Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1852-12-16
WRECK AND RUIN.
A Scene IN tAe Bay of Naples.

OF Capri, some twenty miles from Naples, to
enjoy rustic festival. Our party consisted
of some Englishmen and some Italians The
latter being in the service of the Govern
ment, had fixed time laid to their leave
OF absence. When the morning arrived that
was appointed for the departure of our Ital-
ian friends, We accompanied them to the
shore, where they made their arrangements
for the passage back to the mainland. There
was srotng west-and- by south wind roar
ing round the Island, and the sea looked
dangerous; but in Naples, where there is no
career for a young man out of Government
employ, an official must not trife with his
post. The preparations, therefore, for the
launching Of the boat went on.
1t was one Of those wide bottomed boats.
commonly used in the port Of Naples, upon
Which the stran ger starts out for moon
light row to Poslllippo, or betakes himself
with his rortmanteau and his carpet-bag,
or with his wife and her pill-box full of
few things to the steamer. Such boats are
not made for riding on stormy sea. The
men preparing toput out that morning were
our two friends, the officials, and two boat
men. One OF the passengers was hailed by
the Captain Of a good strong bark upon the
point OF starting. .'Come with US, Rafi;el-
luccio it will be madness to sail out in that
cockleshell through such sea-"
Rafa luccio delicate youth, re piled that
he was no coward. He had come in the
boat, and might go back in tie boat, with the
Madona's blessing. The other passenger was
a stout black bearded man, and the two boat
men were a youth and a weather beaten sail
or from the port Of Naples.
The little harbor at Capri, is so shell
tered from certain winds that there is often
"a deceptive smoothness in its waters. Ii
was only by looking out to sea, that one
detected, Oh that wild October morning how
the water Wrished under the torture Of the
wind Far as the eye could reach, the sea
was covered with those smaller storm waves,
called in the phrase Of the country pecore
These, as the day advanced, swelled into
great pillows, (cGualIoni) which came rolling
Oh upon our little island, and dashed vio-
lently against the coast of Massa and Sorsnto.
Tue boat had been showed off, and had lie
turned for some article, left accidentally be-
hind. \ group of weather-wise old sailors
thronged about the tool-hardy crew in vain
urging them to wait for Tairer weather; but
they put out to sea again, and made strait for
the Cape, under the summer palace OF Tibe
boatmeu often seek when they desire 10
catch a direct wind for their passage to the
mainland. The gale that had been blowing
round the island appeared to pour out from
this point its undivided force and beat the
sea with a strength almost irresistible. We
SAW the mast OF the little boat snap the mo-
ment 1t mad reached tie c1ue, and the crew
put back not to await calier weather, but TO
seek another temporary mast, and start again
No threat or persuasion could detaiu the
Itailaiis. who feared to exceed their term OF
leave. rude mast was set up, and again
the boat started, leapng across wave after
wave. We saw no more of it. 81 watched
it Tor some dist:,uce,' said The captain uf The
bark, which had started at the same IiIAe -
g Ihelr mast bent as though it would bieak
at every puff OF wind, and the little sal.
luttervd Ike ii haHtih, r0hief upon the WAYS.
la d moment it disappeared, and We knew
that our torebo.,jEg mad provet true" The
rest OF the tale | had from the lips of the
black bearded Official, the sole survlvor: and
n wilder tale OF human passion does hot often
fail within the bounds Of sober truth.
Tne old mariner at starting had been piac-
Ell at the helm, a. the most Competent man
of the party; but there was al alarming
difference betweea the eddies, currents and
bllio"s at the Cape, and the smooth waters
OF the Bay OF Naples. a monstrouS cacattone
appeared in the distance, leaping, roariNg,
ioanling. Il was close upon their quarter :
its crest overhung them; and in an instant,
said my informant, they were swallowed up.
The boat was overturned, bat the crew
struggling desperately for life-rose with it
once more to the surface, clinging to its bot,
tom. In their last agony they glared upon
each other, face to face, among the beating
waves, and the loud excavations OF his COM
panions were poured passionateiy on the
ancient mariner, whose want of skill Was
cursed as the fatal cause Of their despair
The hold of the poor old follow, weak with
age and faint with emotion, had not strength
enough to bear up amid the tossing of the
waters, and as his grasp relaxed, the others
watched his weakness with fiendish satisfac-
ton. eft is some consolation exclaimed
one, ''to see you die first, fool as you are -
He did not hear the latest maleIicticns, but
went down in the deep sea.
The next who died was Raffaelluccio. up-