New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1859-10-29
THg xuRMUR OF THE SEA,

s| fSv4F fhes wide and sparkling seas proudly
~ sIad the good ship Antoinette, with her pre-
y 1tejekt from Calcutta. Joywas in the hearts,
pen n ShG eves Of many q sunburnt mariner. as he
5f6lSed the sails which were drawing him with
force towards his native land. The home
u227 n WIVES always look brightest; the homeward
bfeexs has always breath Ct balm and Mss 20, Of
lS,IS z nd HE thoughts Of many dear one on the
6SnfR ah0re Of liberty made their manly pulses
ia3 fTjifl delight How clearly the images OF the
I,u1d u home became now defined in their fond
sS S6rning memories, and how they blessed the
r. " NSters which, though still they separated
13uSI. 4 vefe lessening their yielding space!
4 }3Sere we're ON board a family BY the name of
~ Ia father, mother, and their only two chill
l3sSn Narcins and ELENA, who had just,arriyed at
f1e ysazx IF manhood ana Womanhood; ana, as
+ n s1,isd together upon the deck, conversing
11iiI3S III captan, the latter remarked troubled
NJ 1poa the face Of the elder STAFFORD, though
sSe Wines of his family were full Of hope and
SAeeltSlless. S "a
CnntSin Thurston. = Here you have been reap
III fortune for years in the East, surrounded by
~ hlessinRs III happy family and the smiles OF
mod luck, and disease has never crossed your
hrcabold and reverse in business has not once be-
fAIlen ycu. Returning, with every prospect OF a
fsir yoyage ID Tie native land for which so long
YOU have yeaxned- and while your wife and chill
siren III 0yerj0Yed ut the thought y0u alone seem
I'll hsyesnOticed it ever since we left port; and
~ IN he inquiry be not intrusive, what is
a Kol wiii laugh IL me when tell you, replied
MI STANFORD, even as my family did when first
tknnrht Ajipetstitously of "a strange circumstance
w6ich happened e vs. al, at least month before
Ri AID pray what could that be, that leaves them
buoyant and yourself mournful? = asked the cap
vim.
First, let me ask you, are You at all supersti-
tipns y said Mr.. STAFFORD.
All sailors are, more Of less Y replied the cap
Tin, III 4 grave tone, : and believe all men are,
however much some may try to persuade them
selyes to the contrary. confess that am in some
things notions trivial and absurd, peculiar and
pefhaps insane but still they sometimes rule me,
h0ugh might be ridiculed should mention what
e Then can speak to. you without reserve on
& Tie cause of my anxiety said Mr.. Stanford,
hQugh did not think it was observable. Not
~ t6ai sx months ago We had determined to
leaye Calcutta forever, though our life there had
becnso pleasant for you know that even If a man
his been unfortunate in his own land, and how
eyer agreeable may be TO him the Establishments
~ foreign society, his heart, ultraviolet always
has one faithful corner which; almost as powerful
" conscience, urges him back to the soil Of his
county Feeling this, We have long yearned, for
home, andAoldiHcenes and old friends have been
continually ID our thoughts and conversation.
q With these thoughts, of course, was connected
De Immense world Of waters we must pass over
before We reach those scenes and friends; and
ekten hayeyW8 reflected upon the chance of death
4Wping us, t0,ship us Of oil our possessions, all
- hopes, and give us q bed in the ocean. On
nj ~ thu ti1lH drew near--l feel almost ashamed
v ndmit It this melancholy thought weighed
Iexsier and heavier, till finally, in my dreams of
KstuFnjng home, could hear q moaning nsu,7nM'
Of Nv ga, which filled me with more horror than
anything Lhaye experienced when awake. No
words believe no sound Of the kind which ever
really happened--c describe it, or could produce
such nameless dread in my bosom; and fire.
quentay oNsrYhelmed by the anguish IT caused l
have started from my sleep, and though fully
awake7-as much 50 as ! am now-hark there It
II don't YOU hear it?'' and Mr.. Straiford's face
tlrned Of an ashy paleness as he paused in his mar
rative.
{. Not I, replied the captain, with wonder.
There Y NO sound Of the kind--nothing but the
cheerful rush Of the waves
Don't You hear it, wife, Don't you, Marcus
MieNR ~ asked Mr.. Straford hurriedly,
certainly do hear it, but not SO plainly as
before we left the land Z was their reply.
g 1t was as distinct to me; but now it fades ava,
again. Strange that. you, too, cannot hear it, !
said MI. Stra6ord TO the captain.
1t IS imagination, surely replied Captain
Thurston 4 your minds have been so much occu
pied with apprehensions of DANGER
!" II is unacconntable! y sighed Mr.. Strafford
unc0nvinced.D Z, But where was ]? ] was telln,
You that even when awake as | am now afte
starting from my dreams, have heard it just a
plainly; and this, mark you, was on land. Nor
than this, at other times, and in broad day. an
" ~ play WE have occasionally heard the sam
mysterious mhrmnr, as II the great ocean ha
commissioned some warning minister to dissuad
But YOU Nosn0t ~ seem to be equally affecte
by it, said thc eaptain.
No. replies. Mr.. straaord; they attribut
the plenomenon as you do, to our dwelling to
much on the worst chance which could hanpei
Ii truth, WIS never snperstitions before.n
e Rely on ii, said the captain. & your fear.
fear it Is, d shipwreck, will prove Elusive. ii
shaif have safe voyage, and i shall sit with v,
It home, and ask II you hear the murinur stlln
$50 we hope" said Mrsa Stafford, smilin
q and. Richard, you must think SO, too
I. You may be right returned Mr.. Straior
And God grant that the dismal sigh we hes
echoes only in the imagination
The captain walked away to his duties, and !
conservation Of the family reverted to the recoll
tons d their. native home.
For some weeks before they left Calcutta p
thence had swept of many thousands Of
Asiatics, though at the time OF their embarkat
It had mainly disappeared on its westward to
None OF those on board had been affected by
and It was presumed that the clear air of
ocean would lessen all chance Of its preser
among them. But the idea was q vain one. z
weeks had not elapsed before the destroyer ma
himself manifest, and by twos and threes
hardy crew became his victims
The invisible maIady did its appalling work