Eastern times., 1853-04-07


comb Of wave went over me and half blind
ed me as well as smothered, was tumbled
headlong into the trough Of the sea, which
reached more dead than alive. was still so
exhausted when 7 rose on the next biIIow that
| could not speak.
With agony insxpressible saw myself nearly
abreast Of the trigate. Another descent, an
other mad whrl upward, and found her shoot
ing from me. / was now almost delirious with
despair.
'Hillo .-ahoy! cried. oh! for the love
Of God, hear me =
! fancied ! saw a lookout tnrn towards me.
knew he must have heard me. III could
have remained on the top Of that surge an in
stant longer his eye would have fallen on me
but the instigate gulf demanded me, and seized
in the embraces Of the pitiless waters, ! was
hurried downward TO darkness and death.
When | next rose to the light of day, the
man-of-war was fast receding. / was so utter
ly drenched, so breathless from being nearly
smothered, that could not raise my voice
above that of child, and hence failed 10 at
tract the attention of the lookout whom still
saw gazing in search of me. May Heaven
grant that none who read these words may
ever experience feelings similar to mine at
that moment In another instant had recov>
cred my voice, but the frigate was now out Of
hearing.
Suddenly, just as | was giving way to des-
pair, saw In the distance a large ship driving
before the gale, under reefed main topsail
and storm staysail.
\ She was heading directly toward me. This
afforded me CLEAN Of hope. If / could but
arrest her attention, thought should be res
cued. forgot that it would first be necessary
to throw her into the wind, and that the risk Of
her broaching-io in this maneuvre would prob
ably prevent her paying any attention 10 my
! cries.
On she came, racing like some mad courser,
| yet riding the gigantic billows buoyantly as a
bird. Now half enveloped in the driving foam
now rolling her vast yard-arm almost to the
water-now showing her keel as far back as
the dripping fore-chains, she presented spec
tacle OF the most terrible sublimity. The scene
around, too, added TO the awful majesty Of the
picture. Just as she arose on a colossal wave,
in the trough Of which was buried an i'm
mense distance beneath her, flash Of lightning
: slant, the clouds rolled away behind her, as if
lifted like curtain, and the sun burst forth in
all. his glory. Never shall forget The sight !
The after part Of the gallant ship was buried
in the crest Of the wave, which, beating over
her quarter, flew into the maintop ITSELF Her
forePart had outrun the biIlow, and hung for a
second suspended over the abyss Then like a
falcon STOPPING from its height, she swooped
down into the gulf, the wild waters roaring af-
ter her, like wolves in pursuit Of their prey.
She was somewhat TO leeward of me, bu,
nevertheless shouted with all nv might,
again and ngnin.
Il was in vain. Her crew clinging to the
rigging, were all engaged each in his own
preservation, and no more noticed The half
buried figure calling to them, than they OBJ
served The seabrd that, like IN avant cour-
ier, swept the blIlow before them. | shout-
ed, | shrieked, | waved my arm franIically
over my head. But all 10 no purpose.
heard Ihe-ferce bubbling of the waters as the
mighty ship tore through them cIoseal hand;
| caught glimpse of The pale and terrified
faces ol her crew, cleaning OUT in the angry
light Of the setting sun and then the visitor
passed, Titanic wave upheaved between
US, and was alone.
Alone on The llimilable ocean! Alone
while night was drawing on! Alone with
no chance of escape remaining! Far, far 10
leeward, just visible occasionally over the dis
tant surges, saw my own vessel; but except
this, the horizon was without speck.
l burst into tears. The tension Of my
nerves had been unnatural they now gave
way; and, as saw nothing bur death be-
fore me, wept like child. Yet still it was
the thought Of my mother that affected me,
not any consideration of self. My whole
past life rushed in review before me. saw
myself at my mothers knee looking and
wondering as she taught me TO pray. was
boy going TO school, now chasing butter.
fly, now watching the angler from the viii
lage bridge, but ever lettering on my way
] saw my little sister die, and after her, one
by one, in that season Of terrible epidemic,
my four brothers. | followed my father 10
the grave, the last victim Of that pestiIenco !;
wept with my surviving parent; promised
always 10 stay with her was her all ia all.
And lhen with the fight Of years, came other
pictures. was older and more adventurous.
but, fear not wiser nor better. A strange
longing for the sea had seized me. had
secretly joined ship sailing to The Mediter-
ranean, and was now on my return. But,
ulas! was never 10 see that happy home
again. The aVenging bolt Of God had over.
taken me. No mother would ever weep
above my ashes, mo kind hand would deck
the sod with flowers. My doom was 10 be
tossed to and fro, midway down Tire depths
Of ocean, until the trumpet Of The archnRgel
should sound.
The night began 10 close in. Darker and
darker The shades Of evening fell around the
waste of waters, and the wind, as i Went BY,
seemed moaning my requiem. Occasionally