Litchfield enquirer. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1829-current, 1847-02-04

and main topsails, the miZen handed, an,
the fore and mizen top galIan. yards sen
down. This done, one watch was per
mitted 10 GO below, and prepared 10 be-
take myselfto my berth, directing thai
the mate, to whom wished to give som,
orders should be sent to me. To my ut
ter establishment and CONSERVATION, wore
was brought me soon after, that he wa.
nowhere to be found. / hastened upeu
deck, ordered all hands up again, and
questioned every man in the ship upon
the subject-but they, with one accord
said they had not seen him forward
Lanterns were then brought. and every
accessible part Of the ship unavailingly
searched. I then in The hearing of my
crew, declared my belief that he must
have fallen overheard accidentally, again
despatched the watch below, and repair
ed 10 the cabin, ia state of mental ag-
itation Lot to be described. I felt thLt
under critical circumstances my main
support had fallen from me.
My first step was 10 load and deposit
in my state room all the fire arms on
board, amounting to several muskets and
four pairs of pistols, The steward was
a faithful mulatto man who had sailed
with me several voyages. To him
communicated my suspicious, and direct
ed him TO be constantly on the alert, and
should any farther difficulty occur, to
repair Immediately to my state room and
arm himself. After this, / laid down in
my bed, ordering that I should be called
at three o'clock for the morning watch.
Only few moments had elapsed, when
Iheard three or four knocks under the
counter part Of the ship, which is that
part Of the stern Immediately under the
cabin windows. In few moments they
were distinctly repeated-I arose, opened
the window, and called. The mate ans
wered. gave him the end of rope to
assist him up-and never shall forget the
flood of gratitude which my soul poured
forth to that Being who had restored him
to me uninjured.
His story was soon told. He had gone
forward upon being ordered BY me, after
the calling Of all hands, and had barely
reached the iorecastle, when he was
seized by the two foreigners and thrown
over the bow. He was powerful m an,
and an expert swimmer. Ia an instant
he found the end Of rope, which was
accidentally towing overheard within
bis grasp, by which he dragged Into the
dead water, or eddy that is always crea-
ted under the stern ola vessel particularly
if she is full built and deeply laden, as
was the case with this. By desperate
effort. he caught one Of the rudder chains
which was very low, and threw himself
by it upon the step or jog of The rudder,
where he had sufficient presence of mind
10 remain until the search for him was
over. lie then made the signal to me.
No being but myself was apprised
of his safety. 1t was at once resolved
that the second mate alone should be in
formed of his existence He Immediately
betook himself to large vacant state
room, and for the remaindes of the voyage
all his wants were attended to by me.
Nothing of note occurred during the re-
mainder of the voyage, whic h was pros
porous. 1t seemed that the foreigners had
only been actuated BY revenge in the vi
olence they had committed. In due sea-
son, we took pilo: in the channel, and in
day or two. we entered the port of Liv-
erpool. AS soon as proper arrangements
were made, we commenced warping the
ship into The dock, and while engaged in
this operation, the mate appeared on the
deck, went forward, and attended to his
duties as usual. The warp dropped from
the hands of the horror.stricken sailors,
and had it not been taken up by some
boatmen on board, I should have been
compelled TO anchor again, and pro-
cure assistance from the shore. Not a
word was uttered, but the wretches stag
gered TO the n,ainmast, where they re-
manned petriffed with horror, until the
officer who had been sent for 10 take
them into custody came. They seemed
in measure 10 be recalled to sense OF
their predicament. and uttered the most
piercing expressions of lamentation and
despair.
They were soon tried, and upon the
testimony Of the mate. capitally convict
ed and executed.
following is selected trom Alder
brook collection of Fanny Forrester's
Village Sketch es, Poems, &c. by Miss.