The New era. [volume] ([Portsmouth, Va.]) 1845-1847, 1845-09-27

pest. He had truly learned to be- contep, Win his
situation; nUne could ever say that they had he, ri
him repine at his hard labor and scanty nav "a.
had. in the worst time, cheerful word and n kinI
link for those with whom he was thrown cast
often enough into bad company. no tried. al least
and generally succeeded in doing something for its
good. He was known from one end of Lake Erie
To the other. by the name Of honest John Nav
nard; and the secret of his honesty to his neigh
| bors was his love of God
Inc land was about ten miles off, when H. @
captain cunning up from his cabin cried 10 sailor.
Dick Fletcher, what's all tina, smoke see com
ing out from the hoid {?
IT'S from the engine room, sir, guess said
the man. - -
Dawn with you. then. and let me know,
The sailor began descending the ladder be
! which von go TO the hold hut scarcely had ha
disappeared beneath the deck, when he came nm
I with much greater speed
The h"ld's on fire. SIR said he to the captain.
who was by this time standing close to him.
The captain rushed down, and found the ac-
| count too true. Sumo sparks had fallen I'm a hmm.
die at tow-no one had seen the accident-and
now not only much Of the luggage, but the sides
o' the vessel were in smouldering flame
All hands. passengers we'll as sailors. wers
called together, and two lines being made, one ON
| each side of the hold. buckets were passed and re-
passed they were filled from the lake, and few
along line of ready hands were dashed Kissing
on the burning mass, and then passed ON To the
o'her sde !" De rehIled For soIne few moments
| it seemed as it the flames were subdued
In the meantime the women ON hoard we've cI,s-
'er'ng round John Maynard the only man unem.
played "ho was capable of answering their oues
| tons How far is it to land p How lonp shall,
we he getting in 2 : Is it very d~ep2' Ia ,ber.
nc. no boat Can they see from the shore 2,
The helmsnan answered as well as he could
lAF xI,o< h,ot Il
ne mended they might be- seven miles from the
shore; they would probably be in in 40 minutes
ne Gould not tell how far the fire had reached
But, 10 speak the truth he added. we are Al,
In great danger; and think If there were less
tathfhg ana little more praying, il would be-
''e 'e, 'nf u.s. and n"ne the for the boat .
flaws her head = shouted the captain.
West sou west answered MAYNARD
Keep her SOU and by west cried the can,ain
we must 90 ashore anvwhere'
II happened that draft of wind drove back the
f1dmes. which soou began TO blaze On more f,-
ri"usiy against the saIon and the partition he
WIKI u and the hold was soon on fire Then
long wreaths Of smoke began to find their way
through the skyfght; and the captain seeing this.
ordered all the women forward The engineer
put on MS utmost steam; the American flag was
run np' and reversed in token Of distress: water
was hung over the sails. tn make them hold the
wind. And still John Maynard stood bv the
wheel thongh now he was cut off by sheet of
smoke and flame. frnm the ships crew.
Greater and greater grew the heat the enpi
neers Ned from the engine rUnm; the PASSENGERS
were clustering round the vessels brow the sail.
ors were saving plank which to lash the wa
men 'he odest were throwing off their coats and
waistc"a's, and preparing for on long struoole for
lille. And still The coast grew palmer and main
ef; inc paddles, as yet. worked well they could
not ne more than mile from the shore; and the
o"ats were even now starting to their assistance
John Maynard cried the captain.
Aye. aye. sir! said John.
Could you hold out FIVE minutes lonoer2'
III try, sir.
And he did try; the flames came ne,,e, and
nearer sheet of smoke would sometimes sioaoa,
sulf"cates him; his hair was singed his blond
seemed on hire with the great heat Croucbioo
as TAR back as he could, he held the wheel 6rml9
WIN ma lett hand. till the flesh shriyeIled and
the muscle cracked in the fame and then he
stretched forth his right. and bore the agony with.
out scream or groan. II was enough for him
'ha' ne heard The cheers Of the sailors to the an.
P'pacelng BOATS the cry of the captain, the wo-
men hrst, then every man for himself. and C,d
Tor us all And they were the last sounds that
ne heard How he persisted was not known
"he'ner oizzled by the smoke. he list his f,o,inp
!" e"ueaV"rlng 10 cnme forward and fell oyerboa I'd
or whether he was snffocated by The dense smoke
MS conirades could not tell. Al the moment tho
vessel struck the boats were at her side the n,s.
sengers, sailors and captain leap4d into them q,
SWAN Tor their lives: all. save he TO whom ,hev
owed everything, escaped
tie had died the death If Christian be,o-r
had almost said, of martyr his spirit was com
tnehded into his Fathers hands, and bis hodv
sleeps IN peace by the green side Of Lake Erie.
HABEAs CoRPUs-.NoueL Practice W.
have heard ct sone strange purposes which the
wfit OF haoeas corpus has heen made tn anhse,ve
Out 81 lis being obtained To enable persons TO mar.
~; IS novelty, even among the mysteries Of ls-
gal ingenuity. IT seems that man named n.
ian was committed to prison few DAYS since.
chaTged win having committed criminal asssult
upo" young girl. Yesterday. Mr.. Major sued
out writ OF babeas corpns. returnabe before
Ju'ge DAILY, bat instead Of taking the prsone, he
L E 'na' imnc'Ionsry, he conveyed him 10 the
ohufch OF lrsns6guraiion, where the comnlaine
am ana female friend were waiting. and the
PAIR were made as fast as the bonds matyimon;.I
could make them. The girl having thus become
legally disqualified to testify sgans. her husband
~, ~ court court, On application, discharged bim-W