Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1841-06-19

forces him TO hesitate whether he ought
to risk so fearfully the valuable lives
of seven men for the doubtful preserva>
ton of one person. His duty almost
torbids il
The hesitation was but momentary:
the rising of the steamer on the top of
the next wave, satisfied the captain
that there was another human being
yet alive on board the wreck, and he
ordered the gangway to be cleared,
and the life boat lowered. With what
noble rivalry did the sailors press to-
wards the weather side of the ship in
their desire TO be selected to man the
Life Boat. The boat was manned the
second officer of the ship Jumped on
board, and with practiced skill she was
lowered into the water and cleared in
safety. We were about two miles dis
tant from the wreck. The wind was
still blowing, the sea raging, and the |
storm but slightly abated. Not yard |
of canvass was TO be seen, except one
double reeted topsail, required to steady |
the enormous steamer. The steam IT. |
self was suffered TO escape, from time
to time, as we moved round the wreck
ed vessel, keeping at about the same
distance. As the small boat gradually
moved onward toward the destined OBJ
ect, by the powerful eXertions of the
sinewy sailors, plying with might and
main at their oars, it was lost ever and
anon from the sight of the solcitouS pas
sengerS, as the waves rose and fell. 1t
was painful to behold the anxiety with
which those on board watched the Life
Boat struggling on. The whole soul of
each individual seemed to be wrapt up
in the safety of the risked crew, as he
leant over the side of the ship and fol-
lowed with strained eye, their move
ments. Intensity of pent-up feeling was
marked on the countenance of all: a
dead silence prevailed, and there was
not one amongst that assemblage of
passengers, whose feelings were not
pure and holy, during the dreadful time
of uncertainty from the lowering of the
Life Boat to its safe arrival within reach
of the wreck, and whose prayers were
not silently offered up for the safe and
successful return of our bold mariners.
By dint of eXertion the wreck is made,
and then came, as was afterwards
learned, the most difficult part of the du-
ty. The poor, unfortunate wrctcheS
on the wreck, excited into eXertion by
the returning hope of safety, passed to-
wards the side in which the Life Boat
was coming, and prepared by one dcs-
: perate and last effort of remaining
; strength, TO jump, in body, on board.
, TO avoid this, which would have inevi-
, tably capsized the Life Boat, the ships
officer was obliged TO pass under the
. lee-bow and forbid them through his
9 trumpet, from attempting any such rash
}. movement, under pain of being left to
!. their fate. One by one they were re-
= ceved on the boat; to us, on the stea,
: mer, it was the work of an instant, and
e we saw her leaving the wreck behind
g nearing the steamer. She approached
h and we began TO distinguish the mer
a on board. Five minutes more, and the
If stifled feelings of an hours most intenS,
n anxiety, burst forth in one loud and II
It niverSal shout of JOY, as five thin, cma
o ciated and strengthless men were safe
1t " placed on the ships deck. One O
ID them younger than the rest, the onl
f. one whose strength was not completed
h exhausted, unwilling TO wait for tn
m lowering of the steps, and too impatler
L. of once more gaining comparative safe
y ", climbed up the side of the ship. Ii
1t, too was the first 10 Jump on board tn
I'd Life Boat, and the first who left th
ed steamer at New York. They weT
tn carried on the backs of some of our sa
he lors into the forward cabin, and col
el, signed TO the care of the ships docto
of We once more took up our course, al
MS stcered for the shores Of America.
CT When the men had sufficiently rec
IHc pu vered to be able to converse, they r.
:" ported themselves to be the captain al
p four of the crew of the brig Margart
vi of eth. bound from New Brunswi'
'"i To Scotland, and laden with lumbe
~ ~ They had been lashed TO the rigging t
~, fifty-two hours, without food witho
~ raiment, and almost without hoppe
,ho posed to every wave that broke ov
10 the lost bulwarks, and raging from I
Dor unquenched thirst that parched ih,
deeply iurrowed tongues. -Four OF
, in crew had been drowned when the b
may was thrown on her beam ends, by
tie Of wave that caused her wrecking. Th,
unfortunate men added, that two V,