Butte record., 1855-11-17

with almost dazzling briliancy, as they
rose up and drifted lazily off to the lee
ward
We were now within three miles of
her the masts, rigging and bulwalks
were already gone, but the infammable
nature Of her carg' oil, she being a
honeward bound whaler, caused the
flames to ascend to an immense height.
twisting and curling like fiery serpents,
and finally disappearing in a dense col
/ umn OF black smoke, which rose almost
perpend cularly, as if unwilling to leave
the scene of destruction.
The wind had been gradually dying
away as we approached, and the gentle
swell and ripple of the sea momentarily
caught and reflected the light from their
SUBMITS in thousand gorgeous hues,
while the concave space between tool,
the deep metallic tint Of Furnished steel,
ever varying with the changing motion,
like the beads of kaleidoscope
The frightened sea birds circlcd round
and round the flaming mass terror strick-
en- at the unwonted illumination of their
waiery domain, and yet impclled by an
irresistible Influence to keep ever near
Soaring high in air, with ou'stretched
neck and wildly beating p'nioa, they ap-
preached to the very verge Of the fiery
column, lowering for a moment with
motionless wing, in seeming indecision
whether to plunge at once iuto the new
and terrible element, then with sharp
discord and cry, darting swiftly away,
their snowy Pinions cleaning Whitley for
an instant, ere they disappeared in the
surrounding gloom.
Having approached to within half a
mile to windward, the studding sails
were taken in, the fore and mizzen yards
braced sharp up, and the maintopsail lail
to the mast 1t had now fallen to al
most a complete calm, the Kissing and
and cracking of the flames only break
ing the stiffness.
Having hove the ship to, we commen-
ced firing guns for the purp Sc of at
ira acting the attention of the crew, who
we imagined had taken TO their boats,
and were still in the vicinity, as no
shipwrecked sailors would ever dream of
quitting thr spot while such signal Of
distress as a burning vessel remained to
attract to their rescue. The firing was
continued at short intervals for nearly
an hour, but as no answer was returned
and we saw nothing Of the boats we came
to the conclusion that the crew had al
ready been picked up ; and were about
squariug away the main yards when
slowly emerging from behind the smoke
and fame which had before hidden it
from US, small top all schooner made
its appearance, and slowly ranged ahead
within speaking distance to the wind
ward
The schooner, from its size and ap-
pearance, We rightly Judged to be
coaster. No event could have given US
greater pleasure than thiss meeting. for
we had not heard a word from home for
the preceding eight months, and had
been anxously expecting TO fall in with
some American vessel ever since leav-
ing St. Helena 1t was therefore with
considerable qualification that we heard
in reply to our hail, the answer came
across the water that the schooner was
from New Providence, and Consequently
possessed of much later news than our
selves.
The first questions were of course
concerning the crew ofthe burning ship.
They had seen nothing Of them but sup
posed they must have been picked up by
a large ship which had passed them
about six hours before at any rate, as
the captain of the schooner remarked,
the fact of their not being there was con-
elusive evidence that they were some
where else, position which we were not
preparee to contest he also informed
us that the ship must have been burning
for some time, as he had seen the light
for twenty-four hours, while beating up
from the leeward.
Then followed questions Of home
Who is President
'Gin'r al Taylor answered the officer
ofthe schooner, and three rouslng cheers
went up from our deck, although it must
be owned, we would have cheered gust
as loudly had it been any one else and