The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1845-10-03

broad track of foam behind her, the
Jersey stood westward, and held on
her course, for the town of Erie. II
was a bright blue day, and, as hour
= after hour went by, some mingled in
the busy conversation of politics
some set apart and calculated the
J gains Of the shop or the counting
| house some were wrapped up in
; the book with which they were en-
gagged, and, one or two, with whom
time seemed to hang heavily, com
posed themselves to sleep. In short,
one or all, were like men who
thought that, let danger come to them
when it might, at least it would not
be that day.
1t drew towards four in the after
noon, and the steamer which had
hitherto been keeping the middle of
the lake, stood southwards-Erie.
the place to which it was bound.
lying on the southern side. Old
John Maynard was at the wheel-a
bluff, weather beaten sailor, tanned
by many a wintry tempest,-Iie had
truly learnt to be contcnted with
his situation none could ever say
that they ever heard him repine at
his hard labor and scanty pay. He
had in the worst times, a cheerful
I word and kind look for those with
whom he was thrown-cast, often
enough, into bad company, he tried
at last, and generally succeeded, to
say something for its good. He was
known from one end of lake Erie to
the other, by the name of honest
John Maynard and the secret Of
his honesty to his ncighbors was
his love of God.
The land was abou ten miles off,
when the captain, coming up from
his cabin, cried out to a sailor
"Dick Fletcher, what's all that
smoke | see coming out from the
hold ?"
dts from the engine room, |
guess" said the man.
"Down with you then, and let me
know"
The sailor began descending the
ladder by which you go to the hold /;
but scarcely had he disappeared be-
meath the deck, when up he came
again with much greater speed.
"The holds on fire, sir" he said
to the captain, who, by this time,
was standing close to him.
The captain rushed down and
found the account too true. Some
sparks had fallen on a bundle of
tow; no one had seen the accident,
and now, not only much of the lug
gage, but the sides of the vessel
were smouldcring in flames.
All hands, passengers as well as
sailors, were called together; and
two lines being made, one on each
side of the hold, buckets of water
were passed and rcpassed f.; they
were filled from the lake, they flew
along line of ready hands, were
dashed Kissing on the burning mass,
and then passed on the other side to
be rcflled. For some minutes it
seemed as if the flames were sub
ducd.
In the meantime the women on
board were clustering round John
Maynard, the only man unemployed,
who was capable of answering their
questions. GLOW far is it to land ?"
elbow long shall We be getting imp"
"Is it very deep ?" "Can they see
us from shore ?' The helmsman
answered as well as he could.-I
There was no boat; it had been left
at Buffalo to be mended they might
be seven miles from shore, they
would probably be in, in forty min
utes; he could not tell how far the
fire had reached. "And to speak
the TRUTH" he added, eve are all in
great danger, and | think if there
was a little less talking and a little
more praying, it would be better
for us, and none the worse for the
boat ?"
elbows her head ?'' shouted the
captain.
"Wcst-sou-wcst, sir" answered
Maynard.
"Keep her south by wcst,n cried
the captain. eve must go on shore
anywhere"
1t happened that draft of wind
drove back the flames, which soon
began to blaze up more furiously
against the saloon; the partition be-
twiXt it and the hold was soon on
fire. Then long wreaths of smoke |
began to find way through the sky
lights, and the captain seeing this,
ordered all the women forward. |
The engineer put on his utmost
steem-the American flag was run
up, and reversed, in token of dis
tress, water was flung over the
sails to make them hold wind. And
still John Maynard stood by the
wheel, though now he was ont off |