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

benda mon began to e&claim 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 the night in
despair, when | heard a faint rush.
ing noise over the water.
otis porpoiscs!' said the steersman.
No, tho sound is too regular for that;'
and in few minutes we could dis
tinctly make out the regular beating
of the paddle wheels of a steamer,
and her rushing noise through the
water. .l
In five minutes / was on board.
and had hastily explained everything
to the officer Of the watch. The cap.
tain was callcd-stcam got up to full
power, and We were soon tearing a.
long for tho anchorage of Ambriz
In quarter of the time / had spent
III looking for the steamer we were
there, and examining the spot-butwe
found no vessel. The Lucy Anne
was gone. A consultation was now
heidi was sent for, and had to re-
peat all the particulars ofmy escape,
and was questioned as to the probable
time that must have elapsed after my
leaving, before she could make start.
The distance she had run since then
was calculated, and opinions taken as
to the course she had stecred. At
last it was 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 l heard on waking in the
morning, was, Sail, ho!' from the
lookout man. There was sail Just
visible Oh the horizon. It was calm,
so that in an hour. or so we should
,ssss s,ssnaYssss a,s1hat she was. No alteration
81 i.sf iis,s;easct, any at
tempt on The part Of the stranger Of
-aToidancc or escape. In little more
than an hour, we could make her out
to be the Lucy Anne There was
ab2stling about forward, visible as
we neafcsa~hh her, and that alone was
the only sign of.eonsciousness of OUT
presence that she showed. We ap.
preached still nearer, aud then was
heard something like the faint echo
of a s,illcd shrek over the water--no
one could say what it was like. The
steamer stops within a few hundred
yards astcrn Of her, and a boat is
sent. Instead Of crowds of slaves,
not vestigc Of one was to be seen.
There was the Lucy Anne'-hatch-
cs on and decks swept-jnst as she
was when the boat boarded her be.
fore.
The officer was abo,t leaving when
anoisc was heard forward. There
was q noise ofcursing and struggling,
and '-ian half bound, his clothes
torn from his back and bleeding from
wounds, rushed up out Of the fok'stile.
ltwas Jack Ayrcs--'LooE,' shouted
he to the officer, Look at the larbonrd
cable, and lainting from loos of blood,
fell upon deck. As lie said this, the
captain coolly walked below, and a
moment after the report of pistol
told his fate. The officer and boats
crew rushed forward, and looking
over the bows saw the brig's ,arboard
anchor was let go and the cable hang.
Ing in the water. the crew of the
brig stood hudd!cd together, pale and
Observation-Disclosures hcavcn.' 'cri.
cd the officer, as an inkling Of the
truth flashed uron him.
'Alan the windlass-- hcavc in the
chain round went the clauking
purchase, and the Chain grated and
surged, a few fathoms arc in, and all
eyes, except those Of the men hcaying,
arc fixed upou it, as link after link
cmcrgcs from the blue sea. What
dark mass is that as deep as we can
see? No one could speak for horror,
as the chain dragging up shows the
dead bodies Of the slaves lashcd to it;
they had been let 60 with the anchor
their bodies thus prevented from ri.
sing to tell the fearful tale. 81
The chain was unloadci, and the
bodies of the poor unfortunntcs drop
ped where they had been murdered.
The crew, whose number had been
increased by lumber Of Portuguese.
two part owners in the cargo, were
tried and suffered the punishment Of
the law. Jack Ayres received a free
pardon, and | had q passage offered
me in the next man,of-war to England
which | accepted.
| -~~~~>~-,rs- 500 .~A~>->.~~->~ Il /: g
a MopERS IIERtuLEs There live,
on the bauks Of the Dcc-si,lc, ilnmedi
aicly opposite Bolmoral Castle, he
Males'y's Highland home, farmer
well known by tho name Of Stree, Q
Monalitrie, who is renowned in tia