The Kenosha telegraph and tribune. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1859-1860, 1859-10-06
STORY OF "A BURNING SHIP.


ehen atflirs of Importance required my
-eely appea'a zee in ay. The decay which
soud .,aYe occurred in 81 ming to New Yok
, epbask. aud ,h Inconvenience OF travelling
y land &C thst time, induced me TO engage q
eas>age at once in a vessel that was sbou. to
sail from Charleston, laden with cotton for MAJ
Lies. The ship was COMMANDED by Captain
-. who was also owner of her cargo.
Without any nOeworthy occurrence, we had |
arrived within u few Gays sail of the coast of
Spain when we spoke ship which hah lust |
come from Marseilles the vessels changed the la
test papers of their respective counties. When
the French gazettes were opened within our
ship, our captain read with unexpected delight
iat so small was the supply of cotton in the
narset, aud so strong the demand for it, that
he next vessel which alr;ved with freight of
it, night command any price which the averice
Of the ownel should dictate. The wind, which
had been for some days setting little toward
he south, was at .h> time getting around to the
! east, and promised to ffing Us without delay To
The Mediterranean. Thl captain perceived.
hat by awaiting himself to the utmost, of this
refreshing breeze, he might pretty certainly
realize splendid fortune, a consideration which
AS he had for years struggled with little success
i'll the pursuit of wealth, filed him with the most
| enthusiastic joy. Every sale was expanded t"
the wind, and we advsuced with the greatest
rapidly.
On the following mo,ning light was deserted
to The west, apparently directly IN the course
i(shic AZ " q ppHa
however, it fell considerably to The south Of Us.
and we perceived that il, was ship on fire.
The light increased every moment, and the sig
nal guns fell upon our ear with distressing IA
pility. The captain at ibis time was pacing
the deck, as he had done almost cOstantly since
the intelligence had reached him from he pass
ing yer sci or The restlessless Of expectation
scarcely allowed him TO repose FIR moment
His eyes we're directed resoMteiy toward the
north-and the light now glared unshunabi@~
and the commoEion and exclanaiion of tb'
engers could not be unnoticed.
never fell npon the object whic'
others.
After few moments of intense
excitement among she passengers and
Tic slieHCe OF inc captAln, the steers
ed to him and asked if he should net tn
| the DISTRESSED vessel but the other rudel
ed him to attend to his own concerns .rtle
while after, at the solicitation of the whole COM
| pany on board, went up to the captoin and
said to him, that deemed it my duty to inform
him of the universal desire of his crew that re-
lief should be given to the burning shi }. He
-al !, 81.
and that he should only lose the wind and i'm .
mediatey went down TO the cabin and locked
the door.
| He was kind hearted man by nature, and
! IN oIdiE1rv OCCASIONS, few wpad htv. ia gen
greater trouble to benefit fellow being Bur
the prospect of riches WAS 10 mlch for his viz
tue the hope of great gain devouered all the
better feelings of his nature. and mads his heart
rs hard a stone. If his moth,r had shreked
from the flames. do not belle We thai he would
have turned from his course.
The crew, in this condition of things had moth
ing to do but lament the masters cruelty, and
submit to it. They watched the fiery mass, CON
cious that large number of their brethren were
perishing within their sight, who by their efforts
might probably be say d. Ii was not for seve.
raj hours that the captain appeared again upon
deck, and from his appearance then, l imagine
that the conflict during his solitude must have
been severe and trying. l stood near him as he
came up. His face had rigid ye' anxious look;
the countenance Of q man who brared, yet fear
cd some shock. His back was turned trum the
quarter fro.n whence we ctn., AMI in that po-
stion he addressed TO me calmly some inditfer-
ent questions. While the conversation wen,
on, he cast frequent and hurried g.ances to the
south and east till his eyes had swept the whuie
horizon, and he lad satisfied himself that the
ship was no longer in view; he then turned full
Iy round. and with an effected gaiety, but real
nneasiness which was apparent in the random
character IF his remarks, drew out his glass and
having by long and scrulinizing examination
satisfied his fears, at length recovered his COM
posture.
When we reached our destination, found q
ship just preparing TO sail for Florence, and
took my passage, leaving the captain to dispose
of his cargo at pleasure. About eight months
after this, when had almost forgotten the oe-
curence. was sitting The private parlor Oh
!
hands from Captain s 1t stated that the VII
ter, who vas in the city, had heard Of my arr-
val, and would esteem 1t very great kindness
II | would visit HIM at ny eaI Hest leisure my
| coming would be Of the utmost importance 10
himself and others /; his servant il added. at-
ed to show me the way. l Immediately set our
to comply with the request
~ r Il
| he change which had taken place in his ap-
rearance. He WAS thin, pale, and haggard, with
u wiidness of eye that almost indicated that his
reason was unsettled. He testified much Joy nj
seeing me, and desiring me to be seated, began
his conversation.
g have taken the liberty" said be, "of de.
string your company at tins time, because you
are the only pessun in London 10 whom | caI
venture to make appicatloJ; and | am going
to lay upon you commission, to which | HI
sure you will not object The circumstances o.
our voyage to Marseics " i'll occur TO your mlno
without my repeating them | sud my cmg'
upon the lst advantageous terms, and WA
rendered /. oIce a Iich man. I lie Possession, o.
wea lii ,.as rev 10 me. aid its usual giaifcs
zion, the charm II novelty. In The capital o.
PARIS, spent many weeks Of the highest pleas
ure, IN ii one day on entering ccJe, took W
gazette, ard MY eyes fell upon an account
an awful burning of e British nlan-of-war. The
al nouncement fell upon me like The bolt from
heaven. My heart beat and my frame shivered,
Int | read every word of the aiticle. The yes
sci which passed the day before bad seen the
chit from a great distance, and Immediately |
rnt back to render assistance, and arrived too