Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1859-08-20

tJ .1 " ~ WeNNN
in the hold as it moved with the pitching of the
vessel. When we FIRST heard it, the sound vas
like that made by waves retiring from the narrow
gullies Of q rock; but as the night advanced, it
grew deeper and more sonorous.
There were groups in earnest consultation on
deck and a little after midnight the captain lit
his lamp in the round-house, and invited me in.
lie told me there was scarcely q chance of the ship
keeping above water for twenty-four hours, and
that be was sorry to say there were not enough
boats to cave the passengers, even if the weather
were favorable, aud that our only Glance was to
fall in with q vessel, which in that latitude was
but a poor lookout. This was not pleasant news,
considering that we were fully o thousand miles
from land. keep a brave heart, my boy" said
the captain" and if you 90 overheard, have q last
blow for it," as we sat down on the lee-hoor to a
midnight meal of corned beef and coffee.
1t may s.artle the reader if l say it is worse to
hear the recital Of a scene like this than to be in
it, yet my experience tells me it is so. There are
resources at the actual time which we never dream
OF when in safety; how else can we account for
the heroism. with which such dangers are general
ly borne2 There are stories of soldiers who have
stood, as upon parade, in a sinking ship, and
coolly fred their own death-knell as they went
down. l can we'll imagine these recitals to be
true, for that night. when death seemed to be
near, the captain and myself talked of old adven-
lures, and told quaint stories ; and though it has
often seemed strange to me since, there was moth
ing forced or unnatural in it at the time. My
companion in the cabin kept u2 q brave heart,
but lost her appetite. By the dim light of the
cabin-lamp we conversed about old times, and told
our histories to each other.
One wish with reference to our apparently inev-
table fate we both uttered, and but one-it was.
that we might go down in broad daylight. 1t was
an odd desire; hut perhaps tho darkness of the
sea made the shadow of the silent land weigh
moro heavily upon US.
The cold leaden gray of the next morning came
at length. Did ever such a morning dawn in nv
short life? Far off, over the cold waste of waters,
in the hazy light of half past three on a June NOR
ning, better eyes than mine had spied a sail. My
hrSt notice o. 1t was the rush Of the mate into the
cabin, who seized his glass with a convulsiye
grasp, and made for the top of the rouud-house.
lie said not a word until his well-trained eve was
sure OF the prize, and then, with q vol 20 that
rang wildly on the wind, cried out "a sail-aI
sail to windward? p What a scene followed The
az buC
watch turned out from the fore-deck, and in a
moment the hatchways, yet unopened. burst like a
bomb-shell. Then poured forth from below every
soul on board-man, woman and child. The
scene that followed battles description. Many for
the first time understood the immediate danger
that threatened the ship; the wild cry they had
heard a momeht before told it all. Every eye
was turned towards the direction when the CAP
tain's glass nov tpok, but scarcely one could dis
oern the black speck only just visible to s~ca-eyes.
From such a prospect, fewer still could realize the
possibility of help.i | turned from the sea to the
shivering group upon tho dsaL. All tho pent up
excitement Of the last three days burst forth in
the ecstasies Of despairing love. Mothers were
embracing their little ones, and rougher hands
that theirs were busy at gehtlor work.
AS the morning wore on. and the light was
stronger, it became eyident that there were two
vessels about eight or ten miles to windward, one
considerably in advance of the other, but both
some miles astern. AS, soon as it was of any use
we hoisied the signal of distress-the merchant
ensign inverted and, lest that should escape OBJ
Servation. we hauled up the sails so as TO show
that something was wrong. You may imagine
the interest with which every one watched the
progress of the nearest ship to zee whether she
would take any notice of US. For two long hours.
every eye was fixed on her as che came steadily
on, but without making any alteration in her
course so as to reach us. For q long time. the
stiffness OF death prevailed but when che came
iairly abreast OF us at tho distance of six or seven
miles, and threatened to pass US without the sliph-
test notice, cries hoarse with despair Glove the
wind. The cries were useless, for she was to
windward. We had no powder on board TO make
any further signal; but there can be no possible
doub. she saw us and knew our condition. She
did pass us and steered away. We found out the
nation she belonged to; but it need not be mem
toned here. Let her flag perish from our recollec
tion;but let it be known she was not Enql,sh
With redoubled anxiety. we now returned to
our second and last remaining hope. Another
hour OF weary watching, that seemed an eternity.
Her course lay q little nearer to us than ths first.
SO that We could see her move distinctly. For
awhile, our signals seemed to promise no better
success. AT length the better eyes thought thew
could discern something black moving quickly up
the head-mast; a moment mere, and a red rag
streamed on the wind. AT this instant, the mate.
who was standing on the bulwarks, looking IN.
tently through the glass, shook all over with vio-
lent emotion the glass in his hand shared its
con vulsive movement, and a moment afterwards
he sprang to the deck. and cried out, the Union
Jack !! o ye who think that flags and standards
are but the baubles of the brave, think how va
wrong the language of the hearts true chivalry
Ii we had been nearer, we should have heard that
an English voice had already given the command
to "bout ship" and have known surely that Brit
ish hands handled the tackle. 1t was not long be-
fore she veered round. and the whole breadth ofl
her canvass came to view. On she sped like an
angel OF mercy, with her wings spread to the ia.
voring gale. I knew it was quite an hour before
she could reach us, so l went straight into the
cabin. and Tor the first time in two nights I slept
soundly for just three-quarters of an hour. When
| awoke, there was a stately ship lust passing nm