American Republican and Baltimore daily clipper. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1844-1846, 1845-03-10

roll for all Then, if he died in youths bios
som time, with the pencllings OF beauty IN his
face, and the lines of grace in his manly form,
even as he died. unaltered, in the freshness OF
life's spring, will he arise from his deep blue
quiet grave, to meet the countless crowds who
come from their dusty, mould-curtained sepul-
chIes of earth. Yes! even as he died; in youths
uncounted hours, or in the slow ly-measured
time of age, so will he rise at the last gather
ing. Wonder not then, reader, that believing
all this, should pray for an ocean death and
burial. But all this is foreign to the race of
which am about to spin my yarn.
On sucl, night, over such sea, lighted up
with the phosphorescent flame, such as have
described i'll my commencement, we were sail
ing in the soop of war Boston, in the latter part
of September, 1889. had the FIRST watch"
on deck, and was pacing up and down counting
my own footsteps, and thinking of Mrs. Bunt-
line, that was TO be, when the lookout on the
starboard nlght-head sung out, "Sail no. Close
aboard, sir, on the weather bow"
| raised my nght-gl lass, and at once discover
ed the stranger. She was corvette, like our
selves, and had apparently hove to. right in our
track, for the purpose of speaking to us. In a
moment after we had discovered her, our main
top-sai was hove aback, and coming up in the
wind, we found ourselves within hail. But an
instant elapsed, when full clear voice sang
out through trumpet from the stranger:
"Sail ahoy! What ship is that? Where is
she bound to, and where from2''
Our captain, who had hurried ON deck, enve-
loped in his storm Jacket and sou 'wcster, selz-
ed the trumpet and answered:
"The u States sloop of war Boston, Capt. B..
Rabbit; from cruise to wndward; bound to
leeward. Who are you? where from? and where
bound to-"
"This is Her Britannia Maiesty's sloop ofwar
Nimrod, Lord Paget, commander; Rear Admi-
raj Doug lass passenger; bound to Vera Cruz
Will you keep company Ours is the fastest
sloop in the English navy; we have never been
beaten in sailing"
"Then, by the bloody Turks! rH try you'"
said our old captain, who knew his ship better
to test the truth of the Englishmap's boast.
AS we squared away before the wind the Eng
lish officer again hailed our captain, and asked
his opinion of the weather, stating at the same
time that his barometer was falling.
81 never trust them bloody things in this Ia
titude," said Babbitt 81 keep good lookout,
and leave the rest to luck: but we shall have a
cap-tull before we reach the blue part Of the
Gulf"
"Well, sir, crack on; we'll let the people at
Vera Cruz know that you are coming. Be sure
to come and dine with US on fresh grub when
you get in" said our English friend.
"Certainly, if you should get in first" said
the old man; shut friend Johnny, look out for
'ioicy lcarcy,' as the land sharks call it. Aloft
there, topmen! shake out the reefs in the top
sails; loose to '-gallant sails and royals; rig out
the studdng-sail boons, and pile on the rags.
Two quarter masters at the helm; all hands on
deck to trim ship; tell the masters mate TO
heave the log!''
The old skipper was in earnest and our spars
bending and Our hull creakng, as we leaped
through the water, soon told what we were do
ing. The masters mate reported eleven knots,
and then the shippers eye began to lower.
"Run aft the two forard guns; start ten of
those water tanks, and set the ring-tal!'' shout
cd he.
1t was done, and the log was again hove
She ran thrteen-four, and was evidently doing
herself justice. The Ninrod, in Tie first start
off, had gained slowly, but now we gradually
closed up, and finally passed her, while her full
band played BRITANNIA rule the Water" and
drum and fife answered with "Yankee Doc
de-"
The wind was freshening, and both crafts
were dragging fearful press of sail, which,
with the heavy ground swell, made US pitch
and jump like dying whales. The night was
not entirely clear the sky being filled with light
feecy clouds, some of which, as they passed
over the face of the moon, would throw dark
shades upon the water, hiding the English ship
completely from view, When the clouds clear
ed away she would again appear close in our
wake, her tall spars bending like reeds before
the gale, her dark hull rising and falling on the
foam covered waves, now lifting as if to touch
the sky, again sinking out of sight in the trough
between the huge rollers. Thus, during the
night, we drove mady on, heading out for the
Gulf stream, on our course for Vera Cruz. In
the course of three or four hours sailing we
completely lost sight of the EngIshman, he be-
ing left far in our wake, IN spite OF his prema-
ture boast. The Boston was one of the last
war models and much faster than she looked
to be.
When my watch hour was out, the excite
ment of the race caused me to stay on deck,
instead Of seeking my birth, and | carelessly
threw my sea cloak around me after we had
lost sight of the corvette, and cast myself down
on the iorecastle. 1t lacked probably about an
hour of daylight, and was half asleep when
my ear caught a sound like the distant rushing
OF a mighty storm. listened an instant, start
ed to my feet, and looked around and aloft, but
saw nothing; but the noise increased, and then
great heaven!-I saw it all. We were bear
ing down under full sail, with speed like the
wind, upon boiling breakers!
"Hard down the helm! tack sheets and bra
ces stand by to shorten sail !" shouted with
voice that rang like thunder through the ship
The hemsman obeyed; the ship came up in
the wind, but the seamcn were not quick e.
nough at The braces; we were thrown flat back
The strain upon the lighter spars was immense
studdng-sai booms, royal and top-galant
masts with their sails, went by the board, and
lampered up with broken spars and tangled
rigging, we lay broadside to the sea, as helpless
as log upon the water.
Daylight began to pale the east, and fully
showed the horrors of our situation. We were