The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1851-01-29

bcnda men began to cXclalm that il
was hopeless. I sat with outstretch.
cd neck straining my eyes to look
through the darkness. We were
about to give it up for he night in
despair, when | heard a faint rush.
ing noise over the water.
'Tis porpoiscs.' said the stccrsman.
No, tho sound is too regular for that
and in a few minutes VIC could dis.
tinctly make cut the regular beating
Of the paddle wheels Of a steamer,
and her rushing noise through the
water.
In five minutes l was on board.
and had hastily explained everything
to the officer Of the watch. The cap.
tain was called-stcam got up to full
power, and We were soon tearing n
long for the anchorage Of Alnbriz.
In 4 quarter Of the time l had spent
i'll locking for the steamer we were
there, and examining the spot-but we
found no vessel. The Lucy Anne
was gone. a consultation was row
heidi was sent for, and had to re-
peat all the particulars Of my escape,
and was questioned as to the probable
time that must have elapsed after my
leaving, before she couldmakc a start.
The distance she had run since then
was calculated. and opinions taken as
70 the course she had stored. At
last it vas determined to run directly
off the land, some twenty miles, it be-
Ing supposed she would not have
made more than that with the land.
breeze now blowing, and there wait
for daylight. This was done; and the
first thing | heard OH waking in the
morning, was, sail, ho!!' from the
lookout There was q sail Just
visible on the horizon. 1t was calm,
so that in an hour or SO we should
kl.2m, @hpt eln was. No alteration
'ots ~sse, iatiic&tcd any at
,cDPt on ihc part OF the stranger Of
avoidance or escape. In little more
than an hour, VIC could make her out
to be the Lucy Anne There was
4 bGstling about forward, visible os
We nearrIh her, and that alone was
the only sign of~consciousncss of ou,
presence that she showed. We APP
preached still nearer, and then was
heard something like the faint echo
Of q sli!lcd Shrek over the water-no
one could say what it was like. The
steamer stops within q few hundred
yards astcvn Of her, and q boat is
sent. Instead Of crowds Of slaves,
not a ycstigc Of one was to be seen.
There was the Lucy Annc'-hatch-
cs on and decks swcpt-inst as she
was when the boat boarded her be.
forc.
The officer was about leaving when
anoisc Was heard forward. There
was a noise oFcuvsing aud struggling.
and = man half bound, his clothes
tori from his back and bleeding from
wounds, rushed up out Of the fok'stilc.
twas Jack Ayrcs--.Look,' shouted
he to the officer, look at the larbourd
cable, and iainting from loos Of blood,
fell upon deck. As lie said this, the
captain coollv walked below, and a
moment after the report Of a pistol
told lis fate. The officer and boats
crow rushed forward, and looking
over the bows SAN the briggs sarboarl
anchor waslet 50 and the cable hang,
lng III the water. the crew Of the
bris stood huddlcl together, pale and
Observation-Disclosures hcavcn..'cri.
Cd the officer, as an inkling Of the
truth flashed Vi on him.
Man the windlass-- hcavc in the
CHAIN round went the clauking
purchase, aud the Chain grated and
snrged, 4 few fathoms are in. and all
eyes. EXCEPT those ofthc men hcaying,
are fixed upou it, as link after link
cmcrgcs from the blue sea. What
dark mass is that as deep rs we can
see? No m could speak for horror,
rs the chain dragging up shows the
dead bodies Of the slaves lashcd to it;
they had been let % with the anchor
their bodies thus prevented from II
singt to tell the fearful tale.
The chain was ~unloadcd, and the
bodies Of the poor unfortunNtcs drop
ped where they had been murdered.
The crew, whose number had been
increased by a lumber Of Portuguese,
two part owners in the cargo, were
tried and suffered the punishment Of
the law. Jack Ayrcs received n free
pardon, and | lad a passage offered
me in the next man-ofwar to England,
which | accepted.
-.-4e.---s-~~~~
y NlopERH HERCULES There lives
on The bankS Of the Dcc,si!c, imme2,,
olo'y opposite Bulmorul Castle, lie,
Moics'y's Highland home, a farmer
wei known by tho name Of Stree, 0
MCnaIlric, who Is renowned i'm lila