The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1859-11-09

life. and In another instant, amid the cheers
of my men. had g.ined the quarter deck.
The boat shot to the side, and dozen
arms were extended to receive my burden.
| carefully gave il in charge of the nearest.
almost sluns the old msn after, p spring
Ing with bound into theuptern sheets, wav-
ed my arm and shouted, "Shove off--bnsrd
give way-and If you ever pulled, pull now,
for your lives, my men"
| was obeyed. With one soul they ben,
their brawny arms to the task. and while the
osh almost snapped beneath them. made thr
boat whirl from the quarter, and then sen,
her with the velocity Of a sea gull over the
deep. Not word was spoken. Thu old
man sat beside me in the bewilderment O.
gratitude, astonishment, AID one halCdissi
pa'ed rright-whIe the form of his still in.
animate child was extended. unaided for the
moment. by his side. 1t was, indeed. no
time for delay. Every man knew he wos
pulling for life or desth. The other bo. I
was nearly mile ahead skimming swiftly
along from the deserted ship. Far off on
the moonlight horizon lay our schooner, with
all her exquisite tracery re f4cted in the waves
bene't and seeming, with her thin. taper.
Fixing nasts, like some erial vessel fO1tng
half way between sea and sky. Down t"
the right Was the bu ming ship. presenting a
vast body Of lurid fire, that roared along her
sides, streamed out her ports, eddled spiraly
up the masts, and leaped in huge masses
straight out into the sky. Now and then, as
her guns became heated, they went off with
a roar like thunder. Meantime, the dense
smoke, gathering in thick cloud above,
hung like pail over the consuming ship.
For some moments the flames appeared to
die in part away; but all at once stream OF
intense fire th4t almost blinded the eyes,
leaped perpendcular!y upward from the
decks; the hor zon tor miles around was il.
Illuminated with light more vividthan that
oi the brightest noon day; part OF the fore.
IN asst, lifted bodily out, sh,t like an arrow
almost Il cable length on high; conrusson
eneued thai made the boat shiver like reed,
Aand rock a moment frightuIy about; and
thin Il stunning roar followed, linking the
Fl 'mament t" it's centre, and sounding as if
a Ihoas,Ld broadsides had been discharged
at once. For moment, as the burning
fragments sailed alo't, falling on every hand
about, while the boat rolled to and fro upon
the agitated swell, we held our breuths in
momentory expectation of death, and in.
voluntarily j 'culated.
"Fhe Lord have mercy on us all ~
"!Amen !" snid the rescued father at my
side.
But we were again most miraculousy pre-.
served. The offins we had gained, though
not sutfi to ensure safety, proved great
enough to relieve us from inevitable destruc-
ton. Had any OF the falling timbers, how
ever. struck US, we should all have gone
down together. As it was, it was one of the
narrowest escapes ever had made, and
when gave the command to the crew to
give way aguin- tor at that terrible txplo
sion they had as one man paused, gush OF
thank ulness and devotion went up from my
heart to the great Author Of my being, who
had thus second time preserved my life.
The deafsnlng uproar, however, recalled
the sense OF the fair girl q, my side. But
will not describe her gratitude and that of
her parent, to myself. whom they persisted
in considering the preserver Of their lives.
Suffice it to say we were snon on bo"rd; the
Captain deliberately resigned his own cabin
10 the strangers, aud then had leisure to
learn some particulars ,ncerning their his
tury. They were easily told. Mr.. Thorn
ton, the father OF Isabel, was wealthy E st
Indiamsn, and was just returning from Great
Britain with his daughter, who had been
there for several years obtaining her educa.
tion. Before the L tier of Marque sailed
she had been fitted up by Mr.. Thoruton in
style bordering on eastern luxury, with fur
niture intended principally for his mansion
house at Jamaica. But at this moment a
message arrived, soliciting my presence with
Mr.. Thornton. AS | entered the cabin, he
frankly extended his hsnd, and presented
me to his own plushing daughter-for what
woman, be she who she may, can stand un.
embarrassed 10 the presence Of one to whom
,he owes her lite have had many mo-
ments of pleasure, but never felt as then
ielt, when Isabel Thornton, extending her
delicate hand to me with her sweet smile,
uttered her thanks.
"But how," said I, to change the subject,
"did it happen, my dear Miss Thornton. that
you we're in the cabin when the rest had es.
capped :"
"Tn the general alarm we were forgotten
for we had been hurried to the hold during
the conflict, and when the fire broke Out
were overlooked. We found our way back
but only when the whole ship was in fumes.
We had Just reached the cabin through
forward dour below. and believing the ship
destroyed, had despaired of ali escape, when
you'-you appeared"
II had forgot till this nom ent that we
were fOes," said gaily, determined to avoid
the coming thanks.
"But Toes or not" continued Harry. turn
ing to his 'si1e with smile, "fsabel is now
my bridel ind often, when speak Of the