Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1863-02-26

sea there is only sence-oh, how solemn
paced the long saloon, which had echoed with
the sbrieks of the drowning passengers. Ali
there are thoughts which sometimes fll the
soul, which are only felt by those to whom
scenes of sublimity are familiar. Thus think.
ing, walked to the after.cabin and entered
Oh, God of heaven
Had not my hand clenched the door with a
grasp which mortal terror had made convul,
sive should have fallen to the floor. | stood
nailed to the spot. For there before me stood
a crowd of peope-men and women-caught
in the last death struggle by the overwhelming
waters, and fastened to the spot, each in the
position in which death had found him. Each
one had sprung Fl ION his chair at the shock of
the sinking sbip and, with one common emo
tion, all had started for the door But the
waters of the sea had been too swift for them
Lo then-some wildly gtaspiDg the table
others the beams, Others the sides of the cabin
there they all stood. Near the door was a
crowd of people, heaped upon one another
some on the foor others rushing over them
all seeking, madly, to gain the outlet. There
was one who sought to Chamber ever the table,
and still was there holding on to an iron post.
So strong was each convulsiVe grasp, so fierce
the struggle of each with death, that their hold
had not yet been relaxed but each one stood
aud looked frantically to the door.
To the door-good God! To me, to me they
we're locking They were glancing at me, all
those dreadful, those terrible eyes Eyes in
which the fire Of life had been displaced by
the chilling CLEAN of death. Eyes which still
glared, like the eyes of the maniac, with no
expression. they froze me with their cold and
icy stare. They had 10 meaning; for the soul
had gone. And this made it still more horri-
be than it could have been in life for the ap
pallng contortion of their faces, expressing
fear, horror, despair, and whatever else the
human soul may feel, contrasting with the
cold aud CLASSY eyes, made their vacancy yet
more fearful. He upon the table seemed more
fiendiSh than the Others for bis long, black
hair was diSheveled, aud aoated horribly down
aud bis beard aud muStache, all looSened by
the water, gave him the grimuess OF demon.
Oh, what woe and torture what unutterabe
agouies appeared in the despairiDg glance Of
those faces-taces twisted into spasmodic con
tortions, while the souls that lighted them were
writhing and struggling for life.
| needed not the dangerous sea which, even
when we touched the steamer, had slightly
rolled Down in these awful depths the swell
would not be very strong, unless it should in
crease with ten fold fury above. But it had
been increasing, though | bad not noticed it,
aud the motion of the water began to be felt
ia these abysses Suddenly the steamer was
shaken and rocked by the swell
At this the hideous forms were shaken and
tell. The heaps of people rolled asunder That
lemon on the table seemed to make spring
directly toward me. | fed, shrieking--al
were after me, | thought. | rushed ont, with
10 purpose bat to escape. l sought to throw
IF my weights and rise.
NY weights could not be loosened-I pulled
at them with frantic exertions, but could not
loosen them The iron fastenngs had grown
stiff. One Of them wrested off in my con-
vulsive efforts, but the her still kept me down.
The tube, "a so, was lying down still in my pas
,ag way Il rough the machine rooms. | did
not know this until | had exhausted my
strength, and almost my hope, in vain efforts
- loosen the weight, aud still the horror Of
hat scene in the cabin rested upon me
Where was Rimmer? The thought flashed
across me- He was not here. He had re-
turned. Two weights lay near, which seemed
thrown off in terrible haste. Yes, Rimmer had
gone | looked up; there lay the boat, tossing
aud rolling among the waves.
| rushed down into the machne-room to go
back, so as to loosen my tube. | had gone
through passages carelessly, and this lay there
for it was unroed from above as went on. |
vent back in haste to extricate myself; could
stay here no longer :; for if all the gold of Col
couda was in the vessel, [ would not stay In
with the dreadful dead
Back-fear lent wings to my feet. hurried
down the stairs, into the lower-hold once more
and relraced my steps through the passages
below. | walked back to the place into which
[ had first descended 1t was dark; and new
feeling of horror shot through me [ looked
up. IHe aperture was closed
Heavens was it closed Dy mortal hand =?
Had Rimmer, in bis panic fight, blindly
thrown down the trap-Goor, which L now re-
membered to have seen open when descend
ed or had some fearful being from the cabin
hat 6enon who sprung towards!
| started back in terror.
But could not wait here must 60 ;
must escape from this den or horrors. sprang
up the ladder, and tried to raise the door, 1t
resisted my efforts put my helmeted head
against it, and tried to raise it the rung OF
the ladder broke beneath me, but the door was
not raised; my tube came down through it and
kept it partly open, for it was strong tube and
kept strongly expanded by close wound WIRE
[ seized bar of iron and tried TO pry ltup;
raised it slightly, bnt there was no way to get
it up farther. | looked around and found some
blocks with these raised the heavy door,
little by little, placing block in, to keep what
| had gained. But the work was slow, and Ia
borious and had worked long while before
| had it raised four inches.
The sea rolled more and more. The sub
merged vessel felt its power, and rocked. Sud
denly it wheeled over, and lay upon its side.
L ran around to get on the deck above to try
and lift up the door, But when came to the
other outlet, | knew it was impossible; tor the