The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1863-03-13

then. as she rose, fall into her. So she grad
ually filled up; but some poor souls whc
sought TO reach her failed even as they touch
ed her receding sides, and went down.
!. We had on board little messenger-bov
the special charge of one of the sailors, ant
the pet of all: he must inevitably have beer
lost, but for the care Of his adopted father
who, holding him firmly in his arms, escaped
as by miracle. being washed overheard, and
succeeded in placing him safely in the boat
The last but one TO make the desperate
venture was the surgeon; he leaped from the
! deck, and at the very instant saw the boat
being swept away by the merciless sea-
Making one final effort, he threw his BODY
forward as he fell. striking across the boats
side 50 violently, it was thought some of his
ribs must be broken. Haul the Doctor in =
shouted Lieutenant Greene, perhaps remem-
bering how, little time back, he himself
almost gone down in the unknown sea, had
been " hauled in by quinine rope flung
him by the Doctor. Stout sailor-arms pulled
him In, one more sprang to a. place in her, and
the boat. now full, pushed off,-in a sinking
condition, it is true, but still bearing hope
with her, for she was rood.
Over the waves We toiled slowly, pulling
for life. The men stuffed their pea-iackets
into the holes in her side, and bailed inces-
sanity. We neared the Rhode Island but
now new peril appeared. Right down up
on our centre, borne by the might of rushing
water. came the whale-boat sent to rescue
Others from the iron-clad. We barely fioated !:
if she struck US with her bows full on US. We
mist go TO the bottom. One sprang. and, al.
she neared, with outstretched arms. met and
turned her course. She passed against Us.
and his hand, caught between the two, was
crushed. and the arm, wrenched from its sock
et, fell helpless weight at his side: but life
remained. We were saved, and an arm was
small price to pay for life.
We reached the Rhode Island: ropes were
flung over her side, aud caught with death
grip. Some lost their hold. were washed
away, and again dragged in by the boats
crew. What chance had one whose right
arm hung dead weight. when strong mer
with their two hands went down before him
He caught at a rope. found it impossible to
save himself alone, and then for the first time
I said,-" am injured; can anv one aid me p
Ensign Taylor. al the risk of his own life
brought the rcne around his shoulder in suci
way it could not slip, and he was drawn up
in safety.
IL the mean time the whale-bnat. nearly
our destruction. had reached the side Of the
Monitor. and now the captain said. II is
Madness fo remain here longer: le' each man
save himself For a moment he descended
70 the cabin for coat, an his faithful ser
want followed to secure iewel-hox. contain
ing the accumulated treasure OF wears. A
sad. sorry sight it was. In the heavy air the
lamps burned dimly, and the water, waist
deep. splashed sullenly against the ward
rooms sides. One lingering look, and he
eft ;he Monitors cabin forever.
Time Was precious: ne hastened to the
deck, where, in the midst of terrible sea,
Lieutenant Greene nobly held his post. He
seized the rope from the whale-boa., wound
ii about an iron stanchion, end then around
his wrists, for lays afterward swollen and
useless from the strain. His black body-ser-
want stood near him.
"Can YOU swim, William ?" he asked.
Ne replied the man.
Then keep by me, and III save YOU"
One by one, watching their time between
the waves, the men filed in, the captain help
ing the poor blac, to a place, and at last
after all eff,rt for others and none for them
selves, Captain Bankhead and Lieutenant
Greene took their places in the boat. Two
or three still remained, clinging to the tur-
ret; the captain had legged them to come
down, but, paralyzed with fear, they sat i'm
movable, and the gallant Brown, promising
to return for them. pushed of, and soon had
his boat-load safe upon the Rhode Islands
deck
Here the heartiest and most tender recep-
ton met US. Oar drenched clothing was re-
placed by warm and dry garments, and all on
board We'd with each other in acts of kind
ness. The only one who had received anv
injury, Surgeon Weeks, was carefully attend
ed TO, the discolated arm set, and the crushed
fingers amputated by the gentlest and most
considerate of surgeons, DIR Webber of the
Rhode Island.
For an hour or more We watched from the
deck of the Rhode Island the lonely light up
on the Monitors turref; hundred times We
thought it gone forever,-a hundred times j,
reappeared, till At last, about two ocleck,
Wednesday morning, it sank, and We saw j,
no more.
We had looked, too, most anxiously. for
the whale-boat which had last gone out, un-
der the command Of Master's-Mate Brown,
but saw no signs of it. We knew il had
reached the Monitor, but whether swampsi
by the waves. or drawn in as the Monitor
went down, We could not tell. Captain
Trenchard would not leave the spot, but sail
ed about, looking in vain for the missing
boat, till late Wednesday afternoon, when
it would have been given up as hopelessly
last, except for the captains dependence on
the coolness and skill of its tried officer. He