The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-03-04
An Engine-Room Story.
(COncluSOA. |

Il
after looking at the fire and examining
the gauges, crossed the stoke-hote to
the other passage under the starboard
platform, with a view probably OF get
ting at some of the grease and tallow
that was slowed away close by where l
had made my couch. / saw that L must
now be discovered; but with the pros
pect of q struggle with one man slngly,
nv courage revived, my limbs became
steady, and the coward feeling left my
heart. He CROPPED his way slowly up
the massage, and then made the rush
which have described as necessary to
avoid the water from the waste-pipe
This rush brought him close to me be-
fore he stopped, and we stood face 10
face. My eyes were accustomed TO the
dim light of the place, while his were
yet dazzled by the bright glare OF the
fires; SO that / could distinguish his
features, while he was yet uncertain
whether there was any one there but
himself. ought to have seized the op-
portnnity, and attacked him at once,
but foolishly let the moment pass,
and instead of acting promptly, L sung
out, who is therer In a moment his
ewes lit up with look of fierce intelli-
gence; and with suppressed exclama-
tion, he sprang upon me. The suddsn-
ness of the attack made me start back;
aud, my foot being tripped up by the
bag of cotton used for bed, we TELL
heavily to the deck together, l being
undermost. His left hand was on my
throat; and clutching my hair with his
right, he, with q quick lift and jerk,
moved my head to one side towards the
engine. did not resist the movement
much, for / had not thought exactly
where l was lying; but oh! think what
was my horror at the next instant to
see directly over me the end of the side
lever descending, and not more than
three feet above my head! By viO-
lent effort got out of the way just in
time; but even then the cutter at the
end of tho lever grazed my forehead in
its descent. The horror of my position
seemed to give me for the moment pre-
ternatural strength, and succeeded in
rolling my antagonist over till became
uppermost; and then struck him with
nv clenched fist two or three heavy
blows on the face with such effect, that
his hold of me relaxed, and | thought
that had stunned him. In a moment
gained my feet and fled; but l had
been mistaken in fancying l had quieted
my antagonist; he was nearly as quick
as was, and pursued me closely. l
rushed through the passage by the side
of the ship, across the stoke-hole,
through the passage between the Sn-
gines, and thence to the platform and
up the ladder leading to the deck. The
chief was close behind me, so that /
dared not lose time by turning my head;
and remember how / heard his feet
slip as he crossed the iron hosr of the
stoke-hole directly after me. l tried to
fling open the door of the companion,
and gain the deck: | thought that my
escape was certain. But oh! sir, / had
no sooner touched the door than l found
that it was closed, fastened on the out
side. looked down. The chief was
standing on the platform at the foot of
the ladder; he held revolving pistol in
his hand, and was then in the act OF
cooking it. There was no time for hesi-
tation, and flung myself right of the
ladder upon him. He fired, but without
having time to take aim, and was not
hit. With the force of my fall we both
rolled Off the platform into the passage
between the engines, the pistol being
at the same time dashed from his hand.
How we both escaped being crushed by
the machinery l scarcely know; but so
il was, and directly we were both on
our feet again, and struggling through
the passage on the slippery stoke-hole
floor.
"Hcre, still grasping each others
throats, We paused to take breath: and
| saw then that Macpherson and the
stokers, and trimmers of the watch
were lying either dead or dead drunk
about the side platforms and stoke-hole.
/ shouted as we'll as could, but with
out avail; and then a thought flashed
across me,-the steam whistle! There
was handle by which it could be
sounded from the engine-room. If /
could but reach that, / must alarm all
the ship, and we might yet be saved!
But at that moment the companion was
opened, and the youth, the chiefs ac-
complice, descended. He came down
the ladder hastily; but he had no sooner
turned and seen what was going on
than he paused, as if frightened and ir-
resolute how to act. The chief saw him
as soon as did, and sung out to him.
"'The pistol! the pistol There, be-
tween the engines"
"The youth picked up the pistol, and
coming forw ard, presented it at me;
but conld see, even in that moment,
that he had omitted to cock it. He
pulled at the trigger, but of course
without avail The chief saw, as i did,
the cause of the failure. Cock it. d-n
you,--cock itr he cried out; and then
/ heard the click as the hammer was
drawn back, and the chamber revolyed.
1t was now OF never for me. l am q
Cornishman, sir; and, like most from
that country, little bit of a wrestler.
had regained my strength a little, and
skill took the place of what was want
ing. 1t was my only chance. So, quick
as lightning, gave the chief the toe,
as we call it in our country, and turned
him over like top towards the side on
which the youth was standing. He fired
at the same instant; but the sudden
turn gave my antagonist changed our
positions, and the bullet, after intlicting
q flesh wound in my arm. entered his
body instead Of of mine. The youth
gazed for o moment with look of hor-
ror, and then, with scream, threw her
self ON the body At that same instant
saw who 1t was. It was no youth,
but q woman, and our captains new
wife. But did not wait to speculate
on this, for ! saw that the fires must be
drawn at once, aud had no strength
left. sprang to the handle and sound
ed the whistle. There was the we'll
known shrill shrek which could not
fail to be heard throughout the ship;
and I fell down fainting on the stoke
hole floor.
'fremember little morc, that passed
nntil Hound myself i'm the hospital at
Panama. The events of that night-my
wound, and the want Of medical attend
ance, for we carried no surgeon-had
brought on attack Of fever, and had
been dangerously i'll. had been deliri-
Gus, and when l did regain my con-
sciousness, the events which had really
happened were 50 mingled in my brain
with the extravagant fancies Of my de-
lirium, that l found it difficult to dis
tinguish the one from the other. isoon
hnwavar that the ra0nla