaven; for many of the crew were
crowded about the helm. aud when it
parted, went down with her, never
again to rise with life. The vencra-
bic Baptsta, Guido, his fair wife, and
my wretched self, still clung to the
chains at the bow; but not long held
we there, for strong wave came
mounting at our backs, and in mo-
ment we were hurled with the halved
vessel down from the wreck, into the
gaping abyssmal depth we had left in
the air. Again the fragment mounted
TO the surface, and we had all held to
each other and to the ropes which
were coiled round our bodies, save
the feeble Blanca, who had sunk out
of the grasp ofher husband, but being
entangled in the coil Of the ropes, was
not swept into the sea. We might
hear another wave coming with a
rushing roar towards US, as if it had
determined we should be its prcy;-
when Guido, seeing, with the caImncss
of courage, that, if we awaited it, our
escape was hopeless, cried out, Fa-
ther, take thou the care Of the Lady
Erminia, as ] will of thy daughter, and
let us at once leap beyond the reef in
to the sea, and struggle for the land"
And now shrink not as from the
scrpent-liend, TO hear me tell the sto.
ry Of that crime which has cursed me
here, and which may hereafter AT.
ter these words he again cried out
Blanca, my beloved, where art thou?'
The fatal love which had fed upon me
like flame upon living sacrifice
even in this awful hour burnt scnsibl,
in my hateful heart and, prompted
by that miserable passion, and the love
of him and Of Ilc, some Gcnd answer
r ed surely with my tongue, Heren an,
r he caught at me as desperate drown
er doth at a floating weed, and leap
; ing into the sea, cried to the old man
Follow me, father, follow me = Bu
he heard him not for | saw that h'
was dead, and had fallen on his swoon
. cd child, who, as we lcaped into th'
sea, shrickcd out, and audltorily in
formed me that she still lived, thousI
+, my struggling soul would fain have
: Quilted its conscience with the though
that she was dead, and so have pallia
ted to itself, if it failed afterwards t.
Guido and to Heaven, its damnabI'
, deceit. Guido heard not her cry, o
), if he did, took it, in the stunning tur
. bulencc Of the tempest's roar, 70
= mine. For a long time he buifctc,
! the waves with giants strength, an,