Iowa voter. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1867-1874, 1870-07-21
MISCELLANEOUS.
CAPTAIN DARRELDs WARD.
A TRUE STORY.

A TRUE STORY.
Thirty years ago was second mate o.
the Warsaw, lying in the port OF Auckland,
New Zealand. As we were bound to Japan
the next season, touching at the Sandwich
Islands. we received on board ~ passen-
gers a Scotcbman, who had been Tor
Sr,.,ol yoe-se a vostiont of thu colonies,
and his only child, a little girl of twelve.
David Cameron had recently lost bis
wife, who had long been In delicate health ;
and, closing up I'll his affairs, determined
upon q change Of residence, with view
OF pushing bis fortunes elsewhere. He
had been seaman In his youth, and was,
Of course, able to adapt himself easily to
such accommodations rs we could offer
him In whaler. He was tenderly at
tachcd to his little daughter, who soon be
came a favorite with every one on board
II needed not the assurance OF the
stricken widower to satisfy us that Jessie
had been In the hands Of An excellent
mother. Shewas an interesting and in.
telligent child, and had made the most OF
her opportunities in a situation where
educational advantages were necessarily
very limited. la.e.
Tarown into daily contact with her, as
wss, 1t was not strange that found q
strong attraction drawing me TO her. She
was study TO me; for could not help
contrasting her. every hour in the day,
with little sister Of mine, about the same
age, who , ] had left at home. 1t was
true, Maria was bright and pretty child,
and 80 proud and fond OF me, her sailor
brother! She believed that Priam Oar
rell was the incarnation OF all that was
grand and noble in manhood. But she
4 n al. ~ at,.t lar IN
be observed in this child, who had been
thrown 50 much upon her own resources
In book knowledge, as well M in The thou
sand little graces and arts required In So
cie!y, she was, Of course, the superior OF
Jessie Cameron but in strength and
force Of character, she might well have
been several years the younger.
When near the French Rock, we en-
countered gale 81 wind which exceeded
in violence anything which have ever
experienced, before or since, Ia the Pacific
But our liitlo passenger was quite at home
on shipboard, ard appeared 10 have little
fear or uncasiness She remained on
deck nearly all the time, until tie wind
and soa Increased 10 such degree that
her father wse oonpelIoI, by fcars r,r ncr
safety, to order her to keep close in the
cabin.
The old Warsaw, owing to her stiff.
ness, was a very ugly sea-boat in gale.
And on the second day Of the blow, all
her storm canvass having been torn from
the bolt'ropes, she lay wallOwing Mt the
mercy OF the elements. IL was found
quite impossible 10 bend and set any new
sails, and our situation became really
dangerous.
We lay thus for several hours, occa
sionally shipping the top Of a sea, but no
material damage had been done. Toward
night we were favored with lull, and ad
vantage was taken OF II 10 set new miz
zen staysal, that we might have some
thing 70 keep her head up To the sea.
Al hands were above the deck At the
time; and myself was on the mizzen-
stay, half way up the mainmast, doing
the last work OF bending the sail To ite
hanks. The halyards aud sheet were
strongly manned, and every one In -cadi.
ness waiting for the word To hoist away"
l was just about to slide down from my
perch, when q great wall Of water came
roaring down upon US, and knew, by
the feeling OF the ship under me, that she
weuli not rise clear Of II. On II came
clang involun,arily 10 the stay, hearing
confused cries of "IIold onp "Look
outr' II met us with shock that seemed
to have driven in the whole broadside OF
our stout craft.
II combed in nearly the whole length
of the ship, fore and aft, giving no one
time To escape, or 10 do snything but TO
cling instinctivcly to the nearest support.
All below me was a raging gulf Of water,
In which men and inanimate objects were
promiscuously dashed about. had
enough to DO to retain my hold where
was, looking down upon the dreadful
sight. felt that my fate would be de-
cidcd In another minute or two. II must
be the same as that Of my shipmates, who
were vainly stretching their hands toward
me for succor, while here and there cry
rang In my ears, breaking the 'ceaseless
roar Of sea and wind We were all 10 die
together, unheard Of; the simple record
attached to our names, Probably found
cred at sea" 8Ala
But, shivcring in every timber Of her
ancient fabric. the Warsaw rose again tri-
umphant from what seemed her death
struggle with the elements. Her bare deck
came into view as she shook herself free OF
the burden; for nearly all the bulwarks
were swept away on both sides, % well as
everything off movable nature. But not
D human Delu8 was w 10 bccu, 40, otiil
clinging In my elevated position, looked
about me. All had been swallowed up
and gone to their final account.
/ had no time for sentiment; indeed ]
think the leading emotion In my mind
was one OF sslouisbment ut feeling the ship
still buoyant, for ! had no idea that she
could ever rise again. ! slid down to the
deck, and ws'chiDg my opportunity,
darted below into the cabin. Everything
was afloAt there; for the companion
had been dashed into splinters, and the
"a had poured down IN = cataract. ]
stood In the doorway leading into the after
cabin, drenchsd and shivering, looking up
at the now opened hstchway, and won
dering how long II might be ere ] should
be ineulfod Tor the next go that boarded
us would probably all and wateY-log the
already shattered hull
"Where's father" said tremulous IT.
lie voice behind me.
Until then had not thought of the
child. turned Ut the sound, snd saw the