Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1851-09-18
VOL. vi.

it. He grasped it with both hands with all
his force, and the next instant the boat was
swept from beneath him by the retreating
pillows, and he was left safely dangling in the
air.
We say safely, for whenever one of these
indomitable sea-kings, no matter in what cir
cumstances of difficulty or danger, gets a rope
that is well secured at its point of suspension,
fairly within his iron grasp, We may at once
dismiss all concern for his personal safety. In
this case the intrepid adventurer, when he
found the boat had surged away from beneath
him, and suspended in the air over the foaming
pillows, felt that all danger was over. For to
mount the rope, hand over hand. till he gained
the yard arm; to Chamber up the yard to the
mast. and then to descend to the deck BY the
shrouds, required only an ordinary exercise Of
nautical strength and courage. All this was
done in moment, and Mr.. III. stood upon the
deck, speechless, entirely overcome by the ap-
Palling spectacle of terror and distress that met
his view.
The crew gathered around the stranger,
whom they looked upon as their deliverer, and
listened TO hear what he had to say. He in
formed them that the ship was aground on a
narrow reef or bar running parallel with the
coast, and that there was deeper water between
them and the shore. He counseed them to
cut loose from the anchor, in which case he
presumed that the shocks of the seas would
drive the ship over the bar, and that then she
would drift rapidly in for the shore; where,
when she would strike the beach, they could
probably find means to get the passengers to
the land.
This plan was decided upon. The cable
was cut away by means of such instruments as
came to hand The ship was beaten over the
bar, awakening as she was dashed along, new
shrieks from the terrified passengers, at the vi
olence Of the conclusions. Once in deep wa
ter, she moved on more smoothly, but was still
driven at a fearful rate directly towards the
land. The surf-boat accompanied her, hover
ing as near to her all the way as was consis-
tent with safety. During their progress the
boat was watched by the passengers on board
the ship with anxious eyes, as in her were
centered all their hopes of escape from des-
truction.
The conformation of this part of the coast,
as in many other places along the coast of the
U. States, presents a rank of low, sandy islands,
lying a little distance from the land, and sepa-
rated from ii by channel of sheltered water.
These islands long and narrow, and sepa-
rated from each other by inlets or openings
here and there, formed, apparently, by the
breaking through of the sea. The crew of our
| ship would have been glad TO have seen some
possibility of their entering through one of
these lnlets. The ship. however, could not be
guided but must go where the winds and the
waves chose To impel her. This was to the
outer shore of one of these long and narrow
islands-where at length she struck again,
and was overwhelmed with breakers and the
spray.
| Alter much difficulty the seamen succeeded,
with the help of the surfboat, in getting line
from the ship to the shore, by means of which
one party on the land and another on board the
vessel could draw the surf-boat to and fro. In
this way the passengers and crew were all
safely landed. When the lives were thus all
safe, sails and spars were brought on shore,
and then, under Mr.. HIS directions, grea,
tent was constructed on the sand, and though
rude in form was sufficient in size to shelter the
whole company.
When all were assembled, the number Of
passengers saved was found to be one hundred
and t,centy-one. They were German emf
grants of the better class, and they gathered
around their intrepid deliverer, when all was
over, with snch overwhelming manifestation OF
their admiration and gratitude as wholly un-
manned him. They had saved money and
Jewels, and such other valuables as could be
carried about the person, TO large amount -
and they brought everything to him, pressing
him most earnestly and with tears, to take it all
for having saved them from such imminent and
certain destruction. He was deeply moved BY
these expressions of gratitude, but would re.
ceive no reward.
When the tent was completed boat was
despatched to bring provisions on shore from
the ship; and after being thus refreshed, the
whole party were conveyed safely in boats to
the main land"