The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1857-10-29
Thrilling Narrative OF a ship.
"a Wrecked Passenger ON Board
the Central America" re-.s

| y. ~ Way apPpdI HNolouS Temark,, out i
mover embarked on a voyage with such mis-.
giyings as I felt when the Csniral America
steamed from Aspinwall. hope am not
unduly superstitious; but thrice in my life,
and thrice only, have 1 been visited with a
terrible nigbtmare--4a hideous monster re-.
sembliDg pictures, I have seen Of winged
devils, squatting on my chest, and throttling
me with its bony fingers, till I woke with a
real rattle in my throat, and clammy per-
spiration breaking from my forehead.--
Thrice, say. this horrid nightmare has Wis.
tied me. The first time,I got up, absolute
Iy unnerved, and found the house on fire,
and my younger brother beyond the reach of
rescue. Again, years afterwards, the terri
bls spectre reappeared. Il woke, sat up all
night in on agony of dread; finding all safe
when daylight came, I fancied that my fears
were ,bnseless; till the post arrived, bring
ing me tidings Of the death of ono for whom
I willingly would have surrendered my own
life. I WAS visited by the same dream the
#. ..la b e -
night before we sailed from AspinWalr.nr
would have staid behind had had the
least reasonable pretext. Bot there were
some in these Atlantic States Who wefe ana
iousIy expecting me-. lacould not disap-
point them--e especially for my dream'sssake;
| sailed, with gloomy 'forebodings which
! were at times almost overwhelming.
You have read in the published accounts
the narrative of our voyage from AspnwaH
to Havana, and from thence to sea again.
At HAVANA / was sorely tempted to wal,
for the next steamer. | did not like the
;csn%alaAmsricG; I distrusted Der when she
bore the name of George Law, and the
change of name did not tend to .iucrease my
\ 1confidenceoin her sea-worthiness. But af,
ter all, had not the courage to be sway ed
! by my fears's zasszs -
4 QGOn the morning Of Thursday, the Tptb
| when l went on deck the gale was high
| and the ship was laboring heavily. die
not at that time realize the danger that wal
approaching; IL was 80 cool ganda cep6den'
/ that derived amusement from watching tht
/ nervous fears of some of the passengers
There was ayoung boy among the. lattel
whose dread Of drowning was visible, from
his blauched iface; every wave that .ap
1proached made him, quiver and 3tremble;
could notice his teeth, chatter as. the steam
er rose over. the huge seas; when rallie'
Thin, ,he shuddereda and crossed1himself-h
lwas d. devont Catholicp the son of piou
Spanish parents. :. .tfI5assis -.
walkedIthe deck during the most Of th
lday, and toward evening scceptedsan Einvi
tation to play with some. Caiifornisa friends
The gale, therxhisuRg II the wind, the in
4 sasy sroaDihg of sheEship.she .runors of
Irregular September storm'i whichiowere al
ready afoat ariong.thc passengers, height
susd the etexcitementCo Cof sour- pleYS we be
gan with $2 so stakes--we sooamade then
twenties An open basket Of Champsgh'
4 ttood beside ds; ioassSF tive part.
I sang hilarious songsg the passed to pla!
dstill he wind went down . Q won ssvefa
4 hundred dollars, pethsbs sltheusandsA<i lksfd
l'iw ,hoissiEasq ID eFEsl nsi' .sHia sol -siR
r.slimsl