Kenosha tribune & telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1856-1859, 1858-02-18
A NIGHT OF PERIL.
BY cHAs. ). Peterson.

lay almost motionless, her bow slowly
lifting with the almost imperceptible
heave of the long, regular swell. There
was not sound to disturb the sRence,
except the wash of an occasional rip
pie against her side, or the impatient
whistle of a seaman. On every side the
ocean stretched away until lost in the
dim obscurity of the horizon. The blue
concave above was unbroken by clouds
except toward the east, where bank of
vap6r hung on the seaboard like thin
veil of gauze, but spicy odor impregna-
ting the air in that direction, told the
practiced seaman that what seemed only
cloud was in reality land. The beau
ty and stiffness of the scene were beyond
description, and even the rudest of the
crew, as they leaned idly over the side
seemed to feel the dreamy influence of
the hour, and forget the possibility of
peril.
| Isabel, Mr.. Thornton, and sat on the
quarter deck, enjoying the delicious
scene Gradually, welapsed into silence
The bliss of being near her whom [
loved, was enough for me, and | sat
wrapt in the deepest reveries. Sudden
ly, piercing cry broke from Isabel's
lips. 1t was cry of alarm, so startling
and wild that l turned hastily toward
her.
Her face was paler than that of death
her lips were parted in terror, her eyes
stared fearfully at some object in the
distance; and her finger pointed in the
\ dirantion &c I,ar Iool~ ,,,,;,,o,aI Ill -.
aspen. Instinctively / followed her eye.
Far down toward the African coast,
saw, scarcely discernible amid the thin
haze which hung in that direction, long
heavy cared boat; and, though the dis
lance rendered it nearly undistinguish-
able, enough could be seen to make US
certain that it, was crowded with men
| and pulling directly for US.
sprang to my feet. Isabels terror
was not without cause. Our schooner
had gone into the river Gabion to trade,
but the night before, we had detected
signs of hostility on the part of the ma
tlyes, and had escaped massacre only
by cutting the cable and putting to sea.
Shortly after daybreak the light breeze
had died away, and we had been lying
since in full sight Of the coast, till dusk,
which stretched along the horizon, a
dark, impenetrable line of woods, with
a fringe of white surf in front. knew
at once, that the negroes had only wait
ed till night-fall to follow US; and that
unless the wind arose, we were lost
looked around the horizon. There
was not a sign of breeze. Then |
calledfor alighted candle. By this time
every eye was fixed on me. The crew
gathered within short distance of the
quarter deck, anxiously awaiting orders.
The candle was brought, and held
it aloft. For some minutes the flames
streamed perpendicularly upward. At
last it slightly inclined, and finally fiared
almost horizontally outward from the
wick. Simultaneously / felt on my
cheek a nearly imperceptible puff of air.
Thank Godr cried.
But scarcely | had spoken, when the
candle burned up steadily again, and our
hearts sank within us.
There is no feeling so agonizing as
suspense. As / watched the candle, my
anxiety gradually became so intense
that could hear the pulsations of my
heart increasing in rapidity and strength
until they smote on my ear like the
strokes of a force pump. Soon, too,
sounds reached me-they were those of
the quick rolicking of oars at distance.
started and Selling night-glass, gazed
at the approaching barge, determined
to know the worst at once. | counted
no less than thirty rufianly looking ne
groes, besides several white men, as |
thought in the boat, and in the canoes
! behind.
Our own force, all told, amounted to
only ten. Sick at soul, shut the glass
and turned to the candle 1 fancied that
it hared slightly. Wetting my hand l
held it up and felt, yes! felt the water
evaporating on the palm. l turned to
the light. 1t now bent steadily over,
and finally streamed ont at right angles
to the wick, when it suddenly went out.
At the same instant / heard slight
murmur in the rigging.
All hands make SAIL / said; here
comes the breeze. Cheerily my Lads
1t is for life or death
The men sprang to the sails, and the
glad sound Of the water ripping under
our bows soon met our ears, telling us
that we were in motion. With a sud
den feeling of exhilaration turned o.
stern, and it seemed as if we had already
increased our distance from the foe
| Unconsciously uttered an exclamation
of Joy. At this instant ] heard a deep
respiration at my side. The sound pro
ceeded from Isabel, who, attracted by
my words, had read hope in my face,
and thus given utterance to her relief.
DO you think we shall eseape? she
said, eagerly.
'Ihope so-indeed am sure we shall.
| added, willing to say almostmor than
| believed IF the wind freshens We
shall soon run them out of sight
Her answering look gave me courage
to face legion of foes. | felt that !
could lay down a thousand lives sooner
than suffer her to fail into the hands OF
our pursuers.
The next fifteen minutes was passed
in a state of the most agonizing suspense,
At first, we fancied that the savages
were dropping astern, and general
feeling of relief passed through the ship.
But when l watched the barge for sew.
eral minutes, my heart misgave me, and
at most could only hope that the ruff
fans did not gain on us. Anxious to
conceal my fears,I assumed a cheerful.
ness l did not feel, and endeavored TO
! divert the minds of Isabel and her faith
ler from the contemplation of their dan
gersus situation.
At last the breeze almost died out
For the first time the savages uttered q
wild veil. or rather howl like that of fam