Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1860-12-08

u 'S"'ud hiih oHAlOhlHb Oub ludt u ldutttu hdl
len and broken, setting FIRE to pool of turpentin
4 Which had leaked from a barrel the after deck
and the FIRE spreading to the barrel, it hat
c burst and flooded the boat with fame. Still watch
J., ing him, he heard the screaned order 10 reverse
the engines, and amidst howls and cries Of angusl
a and despair, and oursing and praying, aud the
D heavy thump OF men and women falling in swoon
upon the deck or tramplirg and lighting over each
f other in their frantic desperation while the ad
van,ing flame leaped and wrthedi cracking and
brstliug and roaring Furiously on-amidst all the
horror and Bedlam confusion Of shat minute-for
it was but one--standng STILL with his eye riveed
, on his captOr lie heard the ponierous clank, the
long wash and wallow, and felt the boat drift
backward to gain the middle Of the stream. That
instant he sprang backward and rushing through
the crowd, kicked off his shoes, and leaped into
the river.
He emerged presently from his plunge, amidst
shower of feFy binders, with the lifting surges
all agare around him, and struck boldly forward
for the levee, seeing at glance the burning mass
drift behind him and all the illuminated ships at
the piers and 10 the stream suddenly alive with
shouting figures Turning for au instant and
treadiug water, he the boat canking back
ward, with her black tunnels rising from leap
ing and coiling mountain Of smoke and flame, her
passengers all huddled forward in dense, shriek-
ing mass, black against the fiery glow, and figures
jumping into the water-which was already dot
ted with dark, swimming forms, and looked like a
turbulent sea Of fame gnited from the spectre Of
a burning boat below its Purfaoe Among the
swimming figures there was, perhaps not one but
was his enemy-not one who would not hale him
back to the bondage from which he was strug
Cling away. Turning again, he swan on, heading
against the ponderous current which would bear
him down past the city and out to sea. Boats
were putting out in all directions from the ships
in the stream, and from the shore, to pick up the
swimmers many Of whom were swimming in front
Of him, or cnging to pieces Of drif,-wood or fur.
niture. To avoid teing picked up by any Of the
boats was necessary part Of his task; for they,
too, manned by his enemies. Reaching a
large brig anchored 10 the stream, with few sal
lors standing on the buwarks and in the rigging
watching the burning vessel, he resolved to cling
to its rudder few moments to recover breath,
and he approached ii, looking up through the
shadow, made luminous by the wan light of the
moon aud the reflected glare OF the water, he
read on tho stern, in white letters, the words,
"SULlMAN, BosTON." His heart thrObbed wildly;
and cliuging to the rudder under an Gverhanging
boat. he listened to the talking on the deck above
him, aud presently heard voice say:
"Deyilish lucky we weren't Sc. afre, Jones, and
we just ready to sail"
Just ready to sail! He heard these words with
, his brain aflme. His chance had come. Setting
his knees to the slippery rudder, he began to
L. H., l,l.., a.
with sea-slime, but at length he got his toes upon
the slight projection of one Of the iron clamps
that bound the wood together, and scrambling up
ward, laid hold Of the boat swinging astein, and
softly clamberiDg in, remained STILL and listened.
lie had not been discovered. The talking above
him was still going on and presently he heard the
tramp OF the two men as they moved away for
ward. Raising himself in the boat ho cautiously
Peered in at the cabin window A swinging lamp
was burning within, and all was quiet. lie out
in his head, looked around him for a moment. and
then stealthly got in. Going 10 the cabin door.
he peered out on the deck. Everybody was at the
bows, standing on the bulwarks and in the rigging
in The wild glare, watching the steamboat, which
was now one mass Of leapiug flame, half mile
away up the river. Cries and screams and shouts
were resoundng from the water in all directions
Looking at the deck he saw that the hatch nearest
him open, and nerved to desperation, and al
most choking with excitement, he went lightly
forward, his bare feet making sound and un-
seen by any one, intent was the general gaze
on the conaagration, stopped and dropped into the
hold.
He fell on coton-bale three or four feet from !
the top and lay in the thick darkness, reeking
with sweat and listening, with wild jumping in
his throat, for any sound that might tell him his
entrance had been observed. He heard none.-I
The talking went on above him, and it was all
about the burning steamboat. lie knew that he
must not remain where he was, for there he could |
be seen, and in a moment he began to grOpe for a !
bidng-place, lie was in a sort Of square WELL /
formed by the cotton-bales around him. Above
them was horizontal space under the deck, and
clambering out Of the we'll, he Bormed himself
into shis few feet forward, and lay, painting and
latigued, hot, wet, hungry and thirsty, half saed
by the foul and musty air of the hold, and by the
smell of the bilge, but safe for the present.
He lay in a sort of stupor. and gradually heard
all sounds die away. For little while his mind
was filled with strange ,ecolleeIOns Of the passions
and events Of the last hour then lying prone in
the foul and musty darkness, he lapsed into
sleep haunted with dreams, in which he was again
rushing through the swamp, which somehow
changed into rolling water on which steamer
was burning, and ne was holding up Madame La.
ftte who suddenly turned and bit him on the |
hand. Starting up in the thick darkness, he
struck bis head against the deck, and then remem-
bsring where he was, lay still. The hatch had
been closed. In the darkness he heard light
seampering and squsaling, aud felt the ship shud-
dering beneath him.
lie forgot his dream in the wild whirl of emo
ton with which he became aware that the vessel
was on her way. Presently he felt sort of prick
Jog in his haud, aud touching the spot, found that