Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1855-03-24

loF tiie launch Oh the hrst frlgate, the Sultanl
bahri Half Marseilles was present. The
| sub-prciect was there--not officially but offci-
0uSly (Whateyer that subtle distinction may be-
Crowds Of beautiful ladies, as beautifully dress
| ed, were in the tribunes round the sides of the
| slip; the Sultani Bahri was dressed out with
| flags, and aboard her was the great Eifnndi
himself, with his secretary, his interpreter, his
| pipe-bcarer, and the amateur, or ship builder.
The sight of ship launch is to the full as
exciting as any race. The heart beats time to
| the clicking of the hammers that are knocking
The last impediments away, and when the mighty
mass begins to move the spectator is in tire
NOR OF doubt, and hope and fear When the
| ship rights herself, and indeed walks the wa
| ter like thing of lfe the excitement is ire
mendous; he must shout, he mast congratulate
himself his next neghbor, everybody, upon the
successful completion of the work
Now, everything had been looked to, thought
Of, prepared for, the triumphant launch of the
Sultani Bahri. The only obstacles between
her and the waters We're certain pieces of wood,
| technically called in England (I know not what
their French name may be- doghorSes, and
these we're being knocked away by the master
| shlpwrigFlt. This operation, | may remark,
was formerly considered so dangerous, tllat in
the royal dockyards it was undertaken by cou-
yicts, who obtained their liberty if they accom-
| plshcd their task without accident Just as
| the first stroke OF the hammer became audible.
/ DemetrluS the Diver, who had hitherto been
concealed among the crowd, plunged into the
water and swan right across the track that
the frgatc would probably take on its release
| from the slip. \ cry of horror burst from the
crowd as he SWAIN directly towards the ships
| STEM for the vessel had begun to move and
every one expected the rash diver to be crush
ed or drowned. But, when he was within ,l
few feet OF the frigatc, Demetrills the Diver
| threw up his arms held them aloft for mo
nlent IN q menaclng manner, then quietly sub
sided on to his back and foated away with the
tide. The Sultani Bahri slid down her WAYS
to a considerable extent, she was even partial
ly in the water, but she walked il by no means
like thing of life, for her stern began to set
tie down, and if the truth mnst be told the new
frgatc of his Imperial Highness the Sultan
stuck in the mud
They tried to screw her off. to weigh her of,
to float her of, but in vain When ship sticks
| in launching, there is frequently no resource
but to pull her to pieces where she sticks. and
this seemed to I've the most probable fate in
store for the Sultani Bahr The Effendi was
i'll fury. The ship-buiEder was disconsolate
bat the Frenchman only ascribcd the misadyen-
ture to the cliimsiliness of his shpwright where
as the MoSlem, superstitious like the majority
of his co coreligonists vowed that the failure was
solely owning to the evil eye Of the Giaour di-
yer, Demetrus Omeros Had the Enendi been
| i'll his own land, a very short and summary pro-
ceS; would have preserved all further ship
| launches from the troublesome presence of De
nletrus Omeros and his evil eye: but at Mar
seilleS, III the department of the Bouches due
Rhone, the decaPitation, bowstringing, or drown
ing, of even rayah was not to be thought of
So, the Eiendi was obliged tObe satisfied with
giving the srictest orders for De'netri's eXclu
sion from tie sh;pbuilder's yard in future and
after delay of some months the second frigate
(the first was rotting in the mud) was ready
for launching.
Anxiety was depicted on the Effendi's face
as he broke q bottle of sherbet over the bows
of the frgate, and named her the Achredie
Immediately afterwards cry burst from the
crowd of " Demetri Demetri the Diver :" and
rushing along the platform which ran round the
vessel, the Eifendi could descry the accurscd
diver holding up his arms as before, and doubt
less hlighting the onward progress Of the Ach-
medic with his evil eye.
Evil or not, precisely similar disaster over
took the second frigate, and the launch WAS 3
lamentahle failure The shipbuillier was in de
spair The Eifendi went home to his hotel,
cnrSng and was about administering the basti-
i,ado to his whole household as relief to his
feelings, when his interpreter, shrewd Greek,
one YaEni, ventured to pour the balm OF adj
vice into the ear Of Indignation.
EfTendi." he said that diver is doubtless
a cunning man. magician. and by his spells
and incantations has arrested the ships of my
lord the PaCisha whom Allah preserve in their
progress But he is rayah and Greek and
q rogue Of course. Let my lord the Ffiend
bribe him. and he VIII remove his spells
. Iou are all dogs and sons Of dog
answered the EiIcnai. eraciouSly, but out of
your mouth, devoted to the slipper, O Yanni.
comes nuch wisdom Send for this issue Of a
mangy pig. this diver with the evil eye
nemetri was sent for and in due time made
his appearance. not So much as salaaming to
the Efenii, OF even removing his hat The
envoy of the Sultan was sorely tempted 10
begin the interview hy addressing himself
through the intermrtiiatioa OF a bamjoo to tue
soies oI the Divers feet but fear Of the sIlp
perfect and his gendarms. and indeed. OF the
magical powers OF the diver himself prevented
him
." noz and slave = ne said, politely. dog
tha; w"uld cet garbage o,,, of the shop Of 3
jew butcher wherefore hast thou hewtrhrd
the siiIT oi our lord and Caliph the Sultan
MahRoad -
- am BOT come here 10 swallow dirt,
answered the diver cools, and If sonr words
are for dogs. open the window and thro" thcIn
out. Ii YOU want any lining with "a man WHO.
in Franeistan is as gool as an EHendi, state
your wishes
The ships. slave, the ships :"
The first two stack in the mad" aid ttla
Greek "aml the third with the blessings af
Heaven and St George OF Cappadoria, wiIlno
more float than n canno,-,,aH