Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1838-12-06


Ted in the Buffalo Commercial Advertiser
as having occurred on Lake Erie, during
the Tremendous gale bich swept over
il about three weeks ago:
In that fearful night, the steam boa.
Constitution, Capt. Appieby, was out a.
midst The tertots OF the gale. BY the
sImpscs caught at intervals, when the
littul storm for a moment broke away.
The anxious and watchful commander
was made aware Of the critical situation
OF his boat, which WAS rapidly drifting
lin-under the hurricane power of Tie
gale. which blew almost directly across
the lake-toward a dangerous reef, from
which escape would have bcen impossi-
bic. He went directly to the engineer.
and ordered OH "mOie steam" The res
ply OF the engineer was. there was AREA
dy az much on as the boilers would safe.
" bear.
Again did the cantain seek the deck,
to See if his lahoring boat was making
Roadway, and again returned to the en-
CINE room. He explained to the epgi-
ncer their hazardous situation, and told
him that all hope was lost, if no more
Roadway could be gained, but left the
engineer 10 act his discretion in the cri.
sis. moment OF reflection, and his de-
cision was made.-Liie or death hung
on the issue. Certain destruction avail
ted the boat and her devoted crew, in "a
few brief minutes, if she did not gain up
on the driving storm This might be IA
verted, if the boilers-already crowded
to fearful prcssure-could yet bear
heavier strain. and that lie determined
TO TRY. True, the awful horrors of all
EXPLOSION were wildly before him
the mangled limbs, the scorched aud
lileless bodies, the death shrieks and
the groans of the hapless victims, were
be fore his eyes and on his ear-the al
tentative was fearful one, vet it must
be resoTted to-
He coolly directed the heads OF two
barrels Of oil to be broken in, and the
furnaces were rapidly fed with wood
dipped in the highly inflammable liquid,
while two men with ladies dashed the
oil into the flames. The intense heat
which these combsetibles created, gea>
eIated steam with the rapidi,y OF light
ning, and soon the resistless vapor forced
mp the safely valve. and issued forth
with tremendous violence, its sharp his
sing heard above the wild uproar OF the
waters and the storm. With desper
ate and determined courage, which, t.
qua'led the most daring heroism that the
page of history has ever recorded, the
engineer sal do,cn upon The ieuer Of The
safety ralve, TO coniine and raise the
steam to the necessary power required
to propel the boat against the drifting
waves I'm this awful situation he
calmly remained, until the prodigious
efforts of the engine had forced the Con
stituton sufficiently off shore to be be-
You'd the threatened danger.
This intrepid act was not a rash and
vaing ioTious attempt gain the applause
OF multitude by a fool hardy exposure
OF lille, in some racing,-it was not the
deed OF a drunken reckless man, wick
eddy needless of the safety of those
whose lives were periiled-but it was
the self possessed and determined comr.
age OF one whose Grmness is worthy of
all admiration. We give it as it was
told to US. as one Of those frequent scenes
OF real life. whose actual realities are in
deed stranger than fiction