Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1852-02-05

The Neptune, and that's Captain Starkey
on the bowspritr au
Isprang eagerly to my feet, and with all
the force could exert, shouted "a hun
dred pounds for the first boat that reaches
the ship isa-
That's young Mr.. Mainwaring's face and
voice = exclaimed the foremost pilot. 'Hur-
rah, then, for the prize !! and away both sped
with eager vigor, but unaware, certainly, of
the peril of the task. In minute or SO an
other shore-boat came up, but after asking
few questions, and seeing how matters stood,
remained and lightened US of portion of our
living cargoes. We were all three too deep
in the water, the small boat perlously so.
Great God! the terrible suspense we all
felt whilst this was going forward can
scarcely bear, even now, TO think about it. l
shut my eyes, and listened with breathless pal
pitating excitement, for the explosion that
should end ALL 1t came lat least, thought
it did-and 1sprang convulsively to my feet.
So sensitive was my brain, partly, no doubt,
from recent sickness as well as fright, that l
had mistaken the sudden shout of the boats
crew for the dreaded catastrophe. The bow
spirit, from the end of which a rope was dam
Cling, was empty! and both pilots, made
aware, doubtless, of the danger, were pulling
with the eagerness of fear from the ship The
cheering among us was renewed again and
again, during which l continued to gaze with
arrested breath and fascinated stare at the
flaming vessel and fleeing pilot-boats. Sud-
denly pyramid of flames shot up from the
hold of the ship, followed by a deafening roar
fell, or was knocked down, l know not
which the boat rocked as if caught in fierce
eddy; next came the hiss and splash of nu-
merous heavy bodies falling from a great
height into the water and then the binding
glare and stunning uproar we're succeeded by
soundless silence and thick darkness, in
which no man could discern his neighbor-
The stiffness was broken by lond, cheerful
hail from one of the pilot boats we recognized
the voice, and the simultaneous and ringing
shout which burst from us assured the gallant
seanen of our own safety, and how exultingly
we all rejoiced in his. Half an hour after
wards we were safely landed: and as the ship
and cargo had been specially insured, the only
ultimate evil result of that fearful passage IN
the lives of the passengers and crew of the
Neptune, was heavy loss to the underwri-
| ters.
| A piece of plate, at the suggestion of Mr..
Desmond and his friends, was subscribed for
and presented to Captain Starkey at public
dinner given at Kingston in his honor-a cir
cumstance that many there will remember. In
his speech on returning thanks for the compli-
ment paid him, he explained his motive fo.
resolutely declining to fight duel with NJ
Dupont, half-a-dozen versions of which had got
into the newspapers.
81 was very early left an orphan" he said,
"and was very tenderly reared by maternal
aunt, Mrs. -. He mentioned name with
which hundreds of newspaper readers in Eng
land must be still familiar.) Her husbands
many here may be aware-fell in duel in the
second month of wedlock. My aunt continued
to live dejectedly on till had passed my nine
teenth year; and so vivid an impression did
the patient sorrow of her life make on me-so
thoroughly did learn to loathe and detest the
barbarous practice that consigned her TO pre-
mature grave, that it scarcely required the
solemn promise she obtained from me, as the
last sigh trembled on her lips, to make me re-
solve never, under any circumstances, to fight
duel. As to my behavior during the unfor-
tunate conAagra,ion Of the Neptune, which my
friend Mr.. Desmond has spoken of so 1attering-
ly, can only say that did no more than my
simple duty in the matter. Both he and be-
long to a maratime race, one of whose most
peremptory maxims it is that the captain must
be the last man to quit or give up his ship
Besides, must have been the veriest bastard
alive to have quailed in the presence of-of-
that is, in the presence of-circumstances
which-in point of fact-that is Here
Captain Starkey blushed and boggled sadly ::
he was evidently no orator but whether it was
the sly significance of Senor Arguelas's coun-
tenance, which just then happened to be turned
towards him, or the glance he threw at the
gallery, where Sonora Arguellas's grave pla-
cidity, and Donna Antonia's bright eyes and
blushing cheeks encountered him, that put him
so completely out, cannot say; but he contin-
ued to stammer painfully, although the compa-
ny cheered and laughed with great vehemence
and uncommon good humor, in order to give
him time. He could not recover himself; and
after foundering about through few more
unintelligible sentences, sat down, evidently
very hot and uncomfortable, though amidst a
little hurricane of hearty cheers and hilarious
laughter.
| have but few more words to say. Cap
tain Starkey has been long settled at Havana !;
and Donna Antonio has been just as long Mrs.
Starkey. Three little Starkeys have to nv
knowledge already come to town, and the cap
tain is altogether rich and prosperous man /;
but though apparently permanently domiciled
in foreign country, he is, am quite satisfied,
as true an Engishman, and as loyal subject
of Queen Victoria, as when he threw the glass
of wine in the Cuban creole's face. / don't
know what has become of Dupont; and, to tell
the truth, | don't much care. Lieutenant Ar
guellas has attained the rank of Major; at
least, l suppose he must be the Major Arguel-
las officially reported TO be slightly wounded in
the Lopez expedition. And l, also, am pretty
| we'll now thank vou