The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1870-07-01

from the forest, and found ourselves a
once on the beach. Directing our steps
toward q light which seemed to com,
from Q house near by, l was surpriset
to see, by the dull glare of lamp OF
approaching it, long row of low
wooden shanties, surrounded by higf
board fence. Our Dutch guide knock
ed at q door, and Immediately it wa.
opened and we entered.
1 found myself in q large, square
room, unfinished; and whose rough
timbered Oofstained black with smoke
rude furniture, and general makeshifl
appearance, were far from inviting.
A large pine table was drawn up te
one side, under the light of dull oil.
lamp hung from the ceiling, and at il
were seated two men; on the table
were pens, ink, and paper, and bottle
and glasses. In a far corner of the
room figure sat crouched in q heap
and from a casual glance as 1 entered
judged it to be an old wOman.-There
were several doors leading in different
directions, and q staircase on one side,
without railing or other support, led to
the floor above.
Twas at once introduced to the two
men, one of whom proved to be Senol
Moratin, the consignee, and the othe
Captain Blair, an American, and mas
ter of the bark AlbatrOss.
After we had seated ourselves, I de-
livered my two letters. Senor MOratin
simply acknowledged his, but the cap
tain remarked" "You have all the
necessary papers, I suppose, Mr.. Can
field" Ireplied that had, and offer
ed to produce them; but he stopped
me with q motion of his hand and a
laugh, and saying:
| "No, l have done business enough
for to-day; We will examine them to-
mOrrOw-mOrning when we go on board
if you please"
! He helped himself from the bottle,
invited me to do the same, which de-
clined. But in O few moments the
whole party was drinking, smoking,
and talking together; and 1 found
that I might as well suspend my curl
osity until the morning, as suggested.
l was tired and sleepy; the CONVEX
interesting; and at length I limited to
Hernandez that would like to retire.
Upon that, he stepped over to the
crOuching figure in the corner, and with
a rough Kick, aroused what turned out
to be, as had surmised, an old Span
ish negro woman, who reused up with
many oaths, and being at length in
formed of my desire, lighted small
lamp, and OpeningEOne of the doors,
rushed me into q small room, where
found a bed and one or two chairs,
comprising the only furniture.-Bid-
ding my companions goodnight, /
closed the door and prepared for rest.
The room possessed but one window;
but that, as saw OH opening the heavy
wood shutters which protected it,
looked out upon the water.
Sitting down beside it, partially un-
dressed, [ put out my lamp, and, by
the brilliant starlight, could presently
see the waves dashing upon the beach,
and even made out the long, dark
form of the bark, as she lay at anchor
with light burning in her chains. /
finished my cigar, and was preparing
to throw myself on the bed, when, by
the noise in the Outer-roOm, cOnject-
ured that the party were about break
ing up; and, in fact, in few moments
the Outer-doOr was opened and closed,
and made out the figures of the Cap
tain, our Dutch guide, and his COM
paniOn, all evidently worse for liquor,
on their way to the shore. There they
took boat, and pulled out to the bark.
l aited until they had boarded her
and then threw myself as was upon
the bed, and in a few moments were
fast asleep.
had slept for several hours when
suddenly, with the inspiration OF an
instructive horror, sprang from the
bed, broad awake, and in cold perspir-
alton.
A bright glare filled the room until
every corner was visible. At first, 1
thought the house was on fire but
glance through the window told the
story. 1t was the bark, and she had
evidently just caught; for every mast
and yard was standing, and each rope
was lined out against the sky, as with
the fidelity of a mirror. She had
caught aft, and / could plainly see her
men getting the boats out; while the
captain stood by the wheel giving his
orders, and separated from the forward
part of the vessel by broad sheet of
flame that poured up the companion
way, and now began to lick the cord
age, and twine around the spars like
serpents.
I dressed myself as quickly as possi-
BILE, and with one hand on the sill,
sprang out of the window to the ground
below. Here l was joined by Herman
dez, Vasquez, the cOnsignee, and the
old negreSs, who was bowling and
praying in Spanish with such extraOr-
dinary fervor, as to surprise me. We
hurried down to the beech, and saw the
boats pulling rapidly to the shore.
hope the men are all safe," said ];
but just as Hernandez opened his mouth
to reply to me, there arose yell from
the bark, so perfectly horrible and UNI
earthly, that my blood curdled in my
veins; and now it was caught up by
another, until the shrieks and cries, as
in seemed, of hundreds rent the air;
and covered my ears to shut out the
dreadful sound. "Great Godp l
shrieked to Hernandez, who stood next
to me, "what is that ?n
He turned to me with his dark face
flushed almost white as he shouted in
my ear:
"Slaves! There are four hundred of
them chained to the deck, and burning
alivew
Ipray Heaven that whatever sins I
may have committed, my punishment
may never be titbe of the anguish of
that horrible moment.
Strangely enough, in all the mystery
surrounding my mission, the truth had
never dawned upon my mind until
then.
The first boat had already reached
the shore, and the men stood in a
group gazing at the ill-fated vessel,
which was now one mass of flames.
Just then the side of the bark burst out
near the mainmast, and / saw, in the
roaring fire, a confused moving mass
of human beings, writhing about in ag-
ony, while their fearful shrek made
the scene so utterly beyond anything
the most terrible that could conceive
that l turued away and wept scalding
tears of agony at the sight.
Suddenly there was q thunderOus
crash, and, turning quickly around, 1
saw the whole mass dashed into the
air, and bursting into fragments of
spars, beams, human bodies and limbs
in horrible confusion; and then, as the
shattered whole was plunged into the
sea again, all was dark, except where
burning mast or other portion of the
wreck made the gloom more palpable-
everything was silent as the grave,
save the Kissing of the waters as they
closed over that mercileSs holocaust of
the slain.
The first sound / heard was the voice
of the half-drunken captain who had