Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1850-09-26

Nor was this impression removed on a second
view, but rather heightened, so unearthly was
the effect produced by the faint outlines of her
sPars, which were seen a moment and then lost
to sight, like those of some spectral ship.
Suddenly, while we were thus looking at our
distant craft, a dazzling binding glare shot
athwart the armament and as Instantly vanished
leaving the eye and brain, however, dizzy with
that instant of concentrated light. A sulphur
rous smell, at the same moment, pervaded the
atmosphere. Then followed roar so stun
ming, 50 close at hand, that if thousand bat
teries had been discharged right overhead, the
noise could not have been more deafening.-
For second | thought one of the boats, or at
least the schooner, had been struck by the
lightning; but when my brain ceased recling,
| saw they had escaped. This dazzling flash,
this awful thunder-clap were succeeded by a
darkness and silence as profound, as oppres-
sve, as foreboding as before. Then came a
few rain drops which, big and heavy pattered
like huge hail stones on the waters around us.
hcSC WOlS pN diiothSl SliShSS dc
deep as before; and then the hurricane, with
roar like lion, was upon us.
1t would be in vain to attempt finding Ian
guage TO describe what followed. In an instant
the air was filled with millions of particles of
spray, which, torn from the bosom of fthe deep,
and carried in the arms Of the tempest, hid eve
ry thing except objects within few feet, en-
tirely from sight. The singing of these fine
particles. as they struck the check, was like
that of mustard shot Meantime the force of
the wind was such that it was impossible TO set
erect, and all stopped, as if by common i'm
pulse. before the blast Shading nv eyes with
my hand TO protect the orbs from the spray
glanced at the place where the schooner had
been last seen. But she was no longer visible
there. A moment after, however, in casual
opening of the prospect, caught Il glimpse of
her form far away ahead, as, halt-buricd in
mist, She drove, like a sheeted spectre, before
the gale The instant after, she vanished from
my vision, and the squall closed around US like
the walls of dungeon.
Fortunately the launch was already before
the wind So that we had only to hold on. and
wait the issue. The other boats were soon ont
of sight, and speedily out of hearing also.
could therefore, do nothing for the rest Of nv
command, and resigning myself TO fate. bent
my head between my knees. ordered nv men
TO lie down, and SO let the hurricane have its
way. The rain was now falling. as it falls
only in the tropics, in vast sheets of water :;
the drops, instead of descending perpendicular
ly, driving slantugIy before the hurricane. and
striking the water with gigantic force. keeping
the deep in commotion all around The hiss
binding glare of lightning, aud the terrible
thunder-claps, combined 10 make scene more
awful than had ever witnessed in all my long
experience.
For half an hour the storm continued in its
fury. At the end of that time the intense
darkness began TO give away; but it near
ly half an hour before the squall had entirely
passed over us. At last the rain ceased, the
clouds began to break, and the wind in part
subsided. | now ventured, for the first time
since the tempest had burst upon us. to rise up
| and look around. | was anxious 10 see what
had become of the remaining boats. as well as
TO learn in what direction our ship was: for
the schooner, | had no doubt from the speed
with which saw her going last, was hull
down on the horizon BY this time.
Eagerly | scanned the prospect, therefore.
My first object Of search was for the ship, for
| knew that on her depended our safety. Her
greatest size had placed her. | reasoned, even
more at the power of the gale than ourselves,
and consequently looked for her to be in ad-
vance of us considerably. had fancied, in
| deed, during the height of the hurricane, that
| saw her tall masts, for single instant,
! shooting, meteor-like, past US; but in the
| binding rain that then closed in the prospect,
it was easy, | was sure, to be deceived NV
search however, for her was unsuccessful.
Nowhere on the whole horizon, was she or the
| schooner to be seen. Up to windward, where
| IL WIS H"" cHtiIeiy eitdi, hio VIC" "ds uh-
broken and she was plainly not there. In
front, for a long distance, the prospect was
equally unbroken; but she was not in sight in
this direction either. Far down, however, in
the farthest horizon, where the squall was dis
appearing, there still hung black cloud, from
which the sullen thunder occasionally growled,
and across whose gloomy front the lightning
every few minutes crinkled. That dark cur
tain, knew, enveloped our missing ship, or
else she, and her three hundred souls, were
buried in the deep.
With heavy sigh beheld this condition Of
affairs. Parted from the ship, without water
or provisions on board, destitute even Of a
compass. and with night coming on, our stua-
| ton was indeed, piteous in the extreme. How
far the squall might carry the ship before out
running her, it was impossible to conjecture
Perhaps when the hurricane should be over for
our comrades on board, the gallant craft might
be hull down on the horizon. In that event
though, she would naturally retrace her path
to seek us, night might shut in before we could
be seen from the masthead even, and in the
darkness that would follow, nothing could be
easier than for her entirely to miss US. Days,
in that event, would probably elapse before we
would be picked up, if ever.
The thought was terrible, and turned from
i L. L. al.