The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1853-02-23
10
The Pilots Story.

hard blow from the eastward was over us,
and the breeze had sprung up from the
westward.
We were running out under jib and
mainsail, when, early in the morning, we
made something on the weather bow
which looked like wreck, which we knew
in reason it couldn't be but there not be-
ing any sails in sight, and, as we had
plenty of time, we luffed up to see what
it was. That's what people ought al
ways to do, whether they have time or
not. God knows how many poor fcl-
low has stood alone on wreck when
vessel has passed in plain sight, supposing
it to be abandoned. All! yes, it was a
bandoned after that vessel passed on, and
the agony of despair endured by that
poor soul rs the sail disappeared in the
horison, was balance in the scale of hui
man joy; and wo to all the happiness
those cruel, careless dcsertcrs ever known.
Oh! l wish that people could think of
this for what is the satisfaction of a few
hours shorter passage, to that of rescuing
a fellow creature, or having the will to do
so, from miserable death. Yes, a man
who from such motives has boarded
wreck, even should it prove that there
was no one on board of her, can fill away
his maintopsail again, with feeling of
greater satisfaction with himself for having
done his duty, than if the whole world
had congratulated him upon having madr
the shortest passage of the most profitabiv
voyage on record.
However, as We hauled our wind, YOU
see it was no credit to us, it not being out
of the way of our cruise. Pretty soon we
made it out it was vessel bottom up,
and might be hundred and fifty tons
or so. She was so far under that we
could not make out her name and don't
know as we did it for any thing in par
ticular, but rs the sea was smooth, we
launched the canoe and went alongside
and some Of ms got upon the vessels bot
tom. Think of our surprise on hearing
some one knocking from the inside! At
first we thought it might be some of the
cargo floating about in the wreck but as
we listened, we heard indistinctly, but
surely, human voice.
Instantly returning to the boat, we pro-
cured the few tools that were on board
"A3 oSS, holSiSt, Sd"-auu CotH-
menced cutting hole near the larboard
bow; but in our haste the axe went over
beard upon tie first blow, and was lost
and this carelessness, how bitterly was it
afterwards repcnted Of! Well, we work
ell away with the hatchet and the saw, so
that in few moments we made hole in
the plank under which we had heard the
noise, large enough for person to show
his face, aud for us to hear from below the
shout of JOY of those who hailed us as
their deliverers. Never were men destin
cd to be moro disappointed than thes'
poor wretches were. For a few moment
dawned upon them, that we, instead o
saving them, were sending them to n NOR,
speedy destruction, there came a contras
no pen can describe, nor tongue can tell
The hole which we had made, although
not large enough to extricate a man, al
lowed the air, which had kept the vesse
atioat to escape, and,to our horror,wc saw
that the vessel was every minute sinking
we ourselves coming nearer to the surf,cc
of the water.
We worked with the hatchet and the
saw with all the energy men are capable
OF, but could only cut the plank. In vain
we hacked with our little hatchet upon
the close timbess Of the schooner. Our
ave we woOd have given worlds for it
now; 1t might have saved them. But
soon they, as well as ourselves, began to
perceive that all our exertions were use
less; and they crowded to the small aper-
lures We had made, putting through their
hands, and seizing ours with convulsiyc
grasps.
They cursed the light which had broke
upon them the sooner to shroud them in
eternal darkness and then theY vehement.
ly implored forgiveness.
Amidst this confusion, tlsc captain Of
the schooner made his way to the OPEN
ing, and arresting the disorder from be-
meath, asked Of us in cool manner and
perfectly calm voice, how much of the hull
seemed yet to be out of the water. We
told him, and then heard him communi-
eating the information to those below, and
give his orders to maintain silence. while
he related to us lis story, which vas ne
cessarily short.
They were from an eastern port, bound
10 Charleston, nearly in ballast. When
they were capsized in the late gale two
men were lost; but most Of them being
below, as the schooner was lying to, they
were able, upon her going lotion up, to
get through the runscuttle into tie hold.
The confined air had held the vessel up
till now but they had despaired of sue
cor, knowing how improbable it was that
the wreck should be seen, or if seen, that
any would search for them.
Thus they had been for four days, hav-
ing found sufficient provisions for subsis-
tence, but without expectation of release: /:
they had resigned themselves to fate
that seemed inevitable. But when thew
heard the sounds Of our footsteps. then
they thought their preservation sure--but
now their disappointment was the phren-
zy Of despair.
But that captain was n man There
no hung on by the floor timbers, and told