The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1871-04-08

1t was too late One awful scream. one
cry of agony-such as pray | may never
hear again-as she plunged to the bottom;
and OF all those cabin passengers, | alone
was left. The waters met and closed over
her as peacefully and calmly as if nothing
had occurred, and nearly sixty souls, men,
women and children, were in eternity.
The day had fairly broken now, and
with the new light we seemed to have new
hope. Finding that the brig, which had
drifted some way off, was still floating,
we sheered for her, and, clambering up,
threw ourselves upon the deck, worn out
and exhausted | think, had our vessel
then, sank that not man could have saved
himself, so utterly were we used up.
But help was near at hand. We had
discovered, while in the boat, the masts
and spars of ship looming up on the
horizon, and now she was in plain sight
We hosted our flag as being in distress,
and shouted, and almost cried with 10y, as
we saw her return the signal, and then
came bearing down toward US. AS she
passed where the steamer sank, she put
out her boats and picked up two passen-
be The King bound from Norway 70 the
coast OF Africa. Her Captain, bluff old
sailor, but kind-hearted man, after con-
sultation with the Captain Of our brig,
told him he would help him into the near
est port, which was Leghorn, or, as he
called it, Lireano. Our vessel, although
severely damaged, would still float, for
being, as sailors have it, only in ballast,
viz, having no cargo we were enabled by
constant pumping to keep the water out
until we had stuffed the rent full of old
cordage, sails, &c, and nailed large lot
OF canvas over the side.
The Captain OF THE King had also pick
ed up the Captain of the steamer and his
crew in the boat which they had taken so
basely, and, being rather short of pro-
visions, with SO many more thrown on
his hands, all that could had to stay Oh
the brig.
We found by observation that we were
about 100 miles from L69hogn, and turned
our prows in that direction but now, one
of these calms so frequent in this sea set
in, and it was only after three days and
| nights increasing labor at the pumps that
we reached the port. The ship, mear<
while, kept close by US, and at night our
lamps answered each others welcome
light, while decks watches Of the two
vessels sent across the water The joyful
cry -of ''All's we'll" | was quite used up
and unfit for duty after the second day,
for my feet were swollen and purple, and
my left wrist sprained from my Jump, but
it was not until cramps set in that gave
up taking my turn at the pumps, for there
was many poor fellow worse than |.
The moment we arrived the news spread
like fire, and soon a crowd of many hun-
dreds were about US asking questions and
pressing upon our acceptance food ard
money, and in fact, like many others of
our species, we needed both, for more
sorry locking crowd it would be hard to
find. Our wardrobe was mare up of the
odds and ends belonging TO the Captains
of the two vessels, and was anything but
comfortable, but we little thought Of that,
/ for life had been spared US, while so many
had met watery grave. OF my journey
/ to Rome, and the reception | received
/ there, | will not speak-Sutifce 1t to say
! that more kind hearted people than the
! Italians, or ones more ready to help those
! in actual distress, do not live made a
statement of the affair before an Ameri-
can Consul at Leghorn, and have since
learned that the Captain of the A6bsrtoci
is serving ont term Of eighteen years in
the Government rriso1 for not having his
lights out, and cowardice in leaving his
vessel.
Nearly two years have now passed since
I that night, but | can yet see those pale
faces. and hear the shrisks as they sauk.
1t will cling to me while | exist, for | am
sure | can never forget while memory
lasts-ny leap for life.