The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1862-09-24
NO l42
The Sailor and the Convict.

One morning, the throng which was
gazing at the ship witnessed an accident.
The crew were engaged in furling sails
The topmAn, whose duty Il was 10 take
in the siarboard upper corner Of the main
topsail lost his balance. he was seen
toiioring, the dense throng assembled on
the warf Of She arsenal uttered q cry,
the mans head oyerbalanced his body.
and he whirled over the yard, his arms
outstretched toward the deep as he
went over, he grasped the main ropes
first with one hand and then with the
other and hung suspended in that man
ner. The sea lay far below him at a
giddy depth. The shock of his fall had
given TO the man ropes q violent swing
ing motion, and the poor fellow hung
dangling 10 and fro al The end Of This
line, like stone in sling
To go to his aid was to run a irightGl
risk None of the crew, who were all
fishermen of the coast recently taken
into service, dared attempt IT, In the
meantime the poor topman was beoom-
ing exhausted; his agony could NOT be
seen in his countenanCe, but his inoeas-
ing weakness could be detected in the
movements of all his limbs. His arms
twisted about in horrible contortions-
Every attempt he made TO rcascend only
increased the oscillation Of the man ropes.
lie did not cry out, for fear of losing his
strength. All were now looking forward
TO the movement when he should LEI 60
OF the rope, and, at instants, all turned
their heads away that they might not see
him fall. There are moments when = ropes
end, pole, the branch Of tree. is life
itself, and il is n frightful thing to sec
living being lose his hold upon it,, and
fall like ripe fruit.
Suddenly man was discovered clam.
bering up the rigging with the agility OF
| q wild cat. This man was clad in red
it was a convict; he wore a green can
! 1t was \ convict for life As he reach.
cd the round top = gust Of wind blew
of his cap, and revealed head entirely
white, IL was not young man
In fact one Of the convicts employed
on board in some prison task, had At the
first alarm, run 10 the officer Of the watch,
and, amid the confusion and hesitation
Of the crew, while all the sailors trembl-
ed and shrank back, had asked permits
sion TO save the topman's life at The risk
of his own. A sign Of assent heinc
| given, with one blow Of hammer he broke
the chain riveted 10 the iron ring AZ his
ankle, then took 4 rope in his hand, and
! flung himself into the shrOuds. Nobody
! at that moment, noticed with what case
the chain was broken. II was only aomc
time aftcrward. that any body remember
| ed il.
In twinl1ling, he was upon the yard
lie paused few seconds, and seemed 10
measure il with glance. Those seconds
during which the wind swaycd the sal
Los to and fro at the end of the rome.
seemed ages TO the loOkers-on. At length
the convict raised his eyes to Heaven.
and took step forward. The crowd drew.
n long breath lie was seen TO run along
the yard. On reaching the extreme tin,
he fastened one end Of the rope he had
with him, and LEI the other hang at full
length. ThereupOn, he began 10 let him
self down by his hands along thisrope.
and then there was an inexpressible
sensation Of terror; instead Of one man.
two were seen dangling al that giddy
hight
You would have said it was a spider
seizing q fly; in this case, the spider was
bringing life, and not death. Ten thou
sand eyes were fixed upon the group
Not a cry not n word was uttered the
same emotion contracted every brow
Every man held his breath, as if afraid
TO add the least whisper 10 the wind
which was swinging the two unfortunate
men.
However the convict had, al lenglh.
managed 10 make his way down TO the
seaman, II was time; one minute more
and the man, exhaused and desparing
would have fallen into the deep. The
convict firmly secured him 10 the rope.
, TO which he chung with one hand while
he worked with the other Finallyho was
, seen rcascending the yard, and hauling
the sailor after him he supported him
there, for an instant, 10 let him recover
, his strength, and then, lifting him in his
7 arms, carried him, as he walked along
the yard TO the cross-trcos, and from
there TO the round top, where lac LEFT him
{ in the hands Of his messmate.
, Then the thrOng applauded; galley
{ sergeant wepi, women Rugged each Other
r on the wharyes, and on all sides voices
q were heard exclaimng, with a sort o
3 tcndcrly and subdued enthusiasts "Thu
man must be pardoned"
q lie however had made tia point Of duty
p 20 descend again Immediately, and r,
G back 10 his work. I'm order 20 arrive NOR
4 quickly, he slid down the rigging, an,
o started to run along a lower yard. Az
p eyes were following him. There was q Ger
g tain moment when every one gelt alAmed
Z whether il was that no felt fatigued. oil
q because his head swan, people then saw
4 him hesitate and staggor Suddenly ths
throng uttered q thrilling outcry The
% convict had fallen into the sea.
q The fall was perilous. Tho irgat,
o Algesras was moored close 10 the Orion
@ aud the poor convict had plugged between
. the two ships. II was feared that h
i would be drawn under one or the other
b -Four men spranE at once into boat ~
I. The people cheoTed them on, aud nnxietl
again took possession Of al minds. To-
man had not again raised 10 the surface
# lie had disappeared In the sea, sdthou
h making even a ripple, az though ho haC
p. fallen into a cask oil oil Taey sounde,
II and dragged the place. Il was in vain
20 The search was continued until nisht
a but not even the body WAS found.
# The next morning the Toulon ,oinul
a published The following lines Novem
x Der H., 1879. Yesterday a convict q
.e work on board the Orion, on his rttm
e.. from scscuing O sailor, fell into the o.
1r and drowned. His body was recoyere,
10 q is presumed that 10 had been calgh
n under the piles al the pier-head Of "a
j. arsenal This man was registered Dr.
j. the number $3.50, and bis name was leal
.e Faliean." Victor Hugo.