Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1851-03-18

H the stern sheets, waived my arm ant
II shouted +
NJ fShove off-board- give way
II and if ever you pulled before, pul
now, for your lives, My menl'
NJ / was bbeyed With q ne soul they
bent the II brawny arms to the task
and while the ash almost snapped
beheath them made the boat whir
from the quarter, and th en- sent hel
with the velocity of a s. sea-eulI ovel
the deep Not, a word was spoken
\ The old Il nan satEbeside m e in the be-
Hw wildeF eFmeh BIT Of gratitude, astonish-
Hnients and only half dissipated fright
H. +EH lille t he form of his still inani-
innate girl was extended unaided, for
1.-THE homent, by his side. 1t was,
IiHdee h, no time for deldy Every
man knew he was pulling for life or
death. The other boat Was nearly a
mile ahead, skimming swiftly along
Hfrpm the devoted ship. Far off on
little n nloonlft horizon lay our schoo-
In3r, With 4 III her exquisite tracery re-
INnecteb Il I'M the wave beneath, and
hg, With her thin, taper, ralling
.nlasts like some ;erial vessel float
|i4g h bIf WAY between sky and sea.
Down to the right was the burning
ship, presenting a vast body of lurid
fire, that roared along her sides,
5 kIreal hing out her ports, fddied spir-
billy dp tn E masts, and leapea in
huge mass IS straight out in the sky.
Now;I md tlien, as her guns became
heated the " went off witt a roar
like t hunde h. Meantime, the dense
kInol4 gatl lering in thick cloud,
hung Hl G d pail over the consuming
ship. For some instants the flames
appeared I'd die in part away; but all
at once, stfeam of intense fire, that
ahnosE blind led the eyes, L daped per-
RendidulirlJ upward from the decks,
The horizpn, for miles aroulh hd, was IL
IEimins sted with light nj bore vivid
than that of the brightest hooniay; a
Bhrt o + the foremast, lifted bodily
qut, Slot .liEe e an arrow aim ost a cable
lHngth on high; lconcussi3n ebsued
that nude the boat shivcr like a reed.
and rock q d homent frigatfElly aboutIl
and then stunning roar follqwed,I i
shaking the frmament to its eentre,I
and soundins as if a thousand broad-lI i
sides Had bd en- discharged at once.f
For bit as the burning fFag-E
nients sailed aloft, falling on everyI
hand bout, whilS the boat rolled |
wildly to and fro upon the agitated |
swell, We hela our breaths in momen-
ta5rry expectation of death, and | in
ej hculated-
The Lord have mercy q n US all
':Amen." said the rtscu ed father |
at my side.
But We v vferc again aim ost miracr
ulously PRESERVED. The ofling WE
hid gained, though not sufficiently |
to ensu re safety, proved gre at enough |
to relic We us from inevitable destruc-
tion. Had ahy of the "a ling tim
b$rs, however, struck US, We should |
Have all gone down togqthcr AS it !
was.it was onb of the harro rowest e$-
capes | ever made, and when | !
GAVE the conf mand to the crew to
give way agai h--fer at that terrible |
they had as one man
GU Bh Of thahkllllness and
devotion went up from my heart to
die great Auth hor Of my being, who
bad thus preserved my life,
The deafeh hing upr5ar, however.
recalled the sehses of the fair girf at
MY side. But | Will not describe her
gFatitude, and that of her pa rent, TO
myself, whom they presistdd in con-
the pr eseryer Of their lives.
Suffice it to sa y we were soon on
board; the captain delidately re-
signed his own cabin to the strangers
aid | then had leisure to learn some
concerning theif history |
They were easily told. Nj. Thorn
ton the father of Isabel, was a wealthy
West lirlianan, and was just return
ing from Great Britain, with his
who hid been There for sev-
eral years obta lining her education.
Before the Letter Of Aiarqae sailed,
she had bean fitted up by Mr.. Thorn
ton in a style bordering on eastern
luxury, with fur niture intended prin-
Sipally for his lnansion-hous se at Ja-
nlqica But at this moment mes
sage arrived soliciting my presence
withN Mr.. Thornton. AS ] entered
the cabin. he frankly extended hisl