Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1854-05-26
From the Bos,on Daily Times.
The Burning ship.--an Incident at Sea.
ny TRrD rEYsAiL.

managed 20 pass away time rather agiecably
without thinking ,r,hc morrow" Ono after
noon sirollcd down towards the dock 10 see
what was going on, no, with the least idea
orshipping ior had not squandcrcd all my
money, and Of course did no, feel like going
10 sea just then.
stood leaning against one Of the piles,
watching the confusion attendant upon the
departure Of the New York and Liverpool
packets. Freight was piled upon her decks
cmigrants, baggage sircwed around in admi-
rabl- disorder. | was awakened from my
rcycric by a stout, well dressed man, askiag
in o quick, sharp tone.
"wcll, NV man, do YOU wan, a ship"
"No, sir, no, to-day" ! replied.
"llov long have you been to sca''
"Flsc years, sir"
"Wba, made YOU leave YOUR ship, and who
was master ofhcr'" be asked, in quick oil,
handed manner.
"Shcwas ,oll-Capiain Johnson command
en- her, said /, answering both of his cues
,ious a, once, without us.ns any supcrnuou'
words.
My reply seemed to please him. lor he
gave me a quick glance. aud then said
81 am in wan, Of a second mate for the
Surdy, the rackc, .hip before YOU. Would
you like thc he-ihi
was almos, bcwilicrcl al the sudden pros.
rrct before me. No, twenty years Old, and
the idca of getting a second mates billet on
board fine Egr was rrca, luck.
81 am afraid ! am hardly qualified. sir" !
replied at length.
81 will risk 1t. II you arc willing and
ouick We shall &C., along. When can YOU
como on board-vc sail, tomorrow fore
noon"
"ln an hour. time Tcau have my traps in
the ship and be ready lor du,y.'
''no wan, any in ad,ance'"
"No, cir, ha,ca few dollars leit," | an.
.vcrcl.
"Thcn come wish mc io the American Con.
sul's and sign the articles - aud without
more woyi, he slrojc along, | following as
close as possible.
Ina icv minutes bad signed ms name and
found myself enrolled as second maic on board
ihc Sturdy.
"Now, Mr. Ty,ail," " said Capt, Hardy
ior such was his uame-I cHpcc, YOU will be-
ou hoard this afternoon, before ,undown."
/ shall be- ON houI before that time, sir," !
answered rs irukmy leave.
Purc,usl 90 my word, bad my clo,hc, on
board iu 800 hours time, a.l commenced my
duties. ! am not going Co cu,cr on long
depression ,o show vhl, those duties were
hlt one thing will say, ,hc man Who goes
as second mate dogs not have much time To
devote to IDLE purposes.
The ucN, jay vc haulri out, took a steam
,u-. aul before surduwn vc were Goriy mile
num Liverpool, da,hin- down ,hc lrish chan
NED with .uid.nr sails Be-, on the s,arboard
side, and iou, hundred sick s'ccrago passcu-
gers.
The Captain WAS called Tartar, We, !
though, him a pretty easy sor, OF man. II !
made an occasional bIunicr, be vas always
ready to overlook j, without any cross words.
10 fc, GO, along with him much hcllcr than
the chief mate, who. Tor one or two reasons,
did not stand very high .n h,s good Graces.
We had been ou, five days. Fortune n.
yorcd us with lIcs. winds and plenty ofthcm,
until on the evening Of tho Gith day, the
weather moderated, and by eigh, p. NJ. tie
wind had died away ,o three kno, breeze.
It was ms frs, watch, from eight To twelve.
paced the deck, thinking ofhomc, and lis.
,cuing to the loud laugh Of the cabin Passcn-
Ger, as they walked the quarter deck, smok-
ins cigars aud spinning long yarns, until To-
wards four bells, ono by one dropped oil to
their bcr,hs, and was lc0 alone.
leaned over the rail and watched the stars
and cloudlcss heavens, and then slancins along
the horison was startled by bcloldIug brgh,
llgh, about two points or our siarboard bow.
waited few minutes longer, but instead Of
decreasing i, grew larger
"Light oil ,hc slarbolrd bow, sir, ;" shouted
the lookout, suddenly waking out Of short
nap.
IL sec it," replied |, and then stepped into
the cabin to give the Captain a call
The sold man" turned out, hurried on his
clothes, and iu few minutes was scrutiniz-
ing the lIgh, through his night glass.
"what DO you think it is, sir" | asked,
after he had had good look.
The Captain did no, answer ior 4 few mo-
meu,s, but appeared to be meditating. At
las, he replied.
Give were in tie track ofwhalcrs | should
think it was one of them "trying out" but
as this is no place for whales, ! am afraid it
. is a vessel on fire."
/ though, with horror what our situation
would be in case Of fire, with so many pas'cn-
gers on board.
"Bacc the yards, and then luT about tNo
points" the captain continued, "we'll see
what we can make OF her"
I By the time the yards we're braccd, num-
Der Of the passengers had assembled on deck
couvorsins in low tones In half an hours
tu.a we had drawn near enough to make out
. that il was a ship on fire not moro than two
miles distant. In vain We whistled for
breeze to take US to the relief of the stranger