Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1843-11-24

1 sprung upon occk, anu tnefc saw the
captain, both the mates, and two sailors.
standing aft and looking into the wa,er
behind Us, moiionless and seemingl,
overwhelmed with distress, while from
the see in our wake came that awful
cry, still loud aud piercing though re
ceding fast, and TO every scream the
captain responded in tones OF anguish,
oh, poor boy! poor boy! poor uoyr-
With fear tul guess Of the nature OF
the accident, balled out,
what is it?' All the officers simuia-
neously answered me, The hoy is over.
board. This was indeed the horrid fact
Two sailors and the boy were occupied
in furling the jib, he innermost and in
the most secure place on the cup of the
bowsPrit--while they were Out beyond
him ON the b boom, when suddenly,
without any particular cause, he slipped
from the place he was bestriding and
fell into the sea, the first notice of his
fall being his cries as he rose in the
water. The mate was on the bows at
the time, experimenting the execution
OF the order, and as soon as he could
speak. after learning what had happen
ed, cried out, The boys overboai d.
Quick as light. both in thought and &C
ton, the captain sprung 10 The larboard
| rat where the mainbrace. an immensely
long line which hung in huge coil
on Delaying pin nearly abreast Of the
companion way, with the intention OF
throwing It over into the sea, when it
would have gone many fathoms behind
us, almost sure 10 have been grasped by
the poor boy, who in his agoniz ng and
almost supernatural efforts, was still
nearly keeping up with us, and had not
yet fallen astern. |: would have been
his last chance Of lile-but il failed him.
The deck was wet with the dashing
waves-the captains foot slipped, and
he fell into the lee scuppers with vio-
lence, stunned for a moment and severe
| ly bruised. When be rose to his feet.
the wretched sufferer was far asteru
beyond the reach Of any such aid.
Still the lost boys uEearthly scream
| -sThe bubbling cry
| or that strong swimmer In hIs agony"
was ringing with dreadful kslinctness
IN our ears, a: intervals half obscured
as he descended into the hollows OF the
mountainous sea, aud then peaiing out
again with redoubled power a the next
rolling wave lifted him TO Its feaminp
top for a moment. As 1 fingered, waits
ing for the sounds 10 cease, suffered al.
most the horrors Of death itself, in thu
counting each heart breaking degree oil
misery and aggravating despair which |
knew were coming ov.r him every mo-
ment, as he found the vessel Iecedinp,
his strength and heart failing, and his
appreciation oil certain death increasing
de was a native of Turks Island, in
the Bahamas, where he was brought up
on the sea sho. c, living half the time
IN the water throughout tho year, and
like his almost amphIbious countrymen.
swimming like a fish. have no doubt
that the wretched being swan for more
than an hour after Us, until al last the
awful certainty OF his terrible doom
came er hun. and there, alone amid
The pittIless waves ALONE, alone, in the
wide waters of the cold ocean, abandon
ed by man with no hope from heaven or
earth,
He sunk into the depths with a bubbine aroan
Without grave, unknelled, uneoBned and ua known
The night was perfectly dark-so that
he was moi once 10 be seen after he fell.
We could not see so far as the breadth
Of the vessel. A drenching rain com.
ing on at The same moment, added 10
the confusion Of the furious gust that
was already bowling through our riu
glng, and laying the vessel almost on
her side,-the tops Of the waves beinp
swept by the wind into sheets of SPRAY
and raising their voices as if in triumph
over their helpless victim But over all
yet sounded that despiring death cry,
shrili, though fainter-telling US that
still he struggled against PROLONGED
though certain destruction. We flew
IN our gloomy way before the blast. and
there were dark and hardened faces
among US wet with something else than
rain and spray
Oar small boat was hauled up astern
and dashed with many fasteninos.
that would have much delayed an al.
tempt TO save him in a calm sea in broad
day light. IL would have required four
men 10 row the boat, and one To STEER
her IN the proper direction. This would
have taken every man from US exceDt
captain and cook, if every circumstances
had favored US. An accident would have
totally unnamed US. The boat itself,
u lowered, would have struck the sea
'broadside on which with our velocity
would have swamped her, and torn her
IN pieces. Oar long boat was out Of the
question OF course, being slowed bottom
upwards, on deck between the Gasts, re.
curing our whole force for half day
when IN port, 20 ct her into the water.
that day, according to custom, the