Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-06-11
A THRILLING INCIDENT.

The Rev. Mr.. PRIME, of the editors of the New
York Observer, who recently went to England in the
packet ship Devonshre, has written home two very in
terestng descriptive letters of his trip the Atlantic
In less than fifteen days they in sight of the English
coast having changed the Of the ship from
the time the pilot left them off Sandy Hook When with
in few hours sail of Portsmouth, fell overheard
and was drowned The scene Mr.. PRIME thus describes:
AMAN OVERHEARD
ADril 23d-EUeninq full moon rose on the sea- and
hung from the sky like silver globe with acoarness and
beauty that have The ship sailing well
breeze and walked the deck in the enjoyment Of
of the most delightful evenings One after another of the
passengers below and only few of the younger and
romantic remained look out the rejecting
the beams Of riding far in the heavens 1t
nearly midnight when the cry shot through the ship
piercing every and heart, man overheard" Except
the cry Of fire sound ship is more terrible.
For days you been thinking every time you looked
the deep through which the ship is running of the
helpless and hopeless fate Of him who shall be east into the
when the fearful word is given in that tone of
mingled fear and pain which the fact extorts there sink
ing Of the heart if each one had friend now perishng
Mr. Moore the second mate had assistant In the ships
carpenter who had acted during the passage
had miserable He fne-ooking young man.
and tho only Of all the who had interested the
sengers lie had been down in staeroom and told
thing of his history His parents in Holland, and he
whom he be married May and they were to re-
America spend their days His very
gentle and he looked and spoke he had m the comforts
Of home, and had entered life for which he formed
My heart had gone him. and IN return for
kindness he had done thinking what present
should make him before going ashore when at the instant the
shout made and this noble fellow the pride of the
was struggling in the pitiless waters
Mr.. Moore him, and had given order to bear
of the boom from the side Of the ship this stepped
tho bulwarks the outside pushed against the BOOM the
topping lift gave way, and he pitched forward head first into
the The ship shot by him moment Nothing thrown
could reach him His cries Of agony up cutting
the heaoh bitterly that il would have been mercy to
be deaf The mate with admirable promptness gave the
order put the ship about Ready about Luf round Hard
lee Tacks and Sheets mantopsas haul; let go and haul
Then he eaped the boat and cried Put the helm hard
down. Lower away the quarter boat Never shall forget
the look Of the he screamed give knife,
KNIFE taking from sailor he passed through
ain men, in" and four fellows eaped in with him, and
down 1t went upon the ocean, little shell Of thing sent
forth to seek to that which lost. wanted 90
with him. they uck out into the deep under that full
moon at midnight look for drowning brother felt that
their errand noble though Of them should live to
tread the deck alive again.
Then gathered the stern Of the ship and looked out
into night and the watch the IL light
enough that falling fast the cheeks Of
that xious group Some Of prayed IL all
could do The little boat was out Of sight We could
hear the shouts they sent reach II II might be the
Of the strong swimmer in his agony and then all
SILENT the wind among the cordage and the heavy flap
ping the sails the ship lay dark spot the
waves the fash Of the dripping oars in the moonlight met the
eye and knew they coming. The mate was soon
standing the helm Our impaence would not brook
delay, and the cry All we?" ourhearts stood
still for the half spoken No" murmured along the
waters and that the brave fellow among the
dead SO suddeny fearullyl To be swept from
US in the midst Of life and hope There were many many
tears Of sympathy that night and when went below and
sleep, the vision Of eow-beng struggling in the
pillows around drove slumber from eyeds and when
it did come the vision remained among my dreams.