Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1838-11-29
From the Buffalo Commercial ef Tuesda,

THRILLING INCIDgNT-.Amonp the
perIIcus scenes o. the heavy gale which
caused such wide spread disaster to our lake
shipping, fortnight since, one has come 10
our knowledge eqnalllng in interest the most
| hghly wrought tale of fiction. In that fear
iul night, The steamboat Constitution, Capt.
II App!eby, was out amidst the terrors Of lin.
Il gale. By the gIimpses caught at intervals
II when the htlul storm for u moment brok,
away, the anxious and watchful commander
was made aware Of the critical situation o
his boat, which was rapidly drifting in-unde
The hurricane power ot the guile which blew
almost directly across the lake-toward +;
dangerous reel, from which escape would
have been impossible. lie went directly t.
the engineer, and ordered on "nore steam"
The reply OF the engineer was that there
was already as much on as the boilers would
safely bear.
Again did the captain seek the deck, to
see 1t his laborlng boat was making headway,
and again returned to the engine room. lie
explained TO the engineer their hazardous
situation, and told HIM that all hope was lost,
1t no more Roadway could be gained-but
lett tho engineer to act his discretion in the
crisis. a moment Of reflection, aud his de.
clson was made. Life or death hung OH the
issue. Certain destruction awaited the boat
aud her devoted crew, in few brefminntcs.
II she did not gain upon the driving Storm
TINS might be averted, if the boilers-al.
ready crowded to q fearful pressurc-coud
yet bear heavier strain, and ihat he deter
mined to TRY. True, the awful horrors of an
EXPLOSION were vividly before hm--the
lnangIcd limbs, the scorchcd and lfeless bod.
les, the death shrieks and the proans Of the
hapless victims, were before his eyes and on
his ear-the alternative was fearful one
yet it must be rcsorted TO.
lie cooIly directed the heads of two barrels
1f oil to be broken in, and the furnaces were
'apidly fed with wood dipped in the highly |
niammabIe liquid, while two men with ladies' \
lash"d the OIL INTO The flames The intense
leot which these conibuslibcs created. rene.
atcd steam with the rapidly of lightning.
ma soon the rcsls'lGss vapor forced up the Il
aicty valve, aud issued forth with trcmcn.
.ous violence. It's sharp Kissing heard above
he wild uproar Of the waters aud the storm /
With desperate and determined Courage.
y inch equalIcd tho most daring heroism that
he page OF history has ever recorded. the
engineer sat doTn uPon The terer Of tie Sattiy
'dipe, To conline and raise the steam to the i
'e@cSed'y power required 10 proper the boat
ganst the drifting wares! In this awiu! \
ltna,Ion he calmly remained, until the pro.
llglou' efforts Of the engine had forced the
Constitution sufficiently of shore to be be-
iond the threatened danger. Il
THIS ehtrepid act was not rash and vain
glorious attempt 10 gain the applause Of a
multitude by fool hardy exposure Of life, in
some racing excursion,-it was not the deed \
of a drunken aud reckless man, wickedly II
needles OF the safety OF those whose lives
were periiled-but 1t was the elf-posscssed
md determined courage of one whose firm.
ness IS worthy Of oil admiration. We give il Il
IS It was told to US, as one of those frequent
scenes OF real life, whose actual realities arc
indeed ''stranger than fiction" n