The northern galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1844-1848, 1847-01-05
CAPTAIN DUNSTAN.

The melancholy fate this brave nd ain
trcrid man has filled the hearts Of rhousands
with deep en:uIion aud sorrow. We knew
him well-inimalcly-an have known hin
tor years; and il is not strange. that with the
regard we have ever cherished fer him, We
should feel, mnsl keenly eel, Il e dart which
the shaft of Death has thus leveed al the
peace of his friends. 1t is not our design Ia
rulogiZe him-his name. his honorable
memory is past our praise. In every walk
of lie he sustained himselfwilhout reproach.
In the posiiion which he so long and faith.
fully occupied, he was eminenlly successful
and universally popular. He had friends
every wheTe-enemies nowhere. He never
made m enemy in his life. He always con-
Quoted his business with that genlIcmanly
bearing and characteristic dignity, which
commanded respect and admiration AT the
same time. lie was never known 10 negiec'
his duty, but on The contrary, discharged il
with such care, fidelity and assuidity, as To
elirit the appreciation of all around him.
His moral courage and intrepid daring. can
not for moment be questioned. His last
words were ''lf the Atlantic goes, 90 with
her J" and in speaking these words lie meant
all he said. His whole thoughts seemed 10
be entwned around that III failed boat. She
was the idol OF his devotion. Modelled bull .
furnished and completed in all respects un-
der his own immediate care and persOnf OBJ
servatiOn he had become as much attached
10 her as il, in fact, she was "a thing oflile."
a creature Of heart ana soul, warm gen
erous affections like his own. He prided
himself on her, and we fancy we can see The
effects Of his attachment wringing and burst
ing his very heartsringS, as he closed his
firm lips on his last words. u 90 with her p
few years snce-and The circumstances
are still. fresh in the recollection of our rea-
ders-be commanded the Inflated Lexington.
On her passage 10 this city. from Providence.
with some two hundred passengers. terri
bic storm overlook her. such, perhaps as was
witnessed in the loss OF The Atlantic Alter
beating about and struggling with the con
tending elements for long time. and when
the gale was al IFS height, she unshpred her
rudder I! fearful cry went up from all on
board, and all was given up as lost. The
boat beat about, and the wind was fast dri-
wing her TO The shore, when in short time
she would have been dashed into pieces, and
every soul on board have persisted. Captain
Dusran called on his men, and asked which
of Them would dare 10 Jump into the sea, &
lash rop Eto the rudder that il might be
reshipped" No one had the courage 10 do
it. Five hundred dollars were then offered
as an inducement, bu. it was not accepted.
Fifteen minutes more and The boat would be
dashed into pieces-the breakers were al
most within reach. thousand dollars were
then offered-'he passengers chung round
The Captain in fearful suspense. and waiting
with dreadinl anxiety to hear some one ac-
cept the offer; but risk was loo great the feat
too terrible. No one, either among The pas
sengers or crew, dared attempt it-a thous-
and dollars was no temptation for such a
fearful risk. Capt. Dustan withdrew, and
the passengers gave themselves up TO hope
less despair. A few minutes of awful, hor-
riSle reflection ensurd. when cry mas heard
IA man overboardI-a man overboardr
IL ran like an electric shock through the chill
led and frightened multitude as an omen OF
the fate whiche waited them. Bat still grea-
Ter was that shock when the cry was heard
Ill is Captain Dustan-It is Captain Dus-
tanl'
1t was Captain Dus;an-he had tied a
rope round his body-stationed two or three
OF his men at the stern post and leaped in