New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1853-04-19

Circumstance. now and then occurrence In lifetime
may bewhich seem to exalt individuals from the hum
best walks of life level with those heroes whose
has illustrated the noblest virtues Of humanity
Such reflections while listening to the nara
tive Of occurrence in the Fourth District short time
since.
It will be recolected that about ten days ago boy
drowned by the upsetting boat and his companions
rescued The facts these On the night Of the
four boys between the ages Of and sx
teen took Of in the vicinity Of the cattle
landing in Jefferson City for nocturnal excursion. The
night intensely dark and most Of the jewellers round
about had retired to rest Shortly after Of distress
frantic and loud, waited the Silly air. People
eaped from their beds and the Levee above Eighth
street, was thronged by anxious listeners For Gods
sake, send boat for little boys and drown
ing. We can't hold much longer. Oh! help "
Such the cries that carried dsmay to the heart
every listener the land and on board the shipping.
Skifs there in abundance but each by lock and
chain The solitary Waterman board the ships stood
appalled, lie incompetent without the aid of crew,
to lower boat Fainter aud fainter grew the cry 1t
was evident to all that the tragedy drew its denoe-
ment At this moment it so happened that two slaves
belonging to Mr. Fortier Csrrollton who had been
permitted to come the city in sk deeply laden with
the product of their gardens, with view to traffic
aroused from their slumbers 10 little nook among the
shipping, where guarding their Ito them) valuable cargo
they had sought harbor for the night They listened
only long enough to hear the appeal for succor wheu
their accord they pushed forward into the darkness
In raging boiling eddyng current of Ave miles hour,
reckless Of peril to themselves their little all Long
they padded about In the gloom There no longer
cry to direct their Nothing heard the
Of the torrent its dashing the adjacent shore
Most men would have been discouraged but not these
noble Africans Thinking perhaps, the sufferers had
passed by them, they directed their down the
stream until about the foot Of Jackson street. more than
mile from the Of the disaster, they abruptly
upon the object of their search There two boys
fifteen sixteen years. cngng with benumbed but des-
perste energies to the fra wreck while little urchn Of
seven eight had managed by twisting the chain of the
around hs to for the time his perous
position. They instantly removed to the already
laden sk of the noble hearted slaves and
In safety to the shore On landing complete was their
exhaustion induced not more by their efforts preser.
walton than the temperature Of the water at this
cuar of the year. that for time of them
unable to stand erect They related that soon after
starting from the Shore their ra bark had been
by the caused by passing steamboat that
Of the little companions Of their anticipated sport had
Immediately sunk to rise
But the benevoence of their tawny rescuers did not
stop here. Seeing the little fellows shverng from their
exposure the negroes Immediately doed their blanket
coats in which, after being closely enveoped they were
taken possession Of by the watchmen and restored to
their homes Since that nothing has been heard
of the whereabouts of those saved from imme
date death of the garments dnterestedy youc-
safed for their after comfort
We venture to say that familiar with the locali
ties and the circumstances Of the case will hesitate to
pronounce this feat Of noble sefdevotion rarely equal
led In the days Of ancient Rome would have secured
to each of the actors ec but these poor slaves
are destined to remain unknown and unrecompensed
unless our Common Council take action in the matter
II we mistake not there is provision in the laws Of
our State securing freedom to a slave who shall have
saved the life of bis master any of his family In
saving the life of his slave may be impeed by
motives of fear, duty affection but exalted at
tributes than these called in requsion when slave
pers his safety the lives of mere strangers
from destruction. CO