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

SAS"S "~Ns 80 Oon& iouys uot
daughter quickr r s4 .e
As Donna Antoria, more dead than alive,
was about TO be lifted into the boat, gush of
flame burst up through the main hatclway,
with the roar of an explosion a tumuItuous
cry burst from the frenzied passengers, and
they jostled each other with ffghtful violence
in their efforts to reach the gangway. Du-
pont forced bis way through the lane Of sea-
men with the energy of a madman, and press.
ed SO suddenly upon Antonia, that, but for
the utmost exertion of the captains hercuIe
an strength, she must have been precipitated
into the water. 1-s .a ........
Back, unmanly bastard! back, dogr-
roared Captain Starkey, terribly excited by
the lady's danger; and a moment after, seiz.
ing Dupont fieicely by the collar, he added ::
'or, if you will look there tut for moment
and he pointed with his pistol-hand to the
fins of several sharks plainly visible in the
glarng light at but a few yards distance from
the ship Men, he added, let whoever
presses forward out of his turn fall into the
water .....
'Ay. ay, sr' was the prompt mechanical
response.
This terrible menace Instantly restored
order; the colored women and children
were next embarked, and the boat appeared
full.
Pull off, was the order; you are deep
enough for safety
"A cry, faint as the wall Of child, arose in
the boat. II was heard and understood.
Stay one moment F; pass along Senior Ar
guelias. Now, then, off with you, and be
smartn
The next boat was quickly loaded; the
coIored lads and men, al! but one, and the
three Americans, went in her.
you are a noble fellow said Mr.. Des-
mond, pausing an instant, and catching at
the captains hand 'and was but fool
To-
Pass on, was The reply; there is no time
to handy compliments
Nv oiNNi W ouosC VII pdssCI IUe cap
tan's lips, when his glance Glanced TO Iiyhl
upon me, as leaned, dumb will, terror.
just behind him, against the vessels bull
warks.
Hold on momentn he cried. sHere is
a youngster, whose weight will not hurt
you : and he fairly lifted me over, and
dropped me gently into the boat, whispering
as lie did so 80 Remember me, Ned, 10 thy
father and mother, should | not see them
again.
There was now only the small boat. caps-
Bile oil safely continuing but eight persons !;
and how, it was whispered amongst us
how, in addition 10 The TWO seamen already
in her, can she take off Lieutenant ArgueIlas.
M. Dupont, the remaining colored man, the
four sealnen, and Captain Slarkey? They
were, however, all speedily embarked ex-
cept the captain.
Can she bear another?' he asked, and
although his voice was firm MS ever, his coun.
tenance, l noticed, was ashy pale, yet full as
ever, of answering resolution.
We must and will, sir since it's you bu.
we are dangerously overcrowded now, es-
pecially with yon ugly customers swimming
round u.s.
Stay one moment; cannot quit the ship
! whilst there's living sou! on board He
stepped hastily forward, and presently re-
appeared at the gangway with the still
senseless body Of the lieu,enant's servant in
his arms, and dropped it over the side into
The boat. There was cry of Indignation,
but it was of no avail The boats rope the
next instant was cast into the water. Now
pull for your livesn The oars, from the in
stinct Of sell-preservation, Instantly fell into
the water, and the boat sprang off. Captain
Starkey, now that all except himself were
clear of the burning ship, gazed eagsrly,
with eyes shaded with his hand, in the direc-
ton Of the shore. Presently he hailed the
foremost boat we must have been seen
from the shore long ago, and pilot-boats
ought to be coming out, though don't see
any. fyou meet one, bid him be smart
there may be chance yet.' All this scene,
this long agony, which has iaken me 50
many words TO depict very imperiectly from
my own recollection, and those of Others,
only lasted, / was afterwards assured by Mr..
Desmond, eight minutes, from The embarka-
lion of Sonora Arguelas I'LL the last boat
left the ill-fated Neptune.
Never shall forget the frightfuI sublimity
of the spectacle presented by that flaming
ship, the sole object, save ourselves, discern
ible amidst the vast and heaving darkness, if
may use the term, Of the night and ocean,
coupled as it was with the dreadful thought
that the heroic man to whose frrnness and
presence of mind we all owed our safely,
was inevitably doomed to perish. We had
not rOwed more than couple of hundred
yards, when the flames, leaping up every
where through the deck, reached the rigging
and the few sails set, presenting complete
outline of the bark and her tracery Of masts
and yards, drawn in lines of fire! Captain
Starkey, not TO throw away the chance he
spoke Of bad gone out to the end of the bow.
spirit, having first let the jib aud forsail 60
by the run, and was for brief space sale
from the flames but what was this but a
proIong CATION of the bitterness OF deaths
The beats continued to increase the dis
lance between them and the blazing ship,
amidst dead silence, broken only by the