Virginia free press & farmers' repository. [volume] (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1827-1832, 1830-08-04

fired my musket when the crow that
had seen rose from the boat into the
air, but Immediately slighted again, "a
our astoaishnent. vulture-like, with
outstretched wings, upon the head.
Under the shadow of this horrible
plume, the face seemed on the ins,an,
to alter like hideoas change in a
dream. Ii appeared to become Of q
death-like paleness, and anon streak ed
with blood. Another stroke Of the oar
the chin had fallen down. and the
tongue was falling out. Another pull
the eyes were gone. and from their
sockets, brains and blood were fer.
menting, and flowing down the cheeks.
IL was the face Of putrefying corpse.
In this floating coffin, we found the DO
ny Of another sailor. doubled across
one OF the thwarts, with q long Spanish
knife sticking between his ribs, as II
he had died in some mortal s,rugv,.
or. what was equally probable, had
put an end TO himself in his FRENZY;
whilst alsng the bottom Of the boat.
arranged with some show Of care. and
covered by q piece Of canvass stretch.
ed across an oar above il, Law the re.
mains Of beautiful boy, about four
teen years Of age. apparently but fe ~
hours dead. Some biscuit, a roll of
jerked beef. and an earthen water-iar.
lay beside him. showing that hunger az
least could have had no share in his
destruction-Juf the pipkin ras drv,
and the small rdter cask in the Gor uas
stared and empty.
We had no sooner cast our graphing
over the bow, and begun to tow the
boat to the ship, than the. abominable
bird that we had scared settled, down
into it again. notwithstanding our prox.
unity, and began to peck at the face OF
the dead boy. At this instant, we
heard gibbering noise. and saw some
thing like bundle Of old rags roll out
from beneath the stern-sheet. and on.
parent'y make a fruitless attempt 70
drive the gsliinaso from its prey. Hea.
ven and earth. what an object met our
eyes. II was full-grown man. but
so wasted. that one of the boys lifted
him by his belt and with one hand. -
His knees were drawn up to his chin,
his hands were like the taIons of a
bird, while the fallins.in Of his choco
late-coloured and withered features
gave an unhealthy relief TO his fore
head, over which the horny and trans
parent skin was braced SO tightly tina,
1t seemed ready to crack. But in the
midst OF this dcsolation. his deep set
cOal-black eyes sparkied like two dia
monds with the fever of his suiIerinss;
there was fearful fascination in ,heir
flashing brightness, contrasted with the
death-like aspect Of the face aud ri.
gidity of the frame. When sensible
OF aur presence, he tried to speak. but
coald only utter low moaning sound.
At length--"Agua, agua!''--we had
not drop Of water in the boat. "El
muchacho esta moricndo de sed--
aqua"
We got on board. and the surgeon
gave the poor fellow some weak tepid
grog. IL acted like magic. He yra
dually uncoiled himself; his voice,
from being weak and husky. became
comparatively clear. Gel Hijo-A-
qua para mi pedrillo--No lie bace para
mi--Oh, la noche pasada. la noche pa
sada" lie was told to compose him.
self, and that his boy would be taken
caro- Of. Dexa me vcrle entonces.
oh DIos, dexa me verlc"--and he
crawled grovelling on his chest. like q
crushed worm ncross the deck, until he
got his head over the port.silI, and
looked down into the boat. lie there
beheld the pale face Of his dead son
Il was the last object he ever saw
cay de NIL" he groaned heavily, and
dropped his face against the ship.
side--he was dead.
IIlsckWood's Magazine.