Lexington advertiser. [volume] (Lexington, Miss.) 1838-187?, 1870-07-22
MISCELLANEOUS.
CAPTAIN DARRELDS WARD.
A TRUE STORY.

tnS "hiodNi lylhS III Cnc pOTb Vi AuCkldU
New Zealand, As we were bound to Japs
the next season, touching at the Sandwic
Islands, We received on board as passel
gers u Scotchman, who had been ft
several years resident of the colonie
and his only child, little girl of twclv
David Cameron had recently lost b
wife, who had long been in delicate health
and, closing up all his affairs, determine
upon change of residence, with vie'
Of pushing his fortunes elsewhere. II
had been SEAMAN in his youth, and wa
of course, able to adapt himself easily
such accommodations as we could Offe
him in a whaler. He was tenderly a
tached to his little daughter, who soon bt
came tavoritC with every one on boarC
II needed not the assurance of tn
stricken widOwcr to satisfy us that Jessi
had been in the hands of an excellen
mother. She was an interesting and in
tcIligcnt child, and had made the most G
her opportunities ill situation Wher
educational advantages were nccessaril
very limited.
Thrown into daily contact with her, a
l was, it was not strange that found
strong attraction drawing me to her. Sh
was study to me; for could not he'll
contrasting her, every hour in the day
with u little sister of mine, about the sam
age, WHOM | had left at home. It wa
true, Maria was bright and pretty child
and SO proud and fond of me, her sailor
brother! She believed that Priam Oar
rcll was the incarnation of all that wa
grand and noble in manhood. But sh
had nothing OF the quiet seltrelance Il
be observed in this child, who had bcel
thrown 50 much upon her own resources
In book knowledge, as well as in the thou
sand little graces and arts required in so
citty, she was, of course, the superior o
Jessie Cameron; but in strength anC
force of character, she might well havt
been several years the younger.
When near the French Rock, we en-
countered gale of wind which exceeded
in violence anything which | have evel
experienced, before or since in the Pacific
But our little passenger was quite at home
on shipboard, and appeared to have little
fear or uneasiness. She remained or
deck nearly all the time, until the wind
and sea increased TO such a degree that
her father was compelled, by fears for hel
safety, to order her to keep close in the
cabin.
The old Warsaw, owing to her stiff
ness, was very ugly sea-boat in gale
And on the second day of the blow, all
her storm canvass having been torn from
the holt-ropes, she lay wallowing at the
mercy of the elements. 1t was found
quite impossible to bend and set any new
shlls, and our situation became really
dangerous.
We lay thus for several hours, occa
slonaIly shipping the top of sea, but no
mate. damage had been done Toward
night, we were favored with lull, and ad-
vantage was taken of it to set a new miz.
zsn slaysal, that we might have some
thing to keep her head up to the sea.
All 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 tho sail to its
hanks, The halyards and sheet were
strongly manned, and every one in readi-
ness, waiting for the word to "hoist away"
| was just about to slide down from my
perch, when great wall of water came
roaring down upon us, and l knew, by
the feeling of the ship under me, that she
would not rise clear of it. On it came !;
cIung involuntarily to the stay, hearing
confused cries of "HOld ont "Look
out" 1t met us with shock that seemed
to have driven in the whole broadside of
our stout craft.
1t combed in nearly the whole length
of the ship, fore and aft, giving no one
time to escape, or to do anything but to
cling instinctively to the nearest support,
All below me was q raging gulf of water,
in which men and inanimate objects were
promisCuOusy 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-
cided in another minute or two. 1t 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 to die
together, unheard Of the simple record
attached to our names, Probably found.
cred at sea-"
But, shivering 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
lhS Ipl Ill bul"hi NO
were swept away on both sides, as well as
everything of movable nature. But not
human being was to be seen, as, still
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 astonlshment at feeling the ship
still buoyant, for | had no idea that she
could ever rise again. l slid down to the
deck, and watching my opportunity,
dartcd below into the cabin. Everything
was ahoat there; for the companion-way
had been dashed into splinters, and the
sea had poured down in cataract. l
stood in the doorway leading into the after
cabin, drenched and shivering, looking up
at the now opened hatchway, and won,
dering how long it might be ere should
be ingulfed; for the next sea that boarded
us would probably ill and water'log the
already shattered hull.
"Where's father9" said tremulous lit,
tic voice behind me.
Until then had not thought of the
child. | turned at the sound, and saw the
bright head protruding from the narrow
opening of a state.roo door, The blue
eyes were unnaturally expanded with
wonder and anxiety; but there was none
of the childish weakness of fear that
might have been looked for under the cir
CumstanCes.
"Mr. Darrell, where's father ?" she re-
peated.
How could answer the question Only
by sign to her to keep close within her
room, as I moved forward out of her
range of vision, that my tell-tale face
might be hidden. .
Powerless, as regarded any effort |
could make for safety against the storm, |
awaited the moment when the ship should
he ingulfed, with little Jessie and myself.
But as if the demon of wrath had been sa-
tiatcd, she now appeared to make better
weather of it than she had done for hours
before. Hope again revived, and l has
tened to explain our position to the or
pbaned girl.
knew not how to begin, rough
seaman that was, to break the sad intel
loence to her. But | found it unneces.
sary to speak, she had already guessed
the truth, in part, and single look in my
f,ce was sufficient for her quick COM
urrucnsiOp to take in the rest.
After the first burst of grief, which !
suffered her to indulge unchecked, she be-
came calm, wonderfully 50, and was pre-
pared 10 look the matter squarely in the