The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1844-11-23
From ne .Ntso York Msreu5v
A THRILLING INCIDENT.

we laying becsiuled near The equator, m the
parlsnce o. the castle the "horse latitude" Heavy
clouds, surchargeo with rain, we're hanging down,
and apparently almost touching the ships mas-heads
the night dark and long souihery swell made
the old ship tumble about much more than was
agreeable 10 either passengers or crew. The pale
blue compassant itllng from spar TO spar, Or ia
the beautiful language Of faleoner-
"High on the mas,s, with pale and livid rays
Amid the gloom porlcnlous meieors blaze
ma King the darkness still more impene trable.
Six bells of the first watch had been struck, and
now the rain began 10 fall, 10 the way that il only
does between the tropics; loud peals of thunder
broke heads and the lightning flashed around
US, Illuminating the ship fore and alt
"The ethereal dome in mournful pomp arrayed
Now buried lies beneath imperious shade
Now flashing round ntolerable light,
Redoubles all the terrors OF the night"
Al this time the danger from the electric fluid was
great that the first mate ordered all the watch I'M
der the shelter OF the poop, so as TO be less exposed
TO danger, and al the time ready III of an
cldent and on account 10 go forward near the
anchor, TO stand IN the way OF the chain lopsal
sheets. We had thus remained IN a close body uu-
I'll near midnight, the thunder and lightning becom.
ing more and more terrific, quailing the hearts of tho
stoutest men board, when To- the ships bell ON
the forecaste gave one loud peal.
a. Who is that at the bell 7? cried the mate
No answer. "Dong, dong"
Forward there, what do mean by tolling that
bell?
| All was silent for moment, and then anoherto
louder than before. "Go some Of you, and see who
is tolling the bell !" but no one seemed inclined to
obey the order. ''Why don't you move ~ he said
again. f" are you afraid to go"' "Let HIM go him.
SELF" said old tar, he is better paid for IT than
we are"
| The party were huddled together like flock Of
sheep, probably thinking there was safety in mum
ber "What can il be 7 said one. sold Dayy Jont,
will have somebody in his locker before long" SAID
another. cay boys; this comes of letting The pas
sengers shoot the Mother Carey's chickens y sad a
third. Its Bill Youngs ghost,") alludng to
youngster who had died few days before whisper
ed young lad who stood trembling by my side che
was always fond of striking bell"
| The excitement was now great that the bodesl
heart seemed struck with terror; and men who had
braved every danger fibe Tor years appa-
renty paray zed and nerveless. Peal after peal of
thunder broke above heads, the lightning flashed
and Kissed around US, the rain poured down if Sc,
cond deluge was coming, and every moment ex
peced the elecrict fluid would strike the ship and
wrap her in a sheet of fame At intervals went the
bell-dong-d -dong--naking the scene more
appalling.
For few minutes there cessation of the
rolling thunder, and the mate thought this good op.
portunity of discovering the unknown belI-rlnger
Advancing few PAGES, he said, 50 Come men, we
will go in body, and find out who is amusing HIM
self with the bell" So saying, he led the way and
we all followed rather closely packed and great IN
clnatOn for each to be the last. In this way we
had reached the main deck, when one Of the most
intense and whitening fashes--no, not a aash-but
stream of lightning sealed up our eyes, and was fol-
lowed by volley of thunder which broke directly
over our heads, shaking the ship TO her very keeso
AS soon as we recovered from the shock, rush was
made for the quarter deck and there stood breath
less and horror-stri -dong-dong-d ong-dong
"Ah hear that, sir ~ said of the men IFS no
use tempting God and Bill Youngs ghost. A shark
was along side this evening, which BODIES no good
and some poor fellow will have to leave the key of
his chest with his mess-mate before long
A breeze of wind at this moment taking the ship
aback, the order was given TO haul the mansail up
preparatory to bracing the yards round Now, al
though sailors have great dislike TO encounter any
thing IN the shape OF ghosts invisible beI-rlngers,
&c, they never think Of disobeying an order when
they know il is for some necessary duty. Away
started The whole party, the clew garnets
through the windass holes, q must speak lechni.
aly)-dong -dong-dong-the ropes were grasped,
Out Just as The word was gwen to haul up, BURT ot
thunder louder than the of ten thousand heavy
artillery, rent the air, simultaneously with a most
vivid Hash OF lightning and every prostraed
on the deck; how long lay there stunned and blind
ed, know not but on recovering my feet, began
feel around me, when my hands came in contact
with rope-yarn stretched fore and aft from the
cook-house to the foremost and as pulled it, The
bell began again such succession Of sounds that
completely a-tonished but by tracing along tho
yarn, found one end fast TO the tongue of the bell
Jenny McD-, who was snugly seated in the
cooks coal bucket, taking a comfortable snooze IN
the galley. 1t being his turn TO strike the hours
during The watch, he had adopted this method to
shelter himself from the storm, and loose rope
swinging across the deck with the rolling of the ship
caused all the alarm. Master Jenny only escaped
tasting the virtue Of ropes end, by pleading uncon-
seriousness OF the storm above and around him How
he could have slept under such circumstance always
remained mystery. When daylight came We
The al. nunh .l.l -
mast shlvered by lightning nothing but the torrents
oil ram which fell during the night, saved the ship
aud all on board from certain destruction.
"CoMSG IN WALEs-Miss Bcale, in an interest
ing sketch of South Wales, gives the following ex-
PLANTATION o! the uses of the word coming -;
The word coming in Wales, like settling in
America, IS one oil universal acceptaton il ap-
pied 10 h''y different ways, and does not alone
the action OF moving from place TO place for YOU
may be coming without even the intention of motion
The butter comes in some parts of England when Il
IS beginning TO form from the cream; bul-in Wales
not only butter and cheese, but every other inanr
mate OBJECT, comes. IL you speak to Of the
state oil ms crops his trees, his garden, he will tell
you at once that they are coming. The frost hos
nipped some OF his csbbagcs they're coming again
famous now, or the potatoes are coming fine at
'he 1eks are coming beautiful Cows pigs, duck,
geese, and chickens all come IL they thrive at o and
as 10 men, women and children they are forever com
ing Praise boy for his good writing and he tels you
WIN pleased smile, OH yes, ! think IT II oout
whilst father says that his child is coming capital at
book The consolation in cases of illness Is always
never you mind he'll yet; and when you are
creeping from one room to another for the first time
alter long and severe ndispositIon you told tha
you are coming beautiful though your legs scarcely
support you, from weakness II you venture a ~.
mark ufon some wrctohed little sickly infant you
answered by yes sure, he's coming nice now -
Cripples and bed-rddeD persons never cease coming
and, m short, every person aud thing in Wales eop
excepting The waters at inns, who come when
they called"