Marshall County Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1855-1859, 1856-04-24


bered up her side There was low moan
i'll the water, which sounded warninoly In
our ears, and told of a swift approaching
danger. What was to be done, must be
done speedily. We hurried forward. Rim
mer rushed to the cabin | went forward
to descend into the hold. l descended the
ladder | walked into the engineers room.
All was empty here, all was water. The
waves of the ocean had entered, and were
sporting with the works Of man. | went
into the freight-room. Suddenly | was
startled by an appalling noise upon the deck.
The heavy footsteps of some one running
as though in mortal fear, or most dreadful
haste, sounded in my ears. Then my heart
throbbcd wildly; for it was fearful thing
to hear, far down in the silent depths of the
ocean.
Pshaw! it's only Rimmer.
hurriedly ascended the deck by the first
outlet that appeared. When 1 speak of hur-
ry, | speak of the quickest movement pos
sible when encumbercd with so much arm
or. But this movement of mine was quick
l rushed upwards; l sprang out on the
deck.
1t was Rimmer!
He stepped forward and clutched my arm.
He pressed it wi.ha convulsivc grasp, and
pointed to the cabin.
| attempted to go there.
He stamped his foot, and tried to hold
me back. He pointed to the boat, and
implored me, with frantic gestures, 10 go
up.
1t is appalling 10 witness the horror
struck soul trying to express itself by signs
1t is awful to see these signs when no face
is plainly visible, and no voice is heard
could not see his face plainly, but his eyes,
through his heavy mask, glowed like Goals
of fire.
Il will eo.'' l exclaimed. sprang from
him. he clasped his hands together, bu,
dared not follow.
Good heavens! thought, what fearful
thing is here? What scene can be so dread
FIJI as to paralyze the soul of Il practiced
diver. | will see for myself.
| walked forward | came to the cabin
door. entered the forward saloon, but
saw nothing. a feeling of contempt came
to me. Rimmer shall not come with me
again, | thought Yet was awe-struck.-
Down in the depths of the sea there is on
ly silence-oh, how solemn! l paced the
long saloon which had echoed with the
shrieks of the drowning passengers. All
there are thoughts which sometimes fill
the soul, which are only felt by those to
whom scenes of sublimity are familiar.-
Thus thinking. l walked to the afer-cabiu
and entered-
Oh, God of heaven!
!, Had not my hand clenched the door with
grasp which mortal terror had made con-
vulsive, should have fallen to the floor.
stood nailed to .he spot. For there before
me stood a crowd of pcople-mcn and wo-
men--caught in the last death struggle by
the overwhelming waters, and fastened to
the spot, each in the position in which
death had found him. Each one had sprung
from his chair at the shock of the sinking
ship, and wi h one common emotion, all
had started for the door But the waters
of the sea ha l been too swift for them. Lo
then-some wildly grasping the table, 9th
ers the beams, others the sides of the cab
in-there they all stood. Near the door was
a crowd of people, hcaped upon one anoth-
er--somc on the floor, others rushing over
them--all seeking, madly, to gain the out
let. There was one who sought to clam
Der over the table. and still was there, hold
ing on to iron post. So strong was each
convulslve grasp, so fierce the struggle of
each with death, that their bold had not yet
been relaxed but each one stood and look
ed frantically to the door.
To the door--good Cod To me, to me
they were looking! They were glancing at
me all those dreadful, those terrible eyes!
Eyes in which the fire OF life had been dis
i placed by the chilling CLEAN of death Eyes
which still glared, like the eyes of the ma
Mac, with no expression. They froze me
with their cold and icy stare. They had
no meaning, for the soul had gone. And
this made it still more horrible than it could
have been in life; for the appalling contor-
ton Of their faces, expressing fear, horror
despair. and whatever else the human soul
may feel, contrasting with the cold and
CLASSY eyes, made their vacancy more fear
ful. He upon the table seemed more fend-
ish than the others, for his l.ng, black hair
was dishevclcd, and floated horribly down;
and his beard and mustache, all looscned
by the water, gave him the grimncss of a
demon. Oh, what woe and torture, what