The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1853-07-07

above all, destined, perhaps, to solve our
great social problem, by the frugal inexpen-
sive labor of the Chinese Empire.
[N. Y. Times.
A MAN OVERHEARD.
! The Rev. Mr.. Prime, one of the editors
Of the New York Observer. who recently
went to England in the packet ship Devon
shire has written home two very interest
| ing descriptive letters of his trip across the
Atlantic. When within a few hours sail of
Portsmouth, man fell overheard. The
scene is thus described:
April %, Erening.-The full moon rose
on the sea and hung out from the sky like a
silver globe, with clearness and beauty
that have never seen. The ship was sail
ing well under a fair breeze, and We walked
the deck in the enjoyment of one of the
most delightful evenings. One after an
other the passengers went below, and only
few Of the younger and more romantic
remained to look out on the waves reflect
ing the beams of the moon now riding far
up in the heavens It was nearly midnight
when the cry shot through the ship piercing
every ear and heart s.a man overheard. =
Except the cry of fire, no sound on ship is
more terrible.
For days you have been thinking every
1 time you look over into the deep through
which the ship is rushing, OF the helpless
and hopeless fate of him who shall be cast
into the sea; and when the fearful word is
given in that mingled tone of fear and pain
which the fact extorts, there is sinking of
the heart as if each one had friend now
perishing. Mr.. Moore, the second mate,
had an assistant in the ships carpenter.
who had acted as seaman during the pas
sage, as we had miserable crew. He was
a fine looking young man, and the only one
OF all the men who had interested the pas
sengers. He had been down in my state
room, and told me something Of his history
i His parents were in Holland, and he was
on his way to visit them. A young woman
was on board to whom he was to be married
in May, and they were to return to America
to spend their days. His manners were
very gentle, and he looked and spoke as if
he had felt the comfort of home, and had
entered life for which he was not formed.
Ny heart had gone ont to him, and in return
for some acts of kindness he had done to me,
| was thinking what present should make
| him before going ashore, when at the instant
the shout was made, and this noble fellow,
the pride of the men, was struggling in the
pitiless water.
Mr. Moore was near him, and had given
an order to bear off the boom from the side
of the ship-this man stepped over the bull
warks on the outside, pushed against the
boom, the topping lift gave way, and he
pitched forward, head first into the sea.
| The ship shot by him in a moment No
thing thrown over could reach him. His
cries of agony came up cutting the heart,
! O., so bitterly, that it would have been a
mercy to be deaf. The mate, with admira-
bic promptness, gave the order to put the
ship about. Ready about; huff round; hard
lee; tacks and sheets, maintopsail haul; let
20 and HAUL Then he leaped into the
| boat and cried 'Put the helm hard down.
Lower away the quarter boat" Never shall
| forget the look of the mate as he scream
ed ..gye me knife, knite," and taking
one from sailor he passed it through the
ropes-:n men, in''-and four stout fellows
leaped in with him, and down it went upon
the ocean, a little she'll of thing sent forth
to save that which was lost. wanted to
90 with them, and as they struck out into
the deep under that full moon, at midnight,
to look for drowning brother. | felt that
their errand was noble, though none ofthem
should live to tread the deck alive again.
Then we gathered on the stern Of the ship,
and looked out into the night and sea to
watch the event 1t was light enough to
see that the tears were falling fast OH the
cheeks Of some in that anxious group.
Some of us prayed. 1t was all we could do.
| The little boat was soon out OF sight. we
could hear the shouts they sent up to reach,
| of it might be so, the ear of the "strong
swimmer in his agony" and then all was
silent, save the wind among the cordage, and
the heavy tapping of the sails as the ship
Law too. A dark spot rose on the wave; the
flash of the dripping oars in the moonlight
met the eye, and we knew they were coming.
The mate was soon seen standing at the
helm. Our impatience would not brook de-
lay, aud we sent out the cry "All well!"
Our hearts stood still for the answer; a half
spoken ..No' murmured along the waters,
and we knew that the brave fellow was
among the dead. So suddenly; SO fearfllly.
To be swept from among us i'll the midst OF
| life and hope. There were many, many
tears of sympathy that night, and when
went below and strove to sleep, the vision
of fellow-being struggling in the pillows
around me, drove sumber from my eyelids:
'
and when it did come, the vision remained
among my dreams.
A BUG VIsITATIoN.-We learn from an
authentic source, that in several of the
Northern Counties Of the State, the foliage
! of the forest trees has been, in certain dis
tricts, so generally devoured that most OF
the limbs are entirely stript Of their leaves,
by brown bug, which flies at dusk, and
settles upon them, 1t is about an inch
] long, and about quarter of an inch in
width across its back 1t has nothing pc
culiar in its appearance. During its flight
in the evening, the air is filled with low
roaring or humming noise. 1t cuts the
leaves from the trees, and the ground is
strewed with them. Often the bugs are
found in hundreds on the ground under the
trees, and the poultry OF the farm-yartls has
rich picking Gin. Com.