Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1845-05-02

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than an hour remained invisible. Suddenly how
ever, the moon broke forth, and we saw the chase
close hauled on the very point OF escaping US. we
instantly made all sail, but the wind was so uncer-
tain that the stranger kept his advantage, the air
being comparatively still with us, while he had a
respectable breeze. At length it fell dead calm,
the chase being by this time several miles off,
"She could now be seen, lying in liquid flood Of
moonlight, rising and falling lazy upon the swell,
her white sail scarcely moving from the mast and
flashing in the distance like sea CULTS snowy
wing. All OF once Captain Drew, who had been
scrutinizing her through his glass; exclaimed
"Iheres something the matter on board there,
the men have almost all LEFT her decks and even
those aloit repairing arc coming down-what can
it be, Mr.. Jones? ?"
| 81 can't make it out, sir--the crew perhaps has
mutined, they running wildly hither and thther
so my God, The ship s fire r' he calculated, as
a cloud of thick, black smoke suddenly pulled up
| from her forehatch-way, followed by long, vivid
stream of fire, that shot up brightly into The mid
night sky. We saw at once that the flames must
have been raging for sometime in the hold that
they had attained an intensity which would defy
every effort to subdue them. The eager element
shot along the rigging, ran swiftly up the foremas
and wrapping the hamper in sheet Of fire, stream
ed almost perpendcularly upward fathom or two
above the truck There was 10 breeze, but the IN
dulations Of the atmosphere swept the dense smoke
to one side, forming, as it were, gloomy curtain
against which the urid flames shune in terrible re-
lief Every object on board could now be distinct
y seen, and we noticed that all at once the crew
rushed aft. A signal of distress was next instant
shown on the quarter. All this had passed in n
moment.
"Lower away the boats-pipe their crews there
boaswaih. quick, SIR or the wretches will be lost,
Numbered out the captain.
The men hurried to their stations, fred with a
sympathy equal to his own
"Mr. Danforth," he said, 81 shall give you COM
mand of the leading boat spare no efforts to reach
them in time--but," he continued in whisper,
" mind the magazine"
GAY, ay, SIR" answered, touching my hat and
leaping into the stern sheets continued, "push of
there forwnrd-and now give away with a will
boys-p,H"
At these words the men bent 10 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 skiffs.
But swift as was our progress, that of the de-
stroying clement was more so. The fire had spread
with such rightful rapidity to wrap up the whole
forepart of the ship in flames, and threaten to CON
sumo her before we could arrive. Since it had
found vent it ragged with redoubled fury, until now
the shrouds the foremost, the bows2rit, the yards
every thing sheeted with fire, which, whiring
round and round, assembled sprally to the mast.
head, shooting its torky tongues out on every hand
and streaming like a meteor away up into the calm
blue sky Meanwhile the flames had broken out
in the after hatch, and catching at once to the rat
line, leaped from rope to rope, ran swiftly up the
rigging, spread almost instantly to the huge lower
sails, Kissing, flashing and roaring they I'M
til at length the whole ship seemed mass of urid
fire. and nothing was left untouched but the narrow
quarter deck, on which the despairing crew
had gathered in crowds, some eagerly endeavorino
to lower the only boat that had escaped the flames
some frantically crying out for mercy, some cursng
md H. in fI,or anil
stretching out their hands imporng for help.
"Glve way, my men, give way-will you see
them miserably burned to death before your ewes :.
| shouted, rising in the boat and waving my hand
to the sufferers, forgetting in the excitement of the
moment the imninency of our own danger in case
of an explosion. The poor wretches on the quarter
deck of the burning ship answered back with
hysteric shout. Our gallant ars started, like met
tied hounds at the cry, and with few vigorous
strokes we dashed up to the quarter.
Keep her off there" | shouted, seeing that We
should be swamped by the eagerncss of the suffer
ers to escape keep her off-iump overheard, ant
we'll pick you up" continued, as fell off from
her quarter again; and in less than three minute
the deck was bare and the boat full of the crew.
Mr.. Danforth," at this moment shouted Jack
from the other boat ahead, "Theres lady and lie
father, they say, here still on board-for heaven
sake let us try to save them"
For one moment ! remembered my orders, an
the extreuity of our danger-l paused but whe
reflected that by departing, we should abando
two human beings to horrid death, | hesitated n
longer. Hardly learning from the mate Of tn
vessel, that they were their only passengers, an
having taken refuge in the hold during the chase
had since been forgotten-and not feeling warrant
ed in ordering any one on so dangerous service
| gave the boat in charge of Irvine, who had uckil
Struggled himself on board sternly bid one or tw
of my crew who attempted to follow to keep the
situation, mounted her side by rope that hun
over the quarter, rapidly traverscd the deck in I'll
midst OF n tremendous heat, and darted down til
companlon-way, leaving the flames roaring not tiS
feet from its entrance.
The cabin was large one, and fitted up wit
taste. The decorations were even luxurious, an
such as had at that time rarely seen in merchan
men. The state rooms were of mahogany, milne
with ebony and finished off with the greatest ell
gance Curtains apparently of damask, hur
around, and the show of silver and cut glass by Il
companon-way was even brilliant The cabl
however, was still as death. A lady's glove lay
an Ottoman, and beside ii an open book but
other traces of human being were dlscoverab
around. Where could the owner of that sma
delicate French glove be? Was she already
victim to the trghIfu element had the mate d
ceived him in supposing she had been removed frC
the hold? was there hope, if she lived,
reaching her in time to save h'r from a horl
death? All these questions flashed rapidly acre
NY hiiHui anu my heurt slcheHeu us oWleu COT
not answer them. The danger, meanwhile grt
more and more imminent. | was standing, as
were, above u mine that had been sprung;
should the flames reach the magazine inevitable
struction must ensue. Nor could that catastrop
be much longer postponed. The devouring c
ment had already gained possession of all arou
and even now might be eating its way ravenou
toward it, Besides if | paused moment long
the fire would reach the companion way, and
hope OF escape from the cabin would be cut off,
Had it been only my own life that was endanger
! woul not have hesated in periling it to the
most, but when remembered that dozen gall
fellows OF my crew, as well as score of 9th
from the rescued sufferers would be involved in
--- own fate, could not doubt as 10 my duty rh
reflections, however, had not occupied more Il
the instant in which had been throwing open S