Southern sentinel. [volume] (Plaquemine, Parish of Iberville [La.]) 1848-1858, 1857-05-30
PLAQUEN1INE PARISH OF IBERVILLE, La, MAY 3d. 1857.

the knowledge which he had thus gained
in theory, now stood him in good stead.-
He had heard of keeping a ship before it
in squaIl, aud of scudding in gale-and
the duI-saiIlug, clumsy boat was his ship.
The theory which he had learned, he pro-
cecded to put into practice; and when the
first mad gust of the yelling tornado fell
upon the launch, she was going off dead
before the wind--otheTwise her sail would
have been blown away, or she would have
been swamped in an instant. AS it was,
she went flashing on through the wild
storm and screaming surges, scudding a.
way, right out into the mighty wilderness
of waters.
Ten, fifteen minutes went by, and still
the war Of elements went on in all its terri
Bile fury; and still the brave, little fellow
stood there at the hcIn, bare headed, his
cap blown away, his clothes dripping with
water, and steady to his purpose, steered
his tiny bark on and away before the
fierce, bowling blast.
Once only he faItered, and that was
when the launch quiyered for moment
on the crest of "a mighty surge, and then
went reehng and plunging, standing al
most on end, down into the kissing vortex
Of the liquid ravine. Then, a single,
quick cry of horror escaped the boys lips:
but the next moment, Jenny crept up to
his side, laid her hand upon his shoulder
and spoke in low, soothing tone, that
almost instantly called back his confs
dence, and ELECTED from his lips a cry of
admiration for his sisters heroisnl.
Don't be frightened, dear Willie
spoke the little angel. Mother says that
God watches over people that live on the
sea. And don't you remember, brother,
how often our dear mother has told lis
that Jesus loved little children? If God
watches over US, and Jesus loves US, we
shall be safe. So, don't be afraid
Night-dark, wild and gloomy night,
came down upon the world Of waters, and
still the terrible tornado ragged in all its
horrors of wind, lightning, rain and thun-
der; and there, in their fraiI, open boat,
we will leave the hapless young yoyagers
speeding on and away right out into the
very heart of the vast Atlantic. We will
bid them adieu, and glance back to their
home-to their fond mother, rendered
desolate in heart by the dread calamity
that has fallen upon her in the loss Of her
children.
st the moment when the children first
embarked, Mrs. Walton had glanced out
towards the cove, and for few minutes
she watched them with all mothers
fond pride, as she saw them saiting to and
from on the quiet waters of the bay; and
then some visitors called, and she forgot
her children till just as the storm came
down, when neighbor came rushing in
with the heart-rending intelligence that
the launch had been seen only a few mi
nutes previously, several miles out to sea.
The first terrible shock almost killed
her; but soon rallying all her woman's
energy and mothers love, she rushed forth
from her home and regardless Of the furious
storm, aroused her neighbors, and besought
them with all the eloquenee called up by the
deep anguish of her rven heart, TO lend their
aid in the recovery Of her lost darlings.
There was no vessel at Rockaway or FaIk>
ner's Island, and to venture out TO sea in such
storm with such small craft as were kept az
long the shore, were worse than madness; and
so immediate dispatches were sent to New
York, mol only to the owners Of the ship com"
manded by Capt. Walton, but to the pilots,
and within an hour after the news reached the
city, two of the staunchest pilot boats, manned
by extra picked crews of gallant souls, were
under way and speeding on their swft~winged
course in search Of the lost children.
Mrs. Walton herself hastened to the city, to
urge with her presence and influence, more
prompt acton but the two vessels had been
poue an hour when she arrived, and SO she re"
paired to the house of Mr.. Alvin, the owner of
tile ship her husband commanded, to await the
return of those who had so nObly gone forth in
that mad storm in search of her three darlings.
Leaving her there in a state of fevered anx-
iety, hoping in the very teeth OF despair, we,
too will 90 forth into the wild, yelling gale, to
look upon most sublime ocean picture.
1t was an hour past midnight-dark as the
deepest, gloomest cells of an inquisitoral dun.
geon, save when the vivid lightning's flash lit
up The Cimmerian blackness with glare
rivaling that of the brightest noon day sun.
Some ninety miles to the eastward of Sandy
Hook, lay hove to noble ship, inward bound,
in one of the most terrific gales that ever swept
along the northern coast Of America. The
gale had set in an hour before sundown, and
ever since dark the ship had been hove to un-
der the shortest possible canvass, heading up
west southwest, with the gale coming in Vio-
lent squalls out at due northwest.
DO you think there is any danger to US or
the ship captain 2 inquired one of three pas
sengers. who stood near the commander of the