The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1850-05-07

Perhaps five miles perhaps three, sIr y qusssly
replied the man.
"And we have long run to make before We
get sea-room," said the Captain.
We shall be in eternity before morning"
answered the man, solemnly
The Captain paused moment and then be re-
Piled" Our only hope is in the topsail-clews--f
they give way, indeed lost--God help u.s.,
"Amen :" answered, involuntarily.
| Silence now ensued though noae Of US changed
our positions. For myself, was occupiedin think
the prey Of the wild waters. Every moment il
seemed as i the topsails would give way, she
strained 20 frightfuly. 1t was impossible to stand
up Il exposed TO the full force Of the gale. So we
sheltered ourselves IN The waist as we best could
| The wind az well as spray, however, reached us
even here, though in diminished violence, the 1T
ter stinging the face like shot thrown against H.
Il seemed to me, each minute, as If We made more
iee-way. At last, after half an hours ausuenseI
| heard the surf breaking, with noise ks ihanisr,
on the iron bound coast 70 the eastward Again
and again listened, and each time tho awful sound
became more distinct
Ibid not mention my fears, however, Tor still
thought might be mistaken. Suddenly the Cap
tain lookedu
Hark p he said
He stood with his finger raised in the attitude Of
one Listening nienily, his eyes fxed on the face q
!" 1t is the sound Of breakefs" said the seaman
Breakers the lee-quarterw p eried the Iook-
out at this instant, his hoarse voice sounding oir-
ously across the night.
-" Breakers on the iee-beam ~ answered another.
Breakers on the ee-bow ~ echoed third
All eyes peered Immediately into the darkness,
A long line Of foam was plainly visible, skirting
quite round the horizon 10 leewaTd
God have mercy on our souls" involuntary
calculated.
The Captain sprang to the wheel, his eye lash
ing, his whole frame dIlated-for he had taken a
sudden and desperate resolution. He saw that, il
no effort was made, we should be among the break
ers in twenty minutes but il the mainsai could
be set and made to hold for half an hour, we might
yet escape. There were nine chances to one thzt
the sail would split the instant it spread and i'm
less terrible emergency he would have shrunk from
the experiment; bu. il was now ouE only hope
Keep her to it," he shouted az keep her well
up. ALI hands to set the main-course ~
Fortunately we were strong-handed, 50 that It
would not be necessary to carry the tack 10 the
windlass, notwithstanding the gale A portion Of
! the crew, sprung TO man this important rome the
remainder hurried up the rigging, almost disap-
peariDg in the gloom overhead
In less than minute the huge sail fell from the
b yard, like gigantic puff Of white smoke blown
from the top. 1t struggled and whipped terribly,
5 but the good ropes held fast.
Brace up the yard-haul out the bowline."
d thundsred the Captain.
"a, ay, sir and ii was done.
e Haul aft
r, The men of with the line, and the immense
Is sheet came 10 its place.
Df This was the critical moment. The ship feeling
the additional propulsion. made headlong plunge.
it held my breath. expected nothing less than 10
gossamer; but the strong fabric held fast, though
N straining awfully
It "She comes up, do MT she z? interrogated the
, Captain of the man at the helm.
Ay, ay, sir--she does u
. "How much ~
1.-TWO points, sr,"
:, "If she holds for half an hour" calculated the
Captain, I'VE may be saved" ~
: On rushed the noble ship, seeming to know how
Z much depended on her She met the pillows, she
/ ward. In five minutes the breakers were Usihly
y y recedng.
! But hope had been given only to delude US. Sud
denly heard crack sharper than an explosion Of
4 thunder, and simultaneously the parted from
,e its fastenings and sailed away to leeward, like .
n white cloud driven down the gale
er A cry Of horror rose from all 1t is over.
n cried and looked around for plank, intending to
ly striking.
w When the course fell overheard, the head q ths
ng ship fell of Immediately and the wild breake
lst tumbled and roared closer at hand each moment
Dg Suddenly the Captain seized my arm, for W.
n, were holding on almost side BY side.
nd Ha. cried he, is not that dark watel
nd yonder y and he pointed across our lee-bow.
Ilf looked in the direction to which he referred
Unless my eyes deceived me, the long line d
he breakers came to abrupt termination there ~
IN the shore curved in at that point.
U, You are right-there is a deep bay ahead,n ]
I'd cried, joyfuly. Look you can see the suri
p whitening around the cape"
II The whole simultaneously detected thia
OF new chance Of escape. Though unable to head &c
the wind as before, there was still prospect thai
we should clear the promontory. Accordingly, the
10 next few minutes were passed in breathless sus-
pense. Not word was spoken on board. Every
- eye was fixed on that rocky headland, around which
~ the waters boiled in the vortex OF maelssrom
The ship seemed conscious Of the general feel
. ing, and struggled thought, more desperately
N than ever. She breasted the huge billows viii
gallant perseverance, and though each one set he
r. nearer to the shore she met the next with n,
same stubborn resolution. Nearer nearer, nearer
n we drlfted towards the fatal cape. ] could nov
almost throw biscuit into the breakers.
N. nhd noticed gigantic roller coming for som,
Nj time, but had hoped might clear the cape beors
II reached us. l now saw the hope was in vain
he Towering and towering the huge wave approached
en- its dark side almost perpendicular wall OF waters
asa Hold on all !" Numbered the Captain.
he Down it came For an instant its dark summi
yot hovered overhead, and then, with RS IKE ten
thousand cataracts, it poured over uA the shiE
he was swept before it like feather oh gale
De- With the waters flashing and Kissing over th'
hs decks, and whirling in wild eddies under lee
us we drove in the direction Of the cape held my
TO breath in awe. A strong man might almost have
,le leaped the extreme point Of the promontofy
~ closed my eyes shuddering. The next instant !
nd hurrah met my / looked up. We had sho
Y by the cape, and miles Of dark water heEoFt
US. An old tar beside me had given vent to tn.
MT cheer.
c, "By the Lord he said. but that wes clos
ld seraping, sir, Another such would have erackes
d. the hulk like egg shell But this craft WASH
"a made to go to Davy Jones's Locker"
W And with all the Goodness imaginable, he tool
10 out huge piece of pig-tai leisurely twisted of
y bit, and began chewing with much eomposure a
" if nothing unusual had happened.
~ A year ago, when in New York, ! met the Cap
~ ~ tain again. unexpectedly, at the Astor. We dine
together, when took occasion to ask him Il he 70
,,s membered our winter nights experience in tn
~ ~ Irish Channel ten years before.
10 SAY" he said. " And do you know that
on when went out to Liverpool on my next trip,
II heard that search had been made all ssng the coas
lee fO6 the fragments of our ship. The escape wa
en- considered miraculous"
eli Sir" l replied, 81 have had enough OF tn
eh Irish Channel"
~ N0EARIAL N0TTCE.
res ~ NOtiee.-The undersigned having united aeeths
tbe transaction Nos Business in ali i branches,
uP to inform and the public that they prepared
cute and dispatch whatever business be eon6d