The Arkansas banner., 1843-11-18

ten felt the deep degradation his abiect pover- ty had made him subject to- Here was a chance, terrible one, to be sure; if he fail ed, it would be death in the excitement of battle; If he succeeded, a double reward awaited him, magnificent fortune, and the preservation of the lives of thousand help less beings Upon emerging from the town, the road lay before him in almost straight llne for three miles, to the little village of the Casllda. From this point on clear day, the eye can embrace a view of two hundred miles of sea, from north to south, but now, the road upon which he was ploughing his way, was scarcely discemable twenty yards ahead. Onward he labored, occasionally, when the blast with uncommon fury swept across his path, seeking temporary shelter beneath the hedges formed by the prickly pear and wild pine apple-beneath whose interwoven branches clattered thousands of land crabs, on thelr way to the sea from the mountains An army of these creatures crossing his path; regardless of the countless uplifted hands from this strange multitude, he crashed through the array, kicking from his feet some half dozen, that had fastened on his legs with their long pincering claws.
 The sea was swollen far beyond it's natu- ral boundaries. The streets of the village were overflowed, and where, buta few hours before, the gay volante had whirled up the dust upon sand dy road, now were covered with boats adrift, floating logs, casks and merchandise of every description. Every minute markeda sensible increase of the pow CT of the wind :; occasionally, vast bodies of water were scooped up by the mighty hand of the tempest and crushed into vapor, or fell far from where they had been torn, in showers of brine. The foam of the sea float ed overhead like flakes of snow. The inces- sant roll of tropical thunder, Heavens heavi- est artillery, reverbated from the mountains base, and was mingled with the roar of the wind and surf which pealed upon the shores of the neighboring islands, occasionally fash ing up through the thick haze, pyramids of foam and spray.
 After wadlng and foundering through ponds of water, under the lee of large store, he encountered a fisherman by the name of An tonic, a hardy fellow, one of the best pilots of the port To him he immediately made known his intentions, and offered thou sand dollars If he would accompany him With his boat on board the slaver
 "Why, Senor," said Antonio, syou must be mad. We should be swamped for dead. certainty; and what good could we do, SUD- pose we reached her ?''
 "I'll make your fortunep' was the prompt reply. 'Does she still hold oin1??''E
 'sSi Senor''
 ''And how's the cruiser?''
 "Oh, tight enough-with four anchors out two chain cables. She'll founder at her anchors if this gale increases"
 "We can paddle under the lee of the man. grove bushes of the strip of land over the other side of the harbor, till we come to the Fort, then before the wind, you pulling, | bailing; in three minutes we can fetch the shaver, once on board, Fll show you we can save her.'
 Still Antonio doubted, wavered; al the elo- quence of argument, and stout assurances with scorn of danger, appeared not in the least to stagger his determination to decline the perilous adventure.
 ''Lend me your boat, then. By heaven Pll go alone; and when meet you to-mor- row, with five thousand doubloons in my chest, you'll curse yourself for not having had the courage to follow"
 "Stop one moment. How much say you?"
 At that instant crash of thunder made the earth tremble beneath their feet, accompanied by flash that pierced through the gloom, Illuminating every object with lurid glare, the foam flakes sailing through the air like myriads of floating brands of fire; at the same instant a transient glance was caught of the two vessels, reeling and plunging at their anchors,
 "Two thousand doubloons p' cried the in- domitable stranger, in voice clear as a trum- pet, every word distinctly heard by Antonio, above the roar of the elements.
 E'Agreed-come on 20 and they jumped into the boat, Antonio exclaiming at the same time ''Another such clap of thunder as that, and goodbye hurricane.'*
 After great difficulty, and the escape from many dreadful blasts, they succeeded in reaching the opposite shore; but the sea made a clear breach across the strip of land, and though broken by the mangrove bushes, yet the surge rolled over the harbor with terrible force. The boat was light, and pull ed by vigorous and skilful hands; in short time they reached the deserted fort, under the lee of which they rested for a few mo. ments, and braced their nerves for the great struggle; when they should be exposed to the full fury of the wind and waves, the frail bark being as yet protected by the land un- der which they had for an hour labored their perilous passage. Antonio ejaculated short prayer, and crossed himself very de- voutly some half dozen times, then seizing the oars, cried out
 ''IIere goes. We can't miss her. She lies dead to leeward of that reef"
 The boat shot forth from her cover, and was immediately whirled round by the wind, one of the oars escaping from his hand; it was caught in minute by bis companion, ere the -rower had time to utter the cry of terror the accident occasioned. The sea was like turbulent field of snow; the spray flew past them with terrible velocity-a single wave, ere 1t could lift its head on high, was cut off into foam, and mist and smoke; with the speed of an arrow shot from bow, did