Sentinel of the valley. [volume] (Woodstock, Va) 1841-1848, 1842-10-06

AMERICAN NAVAL OFFICER.
81 Ofthe .events of this peri
sd, my journal presents nothing to
stranscribe, except the loss OF the scaoo-
ner Ferret.
She was sailing along the Land, thfr.
ty or forty miles from Mltanzas, When,
;by sudden slslall, she WAS upset. A
number of the crew, eataagie.l b. the
rope; AMI nils, o. inclplb,e Of swim
minr, wee i'm naIiitely drowael. The
rem liade., VITA tae o-ii:erS clam5erel
10 the rail on the upper side, to which
.each oae cIulg with the ten lcity of en-
.daarerel lie. A soon as the sense OF
immediate danger was removed, we
looked wistfully to seward, ana along
the land in each direction, in the hope
of being rescued before night set IN
/ ar to the west, distinct in the broad
light of the descending sun, felucca
was again spreadin5 sail, which, wiser
than ourselves, she had folded to the
passing gust.
She was too distant to distinguish Ell
the wreck or the wretches who crawl
ed upon it, and we possessed no means
of attracting her attention. She was
standing in for the land, and as she re-
ceded from the sight, the least sangulne
.despaired, and the boldest became des-
pondent. But the fear of protracted
death was exchanged for the horrid APP
.prehensioa of one more dreadful and
more impending.
A young lad, once robust and cheer
ful, bat now feeble and dispirited from
a long and wasting sickness, unable
to retain his hold, rolled over into the
sea.
The black fins of a number Of sharks
before unseen. now cleaved the sur
face in various directions; and sudden
~ disappearing, slight crimson sufu
sion of the water told the next momen
that the work of.carnage had begun.
Their appetites whetted with tn
taste of blood, as the light faded away
the dusky bodies of these ravenous fsl
could BE- distinguished gliding alons
the surface of the dark and slumberin!
ocean. Their impotence increasing
with the advance of night, they circle'
nearer and nearer; and as we drew
ourselves up to the shortest span, W
could distinctly hear their deep and ON
nous breathing.
Notwithstanding the cheering exhor
tations ofour excellent commander, on
BY one through the night, the feebles
..or the least courageous, fell off.
Towards m oraing a bfeez. sprun.
mn. bringing with it a gentle swell. A
Iiding on the inhalation, the wreck &
s;mes sunk with the receding swell
and became for an instant submerged
the Survivors could only BY clamorou
. shouts deter the greedy moaste;s frol
rushing ii upon them.
af thus passed the night. With tn
,;oht Of day, the sharxs became MOI
cary 1 IN their approach, bat were neltE
j. IA numerous nor less vigllant.-
With the first streak Of light in the ea'
fern board, almost unconscious of ii
Zoos that surrounded US, we watcae,
IN deep anxiety, the progress OF ii
slow rising sun. We watched in val
far althoagl several vessels hove
sight, they were 50 far off, anl we
steering such courses, as to US der
III ho,e Of assistance from them.
Oar comnanler the determined {
os,s1re which he hll reserved +
t ! - last extremity. The small skill y
huag--orrathef IN the lnverle ! !. Pos ata
9TH, vessel, partly laid upon the ste
J o. ,ir This boat he determined
despatcI, to the shore, ison "aeae