Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1851-11-21
Gauantry ofan American Consul.

The Liverpool Chronicle extracts the following from
a letter, dated Trpoli, Sept. 9Th
s. In my note of to-day have to say word of the
Musseman fast of the Ramazan, and of an incident
whish it brought with it. This fast commences with
the moon in july and lasts during the whole of
that NOON And when it is terminated as you proba
bly, well know it is followed by grand fiesta called
the feast of Baram. which continues for three days
This FEAST in Mohammedan counties. precisely the
same as the Carnival in Europe, when the people
give loose rein TO their pent up appetites and in
dulge in all sorts of fun and froc One of their prin
cpal amusements these occasions, after satiatng
their appetites, is boat sailing. and with this
ment the incident am shortly relate is connected.
1t is customary here, am told for the representatives
OF foreign powers 10 call the Pacha in full uniform
on the second day of the Baram TO pay their respects
TO congratulate him upon his being relieved from his
long fast, TO hope he does not feel the worse for it,
and to say a thousand complimary things and dipo-
matte nothings which this annual occasion calls FORTH
=" When on the 3lst of July the American Consul
General had paid this visit, he embarked in his little
sail boat, called the Flint, to return TO his summer
house, built the margin of the sea, about tseo mi
les distant from the city. Finding it blowing
fresh, with heavy sea, the Consul recommended bis
secretary and servant to go by land while he went
on board with the two seamen and making sail stood
out of the harbour with favorable wind Bnt hard
~ had he passed well outside the shipping, which
decorated with flags, and the numerous sail boats which
were cutting round in all directions, gay dressed for
the OCCASION before he far to seaward, little
craft aborng hard under the weather and in great dan
ger of being swamped by the Mr.. Gaines. keep
ing his glass the boat, suddenly that she had
disappeared in the waves. Well knowing that a Sc
rious accident had occurred. the consul shifted his
course, and ran down TO srender what assistance he
could, much to the annoyance of the sailors board,
who, of the bravest, thought that in attempting
10 rescue others they would all 60 down together AL
though the danger was great, yet heed was given
10 these words of warning when there were men so
near him struggling for their lives.
'sMr. Gaines, on reaching the place where the &C.
cdent occurred, had the good fortune pick up three
persons who but for his timely assistance would 9TH
erwise have persisted. Three others had already dis
appeared before he could reach them and their bodies
were washed on shore few days afterwards the
of their boat wreck This spirited and gallant
conduct of the American consul was witnessed by
numbers of the people who the fiat terraces of
the houses which faced the Marina, and also by the
crew of Turkish brig of war, now lying at anchor
in the harbor. When Mr.. Gaines returned 10 Tripo-
Ii he was received by crowd of people who had con-
gregated at the landing place, with loud and continued
shouts of applause, the deserved because in
ing the lives of those Ottoman subjects he had risked
his own. Considering that the consul's boat SC
small that in the best weather it would not hold
than six persons that the running high, and
with fresh wind blowing, it was gallant act.