The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1830-10-14


turn to the deck 10 oe laughed at for his
fruitless chase, he sat down in the royal
cross-trees; while those who had been at.
Iracted by the sport, returned to their usu.
alavocations a and amusements. The mon.
key, no longer tho object Of pursuit or at
tention, remaining but little while On the
yard arm; but soon taking up the cap, re-
turned it towards the sings and dropped
II down upon deck,
Some little piece Of duty occurred at
this moment to engage me, as soon as
which was performed, I walked eft, and
leaning my elbow on the tnhrel. was quick.
iy lost in the recollection Of scenes very
different from the small pantomine ! had
just been witnessing. Soo,hed by the low
hum Of the crew, and by the quiet lowell.
ness efevery thing around my thoughts had
travelled far away from the realities ofm
situation, when was suddenly startled by
q cry from black Jake. which brought me
on the instant, back to consciousness.
My God! Mssss Scupper." cried he,
"Massa Stay il on de mantruck."
cold shndder ran through my veins al
the word resched my ear. ! cost my eyes
up, it was too true.-Thc adventurous boy,
after resting on the royal cross trees, had
been seized with wish TO 20 still higher,
and impeiled by one Of those impulses BY
which men are sometimes instiyated 10
place themselves in situations of imminent
peril, without a possibility OF good rosnlt
ing from the exposure, hs had climbed the
skysail pole, and al the moment Of my look.
,slng up, was actually standing on tho main
Truck! a small circular piece of wood on
the very summit ofthe ioftiest mast, and
nj height so great from the deck that my
brain turned dizzy as | looked up TO him
The reverse Of VirgPs line was true in
This instance. IL vas comparatively easy
to ascend but to escend-- my head swan
round, and my stomach felt sick at the
thought ofiho perils comprised in that one
word There was nothing above or around
him bat the empty air--and beneath him,
nothing but point, mere point--a small,
unstable wheel. that seemed not bigger
from the deck than the button on the end
of foil, and the taper skysal pole itself
scarcely larger than the blade. Dreadful
temerty! If he should attempt to s,oop,
what coaid he take hold Of to steady his
descent? His feet quito covered up the
small and fearful platform that he stood up.
on, and beneath tina, long smooth, naked
spar, which seemed to bend with his weight,
was all that upheld him from destruction.
An attempt to get down from shat bad EN-.
iDence," would bo almost certain death; he
would inevitably lose his equilibrium, and
be precipitated TO the deck crushed and
shapeless mass. Such was the nature of
the thoughts that crowded through my
mind as raised my eye and saw tho terri.
rible truth of Jakc's exclamation. What
was to be doEe in the pressing and horri-
BILE exgency? To hail him, and infovm
him OF his danger. would be but 10 ensure
his ruin. Indeed | fancied that the rash
boy already perceived tho immnence Of
his peril and half thought that could
see hslimbs begin TO quiver, and his cheeks
turn deadly pale. Every moment expected
10 see the dreadful catastrophe. | could no,
beur to look at him, and yct could not with.
draw my gaze. A film came over my eyes,
and afantness over my heart. The atmos.
pherc seemed To grow thick. and to trem-
bio and wayer like tho heated air around a
furnace; the mast appeared to totter, and
the ship TO pass from under my feet
myself had the sensations of one about 10
fall from a great height; and making q
strong effort to recover myself like that of
a dreamer who fancies he is showed from
preciplee, staggered up against the bull
warks.
When my eyes were once turned from
tho dreadful object to which they had been
rivitto6, my sense and conse eiousness came
back TO me. I looked around me-tbe
deck was already crowded with people.
The intelligence of poor Bob's temcri,y
had spread through the ship like wild. fire
AS such news always wii--and the Off
GERS md crew were all crowding to the
deck to behold the appalling, the heart.
rcnding spectacle. Every one, as he look.
ed up, turned pale, and his eyes became
fastened in silence on tho truck--lik that
ofa spectator on the gallows--with a stead.
fast, unblnking and intense, yet abhor.
rent gaze, as if momently expecting a ia.
tai termination to the awful suspense. No
one made suggestfon--no spoke. Ey.
cry feeling, every faculty seemed to be alb
sorbed and swallowed up in one deep in
tense emotion Of agony. Once tho frs,
lieutenant seized the trumpet az If TO hail
poor Bob, but he had scarce raised il TO his
lips when his arm dropped again. and sunk
lis,lessly down beside him, as if from the
sad consciousness Of the utter inutirity of
what he had been going TO say. Every
soul in the ship was now on the spar deck
and every eye was turned 10 The main.
yuck.
AZ this moment there was a stir among
the crew about the gangway, aud directly
after another face was added TO those on
the quarter deck--it was ,ha, Of the com.
modore, Bob's father. He had come along
side in a shore boat, without being motto cd
by single eye, so intense and universal
was the interest that had fastened every
gaze on tho spot where poor Bob stood
trembling on the awful verge Of fate. The
commodore asked not q question, uttered
not syllable. lie was a dark faced. au.
stcre man, and it was thought by some OF
the midshipmen that he cnterta;noJ h,,, Il,