The Woodville Republican, and Wilkinson advertiser. (Woodville, Miss.) 1853-18??, 1853-03-15
The Pilots Story.

We were running out under jib and main
sail, when, earl in the morning, we made
something on the weatherbow which looked
like wreck-which we knew in reason Il
couldn't be; but there not being any sails in
sight and as we had plenty of time, we lufFed
up to see what it was. That's what people
ought always to do, whether they have time
or not. God knows how many poor fellow
has stood alone on wreck when vessel has
passed in plain sight, supposing it to he aban-
doned. All, yes IT was abandoned after that
vessel had passed on, and the agony Of despair
endured by that poor soul, as the sail dis
appeared in the horizon, was balance in the
scale of human JOY and wo TO all the happi-
ness those cruel and careless deserters could
ever know oh, | wish that people could
think Of this, for what is the satisfaction of
few hours shorter passage to that of rescuing
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 him
self for having done his duty, than if the
whole world had congratulated him upon
having made the shortest passage or the most
profitable voyage on record.
However, as we hauled our wind, you see il
was no credit to us, it not being out of the
way Of our cruize. Pretty soon we made il
out, it was vessel bottom up, and might be
of hundred and fifty tons or So She was
so FAR under abaft that we could not make out
her name; and, ] don't know as we did it for
anything in particular, but as the sea was
smooth. we launched the canoe, and went
alongside, and some Of us got upon the YES
sells bottom. Think of our surprise in hear
ing some one knocking on the inside At first
we thought it might be some Of the cargo
floating aboutin the wreck, but as we listened
We heard distinctly, but surely, a human voice.
Instantly returning to the boat, we procur-
ed the few tools that were on board-an axe
hatcnet and a saw, and commenced cutting
hole near the larboard, but in our haste, the
axe went overheard the first blow, and was
lost and this carelessness, how bitterly was it
afterwards repented of! We'll, we worked
away with the hatchet and saw, so that in a
few minutes we made hole in the plank,
under which we heard the noise, large enough
for person to show his face, and for us to
hear from below the shout of joy Of those who
had hailed us as their deliveres. Never were
men destined to be more disappointed than
these poor wretches were. For few mo-
ments they gave themselve up to delirium
Of ioy, and then, when the awful truth dawn
ed upon them, that we, instead Of saving
them, were sending them to more speedy
destruction-there came contrast no pen can
describe, no tongue can tell. The hole which
we had made, although not large enough to ex-
tricate man, allowed the air, which had kept
the vessel afoat TO escape, and to our horror,
we saw that the vessel was every minute
sinking, we ourselves corning near the sur
face Of the water.
We worked with the hatchet and the saw,
with all the energy men are capable Of, but
wecould only cut the plank. In vain we hack
ed with our little hatchet upon the close tim
bers Of the schooner. Our axe, we would
have given worlds for it now; it might have
saved them. But soon as they, as well as our
selves, began to perceive that all our exertions
were useless, and they crowded to the two
small apertures we had made, putting through
their hands, and seizing ours with convulsive
grasps.
They cursed the light which broke upon
them, the sooner to shroud them in eternal
darkness, then they vehemently implored for
giveness.
Amidst the confusion, the captain Of the
schooner made his way to the opening, and ar
resting the disorder beneath, asked Of us in a
cool manner and perfectly calm voice, how
much Of the hull seemed yet to be out Of wa
ter. We told him, and then heard him com
municating the information % those below,
and gave bis orders to maintain silence, while
he related to us his story, which was necessa-
rily short
They were from an eastern port, bound to
Charleston, nearly in ballast When they
were capsized in the late gale, two men lost;
but most Of them below, as the schooner was
lying to, they were able upon her going bot
tom up, TO get through the run-scutue into
the hole. The confined air had held it up
till now; but they had despaired Of succor,
knowing how improbable It was that the
wreck should be seen,'o il seen, that any
would search for them. - Z.
Thus they had been for four days. having
found sufficient provisions for subsistence but
without expectation Of release, they had re-
signed themselves TO fate that seemed almost
inevitable. But when they heard the sounds
Of our footsteps, then they thought their pre-
seryation sure-but now their disappointment
vas the Phrenzy Of despair, ~ -
But that captain was man! There he
hung on BY the floor timbers and related his
story-gave his, and the names Of bis crew
babe US good bye in firm voice, which only
faItered a. he gave bis last massage to bis vie
and children. o3
@Put your hand through" be said TO one
Of us . and let me kiss il. When you land,