Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1867-04-04

'Iluh VI 4Yt PUAl't@'' 09ot1"4' SB1
O., THURSDAY.
above nv head! By violent effort got out of
the way lust in time, but even then the cutter at
the end of the lever grazed my forehead in its de-
scent. The horror Of my position seemed to give
me preternatural strength, and succeeded in rol-
ling my antagonist over till l became uppermost !;
and then I struck him with my 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 moment gained my feet
and fed; but I had been mistaken in fancying l
had quieted my antagonist; he was nearly as quick
as I was, and pursued me closely. I rushed
through the passage by the side ofthe ship across
the stoke-hole, through the passage between the
engines, and thence to the platform and up the
ladder leading to the deck The chief was close
behind me, 90 that dared not lose time by turning
nv head and remember how heard his feet
slip as he crossed the iron floor of the stoke hole
directly after me- I tried to fling open the door
of the companion and gain the deck; I thought
that my escape was certain. But, y Sir, had
no sooner touched the door than found that it
was closed, fastened on heoatside. looked down.
|
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 hesitation, and | flung my
self right off 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 of
the platform into the passage between the engines,
the pistol being at the sarie time dashed from his
hand. How we both escaped being crushed by
the machinery l scarcely know; but so it was, and
directly we we're both our feet again, and strug-
Cling through the passage onto the slippery stoke
hole floor.
"Here, still grasping each others throats, we
paused to take breath and saw then that Mac
phcrson, and the stokers and trimmers of the
the side platforms and stoke-hole. shouted as
well as could, but without avail; and then a
thought flashed across me-the steam-whistle
There was handle by which it could be sounded
from the engine-room. III could but reach that,
I must alarm all the ship, and we yet might be
saved :, But at that moment the companion-way
was opened, and the youth, the chiefs accom-
plice, descended. He came down the ladder hasti-
ly; but he had no sooner turned and seen what was
going on, than he paused, as if frightened and ir-
resolite how to act. The chief saw him as soon
as l did, and sung out to him:
1.-THE pistol the pistol! There between the
engines
The youth picked up the pistol, and coming for
ward, presentedit ut me; but could see, even at
that moment, that he had omitted to cock it. He
pulled at the trigger butt of course, without avail
The chief saw as I did, the cause of the failure.
| Cock it, d-m you-cock it he cried out; and
then heard the click as the hammer was drawn
back, and the chamber revolved. 1t was now or
never for me. am Cornish-man, Sir; and, like
most from that country, q little bit of wrestler.
had regained my strength little, and skill took
the place Of what was wanting. 1t was my only
chance. So, quick as lightning, gave the chief
the 'toe as we call it in our country, and turned
youth was standing. He fired at the same instant ;
but the sudden turn gave my antagonist changed
our positions, and the bullet, after inaicting flesh.
wound in my arm, entered his body instead Of
mine The youth gazed for moment with a look
of horror, and then, with q scream, threw herself
on the body. At the same instant saw who it
was. It was no youth, but a woman, and our
captain new wife But did not wait to specu-
late on this, for saw that the fires must be
drawn at once, and l had no strength left. l
sprang to the handle, and sounded the whistle.
There was the wel-known shrill shrek, which
could not fail to be heard throughout the ship
and fell down fainting on the stoke-hole floor.
II remember little more that passed until l
found myself in the hospital at Panama The
events of that night-my wound, and the want Of
medical attendance-for we carried no surgeon
had brought out an attack of fever, and [ had
been dangerously ILL., had been deirious, and
when did regain my consciousness, the events
which had really happend were so mingled in my
brain, with the extravagant fances of my deriunl,
that found it difficult to distinguish the one from
the other. I soon discovered, however, that peo-
pie had been told had been guilty of gross insubor-
dination toward the chiefcngneer, and that ne
had been so maddened by passion as to fire his re-
volver at me; and then, having gained posses
sion of the weapon in the struggle which ensuedi
denied all but my ideas, and, no doubt my talk
was still so incoherent that but little notice was
taken of what said. Soon the captain Of the
steamer came to my bedside, and begged and en-
treated me to allow this version Of the story to be
believed. He said he had been bewitched by the
charms and arts of that woman; and, believing
that none of the crew knew that he was already
married, he had agreed to give her passage, and
had taken her on board with him as his wife. She
had obtained from him, by pretending playful,
womanish curiosity, knowledge Of where the
i gold on board was slowed, and how it could be
got at; and this vile woman with her accomplice
(the william whom he had fooishly engaged at her
recommendation as chiefengineer, and another
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them, conceived and attempted to carry out that
attrocious project in which they had been so nearly
successful. The engineers hurt had not been Sc:
rious and the captain said that he had connlved
at his escape, with his accomplices as soon as the
vessel got into port. The woman, indeed, had
not been seen in her disguise by any one but him
self; for he had been first in the engineroom when
the whistle sounded the alarm, and had managed
somehow to get her out Of the way unseen. 1T
would be useless now," he said, Ito attempt to
capture them And he implored me not to
contradict the account he had caused to be crcula-
ted, and so cause his ruin, which would be sure to
follow should his owners learn the real truth OF
the story. He made the most solemn vows OF a.
mendment and repentance, and believe he was
truly sorry for his fault as well as its consequence
but I was deaf to all until he spoke Of his sweet
wife and dear little girl, whom ! had seen, as |
have said, at New York. Well, sir, at length !
yielded, and agreed to confirm the account he had
given. You may be sure that the crew, and es-
pecially McPhearson and the rest Of the watch IN
the engine-room and on deck-who had been
drugged by some liquor which the chief had given
them were not altogether imposed upon, and
hundred different versions were flying about
But no one ever knew the right Of the affair. re-
turned home as soon as was recovered and from
that time to this have never told any body but you
how it all happened.
PATTON ON THE SITUATION oN.-Governor Patton,
of Alabama, is out in long letter on the situation
/ IN ralofioy, IN ryotn0 he Saws.