Maumee express. [volume] (Maumee City, Ohio) 1837-1838, 1837-04-08

flames, ] do not believe that he would
have turned from his course.
The crew, in this condition Of things.
had nothing TO do but tolament the mas
ter's cruelty, and submit to it. They
watched the fiery mass conscious that a
large company of their brethren was
perishihg within their sight, who, by
their efforts, might probablybe saved
1t was not for several hours that the
captain appeared again upon the deck,
and from his appearance then, | imagine
that the conflict during his solitudemust
have been severe and trying. stood
near him as he came up. His face had
rigid yet anxious look; the countenance
of a man who braved, yet fearedksome
shock. His back was turned to the
quarter from which we came, and in that
position he addressed to me calmly some
Indifferent observations. ,WMte the
conversation went on, he cast frequent
and hurried glances to the south and
east till his eyes had swept The whole
horizon, andhe had satisfied himself that
the ship was no longer in view he then
turned fully round, and with ap affected
gaiety, but real uneasness which was
apparent in the random character of his
remarks, drew out his glass, and having,
by long and scrutinizing examination
satisfied his fears, at length recovered
his composure.a
When we reached our destination, /
found ship preparing to sail for Flor
ence, and took my passage, leaving
the captain to dispose of his cargo at
his pleasure. About eight months after
this, when | had almost forgotten the oc-
currence, Twas sitting in the private
parlor of a London Hotel, when a let
ter was put into my hands from Captain
S. y 1t stated that the writer who was
in the city, had heard of my arrival, and
would esteem it very great kindness if
| would visit him at my earliest leisure !;
my coming would be of the utmost i'm
portance to himself and others; his SER
want, it added, waited 10 show me the
way. Immediately set out to comply
with the request.
Upon entering the room, was shock
ed at the change which had taken place
in his appearance. He was thin, pale
and haggard, with a widness of eye that
almost indicated that his reason was un-
settled. He testified much joy at seeing
me, and desiring me to be seated, began
his communication.
Il have taken the liberty said he 'of
desiring your company at this time, be-
cause you are the only person in Lon
don to whom | can venture to make ap-
plication; and am going to lay upon
a commission, to which | am sure you
will not object. The circumstances Of
your voyage to MarseiIles will occur to
your mind without my repeating them.
| sold my cargo upon the most advanta-
geous terms; and was rendered at once
a rich man. The possession of wealth
was new to, me, and its enjoyment ad-
ded, in my case, to its usual gratifca-
ton, the charm of novelty. In the cap
ital of Paris spent many weeks Of the
highest pleasure, until one day on enter
ing CAFE took up gazette, and my
eyes fell upon an account Of an awful
burning OF H. B. M. ship -. The
announcement fell upon me like the bolt
of heaven. My heart beat and my
frame shivered; but | read every word
of the article. The vessel which | pas.
sed the day before had seen the light from
great distance and Immediately put
back to render assistance, but arrived too
late to rescue more than two ofthe crew.
The reported that vessel passed to the
north of them within half anhour's sail,
but paid no regard to the repeated sig
nails upon the commander of that ship,
the article concluded, must rest the loss
of two hundred persons.
My peace of mind was gone forever.
My ingenuity could devise no sophistry
which suggested comfort. Wherever |
went that day, | was haunted by re-
morse. | retired to bed that might
forget in sleep the tortures Of the day Il
but terrific dreamabrought before my
mind the whole sceneof the confagra-
ton, with the roar 81 The signal guns
| awoke with horror. Thrice on the
same night did | compose myself to sleep
and thrice was | awakenedby the repe-
titon of the dream For many hours
on the succeeding day my spirits were
shockingly depressed, but the gay COM
pany which | frequented gradually re-
stored me to serenity, and by night |
was tolcrably composed. But the eve
ming again brought terror; the same
vision rushed upon my mind and racked
it TO agony. whenever fell into slum.