New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1854-07-07
THE DAILY CRESCENT.
A DREAM AT SEA

A gentleman with whom / was intimately ac-
quanted related to me, come years since, the
particulars of remarkable dream which he
once had at sea. He was at the time engaged
IL the China trade, and 1t was on his return
from Canton that the dream occurred 1t was
not without some hesitation that he brought
himself to tell it He assured me that he had
never before related it to any one, and wished
I might not be repeated; for he was unwilling,
he said, to expose himself to the ridicue which
naturally attached itself to the dreamer Of
strange dreams 1t was not therefore until
after his death that felt myself at liberty to
mention 1T, even in confidence, or alluie to it in
any way Nor Is it perhaps proper, even ut
TINS distance OF time, to connect his name pub
iicly with the subject; though by Withholding
Il am well aware that lessen the confidence
hat would otherwise be felt, tat least by those
70 whom he was personally known, not only in
the reality Of the dream, but in the truth Of the
lscts that Immediately followed it.
Let 1t be remembered, however, that relate
he dream and the circumstances as they were
related 60 me-that transcribe them from me
mory, aud that | held myself responsible for
The correctness Of The TRANSCRIPTION oniy
But to the subject. After stating some diff
Gultes that detained him in his passage down
the river, he said g We left our anchorage at
F'hampoa (some fifteen miles below Canton) on
Fhe morning of the second of October; the wind
q, was light but favorable, and the weather re-
lAarkably fine. Having some commercial papers
to arrange, employed myself the greater part
Of the day below. On coming upon deck found
II haG passed the outer waters, as they are
called, and were under cloud of white sail
.atiy out upon the bosom of the China Sea, then
!nnoth as a mirror, and cleaning with the yel
low rays Of the setting sun. | continued on
deck, converSing with the officers of the ship,
7lntil the close Of the first watch, when went
l1NlDw and hnrtb II ,rac linn
1wever, before fell asleep and even the con-
e'iOusness of being at sea did not leave me. |
imagined, or rather dreamed, myself still on
deck, watching the course and motion Of the
ship, and sometimes holding y vague and brief
communion with things long past and far away ;
these, however, were mere episodes the man
lrreat Of the draala was still upon the Vastly
deep, the wind, the waters, and the world
around, All at once a feeling of uncaSiness
same over me. There was n stir upon the deck !;
the wind had changed, the ship was put upon a
different tack, and under diminished sail there
was some visible storm brewing, some difficulty
ahead; when all Of a sudden small sail-boat,
with a single man in it, hove in sight at some
distance over our larboard bow Though seem
sngly upon the same tack with the ship, it was
perceived rapidly approaching us. In a few
minutes it was within cables length of US, and
apparently coming directly underour bow The
man sitting at the helm remained motiOnless in
his seat, making no effort to avoid the fate that
seemed to await him. The scene became more
and more painful, until at length the ship was
upon 1t Then came the cry and the crash in
he midst of which awoke, glad enough to end
II but dream
. On coming upon deck the next morning, |
was struck with the resemblance between the
actual state of things and many particulars of
the dream. The wind, tie weather, the course
Of tie ship, the sail she was under, the appear
tnce of the clouds, the sea- the SIX, all cores
ponded with the vision of the preceding night.
Ehe boat alone was wanting. But other thoughts
and ether objects soon to0k precedence of the
dream, and et course no mention was made of it.
y had scarcely been on deck an hour, when IT, e
man Mt the masthead called out, \ sail a
Salf' And to the inquiry Whereabout3 the
answer was, On the larboard bow, some two
II three miles off On putting the glass to
his eye, the officer of the deck described it as
lne of that class of small river rugged fishing
RATS with which the rivers and coast of China
abound, and which are not untrequently blown
III too far to regain the coast or find their way
Duck. 1t was soon near enough to be examined
ny the naked eye, and saw to my establishment
that it was the boat of the dream. 1t was
standing upon the same tack, under the same
sail, with single man on board, seated at the
helm 1t was soon perceived that he paid no
attention to the ship His cap seemed to be
pressed down go rs to rest upon his shoulders,
covering his whole head and face A rope was
made ready to be thrown to him, and he was
hailed, but no answer was returned. The boat
was soon discovered TO be half full of water, and
AS she was now within hundred yards Of the
ship, the word was given to stand by the boat
hooks All hands rushed to the larboard gun.
vale, and as she came surgng up against the
aide Of the ship, the man at the helm sunk down
mass OF putrefncton. Another man, half de-
comp sed, was discovered wallowing i'll the bot.