Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1845-03-21

whisper, 'mind the magazine"
'Ay, ay, sir answered touching my hat
and leaping into the stern sheets, | continued
push off there, forward-and now give way with
will, boys. Pair
AT these words the men bent to their oars
with the thews of giants curling the waters in
foam beneath our bows, and sending the boats
along as if they had been pleasure skihs.
But swift as was our progress, that of the de-
stroying element was still more so. The fire had
spread with such frightfu rapidity as to wrap the
whole fore-part of the ship in flames, and threat
ened to consume her before we could arrive
Since it had found vent, it ragged with redoubed
fury, until the shrouds, the foremast the
bowsprit, the yards, everything was sheeted with
fire, which, whrling round and round ascended
spirally to the mast head, shooting its forky
tongues out on every hand, and streaming like a
meteor away up into the calm, blue sky. Mean
while, the flames had broken out from the after
hatch, and catching at once to the ratlins leap
ed from rope to rope, ran wildly up the rigging,
spread almost instantly to the huge lower sails,
Kissing, flashing, and roaring as they went, until
at length the whole ship seemed a mass of lurid
fire, and nothing was left untouched but the mar
row quarter deck, on which the now despairing
crew had gathered in crowds, some eagerly ell
deavoring to lower the only boat that had escap-
ed the flames some franticay crying out for
mercy, some cursing and disappearing awfully in
their agony, and some stretching out their hands
imploringly for help.
I mill
them miseraby burned to death before your eyes?
shouted, rising in the boat and waving my hat
to the sufferers, forgetting in the excitement of
the moment, the mminency of our own danger,
in case of an explosion. The poor wretehes on
the quarter of the burning ship answered back
with hysteric shout. Our gallant tars started,
like melted hounds, at the cry, and with a few
vigorous strokes we dashed up to the quarter.
keep her off, there l shouted, seeing that
we should be swamped by the eagernesss of the
sufferers to escape, keep her of-Jump over
board, and we'll pick you up as we fell off from
the quarter again; and, in less than three min
utes, the deck was bare, and our boats full ofthe
rescued crew.
Mr.. Danlorth, at this moment shouted Jack,
from the other boat ahead, there's a lady and her
father, they say here-still on board-Gor heav-
ems sake, let us try to save them
For one moment, as remembered my orders
and the extremity of our danger, paused; but
when 1 reflected that, by departing, we should
abandon two human beings to horrid death,
hestated no longer. Hastily learning from the
mate of the vessel that they were the only pas
sengers, and having taken refuge in the hold du-
ring the late chase, had since been forgotten
and not feeling warranted in ordering any one to
so dangerous service gave the boat in charge
to Irvine, who had, luckily, struggled himself on
board, sternly bid one or two of my crew, who
attempted to follow, to keep their stations, mount
ed her side by rope that hung over the quarter
rapidly traversed her deck in the midst of ire
mendous heat, and darted down the companion
way, leaving the flames roaring not five feet from
its entrance
The cabin was large one and fitted up witt
taste. The decorations were even luxurious, anC
such as | had, at that time, rarely seen in mer
chantmen. The state rooms were of mahogany
inlaid with ebony, and finished of with the great
est elegance. Curtains, apparently of damask
, hung around, and the show of silver and Gu
] glass by the companion-way was even brilliant
The cabin was, however, still as death. A lady
n glove lay on an ottoman and beside it was an ope
D book; but no other traces of a human bein
were discernable around Where could tn
: owner of that small, delicate French glove, be
l. Was she already a victim to the frightful element
had the mate deceived himself in supposin
e she had not been removed from the hold!-wa
: there no hope if she still lived, of reaching he
+ in time to save her from horrd death! A
these questions flashed rapidly across my mine
and my heart sickened as owned could nc
answer them The danger, meanwhile, grey
more and more imminent was standing, as
o were, above mine that had been sprung; fol
d should the flames reach the magazine, inevitt
l. bic destruction must ensuc.
v Nor could the catastrophe be much longe
j. postponed The deyouring element had alread
gained possession of all around, and, even now
S may be eating its way rayenousy towards it.
h Besides, if paused a moment longer, the fir
h would reach the companion-way, and all hope {
e escape from the cabin be cut off, Had it bee
only my own life that was endangered, / woul
d not have heSltated i'll periling it to the utmos
e when l remembered that dozen gallant fellow
e of my crew, as we'll as score of others frol
T. the rescued sufferers, would be involved in m
=. own fate, | could not doubt as to my duty
s. These reflections had not occupied more tina
the instant in which had been throwing ope
re- successfully the doors of the various state room
ID Alas! all were empty, With heavy heart I W;
So about to mount the companion-way, when l n
ticed that, at the further end, massive curta
rs seemed to divide off smaller cabin in the aft
I'd the one | was in. Without a moments delay,
ne rushed toward it, hastily lifted it aside, and the
d. beheld sight shall never forget.
~ This after cabin was much smaller, but
" more luxurious than the other. 1t was adornt
at with everything that taste could suggest, veal
in afford. Ottomans completely around it, formjl