The Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, S.C.) 1836-1851, 1850-08-30
NUMBER So.
XVIII.

the tempest ragged as fiercely as it did without, and
entirely excluded the terrors OF wind and sea.
The ready instincts of Maria de Pacheco had con-
Quoted her to much Of the secret of her paramour.
She now recalled his reluctance to conduct her
over the island,-t art, which, when on the eve
Of discovery, had made merit of necessity, and
led her into the recesses of the cavern-the unea-
siness which seemed needless of her endearmente;
the disqueI which they seemed to occasion-h,s
dsappearances at midnight and the pearl, the
treasure, OF which he was so unaccountably pos.
sessed. The sudden appearance of the Indian
damsel revealed the whole secret, and led to con-
lectures which made The course of the "Maroon"
seem more odious to Maria than it possibly could
have been under frank and honest statement of
the facts. To have made this statement required
nothing more than common courage. But this
was the very faculty which Lopez wanted most.
When his secret was extorted from him, as it final
ly was, and the whole of its details surrendered,
the vexation of the Spanish woman was not so
much because of the events, as because of his
Withholding them. 1t betrayed want Of conf
dence in her, and this was proof of deficient sym.
pathy. Upon this sy patny she had staked her
life-had periled all that was feminine in her ma
ture; anu the appalling terror, lest she should have
perled all in vain, might we'll justify the fearful
aspect, and stern and keen reproaches, with which
she encountered.
She was at last paci6ed. 1t was her policy to
be 3d. When the heart has made it's last invest
ment it is slow to doubt its own securities. His
declarations of attachment,wh hen he had somewhat
recovered his confidence, began TO re-assure her,
She yielded to his persuasioDs, to his blandish-
ments and caresses, rather than to his reasons or
such as he urged in bis justification. twas in the
midst of these endearments that voice was heard
family singing at the cabin entrance, voice which
the Maroon but too painfully remembered. The
tones, though faint were distinct. The song was
in the dialect of the Caribbee, and it was one of
which feeble translation has been already given;
a ballad which the poor Amaya had been wont to
sing him, when she would begule him to join her
in her sports of ocean, 1t rehearsed the delights
and the treasures of the deep its cool crystaIIne
chambers, always secure from the shafts OF the
sum- it's couches of moss and sea weed and OF the
sweet devotion of the sea maid who implored HIM
to her embraces. The pathetic tenderness Of her
tone-the wild but pleading earnestness OF her
plant-the solemn sweetness and mysterious force
of that invocation with which the separate verses
were burdened,
"Come. seek the oceans depths with me"
startled the guilty Maroon with new and name
less terror. He started to bis feet, but remained
stationary, incapable of motion. But the angry
spirit of Maria de Pacheco was aroused once more.
She put him aside, and darted to the entrance of
the cabin. AS she threw it open white form fash
ed upon the darkness. 1t seemed as if spirit had
shot away from her grasp. and darting high in air.
had disappeared in the black waste OF sky and sea
beyond. shrek, rather in exultation than gref,
was heard amid the roar of wind and water. ltwas
| followed by the human scream of Karia. "Mddre
de Dios!" the ship is moving. We are at the mer-
cy OF the seas Ho! there, Lopez! Linares
Awake arouse ye, or we perish!'
Her cries were cut short by her terrors. The
PROV of the ship was lifted, fearfully lifted, if
bv some unseen power from below. The water
surged awfully beneath, and terrible roar follow
ed, as If from herd of wild ANIMALS deep in the
hollows of the sea
"What is that. Lopez what is this!" whisper
ed the woman to the faint. hearted paramour who
had crept beside her A terrible shock followed
another and another! and the whole dreadful dam
ger was apparent in an instant to both. They were
among the rocks. The ship had struck, and the
ready memory of the Maroon, we'll conceived the
fearful condition in which they stood. borne by the
irresistible and treacherous currents upon those sl
| lent and terrible masses of rock, where, ip mo-
ments Of the seas serene, he had 50 frequently
shared in the wild SPORTS of his Caribbean beauty.
Well might he remember those rude and suen
masses. Often had he remarked, with shudder,
the dark and fearful abysses which settled. still
and gloomy, in their dark mysterious chambers
Bu: he had now no time to recall the periods of
their grim repose. Another moment and the ship,
awluliy punging under the constant mpulsons of
the sea, bur!e her sharp bow, with deep groan,
in the black and seelhing waters. The breakers
rushed over them with fall like that of cataract.
For single instant, the Dian de Burgos hung sus-
pended as it were. upon pinnacle. Then, even
s the still besotted. and only half awakened sail
ors, were rushing out on deck. she divided in the
middle, one part falling over into the r. servoir
among the rocks the other tumbling hack upon
the seas, to be driven forward, by successive
shocks. and in smaller fragments, 10 like destiny
In this fearful moment, Maria de Pacheco. was
separated. by the numerous waves, from the side.
| of ;he "Maroon." He heard her voice through
the awful roar.
"Where are you, Lopez-O! let me not lose
you now!" But he could make no answer. He
heard her no more. Her cries ceased with that
single one. He had not strength to cry, for he
was struggling himself with the seas, and with
another peril. While the fierce currents bore him
forward while tho wild pillows torehim away
from the fragment ofwreck which hehad grasped,
spasmodically, in the moment when the ship went
to pieces-he was conscious of suddsn plunge
beside him,--of all arm fondly wrapped about his
| neck, and ola voice that sung in tones the most
mournful and pathetic in his ears, even as he sank,
and sinking with him, that fond ballad Of the "a
rbbean damsel. It was heart-broken chaunt,
which had some exultation in it. The last human
words of which the feeble and perfidous "Maroon''
was conscious, We're those Of the 'entreating sea