Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1871-03-29
A LEAP FOR LIFE

L was on my way from Paris to Rom,
and one morning in May found myself /
the City of Marseilles. where I had mad
up my mind to take the steamer for italy
The vessel had intended to sail in ba,
departed the day previous to nv arrival
SO there was nothing to do but to select
tne next best and commence nv Journey
After noting the offers of the variSus com.
Panies, finally settled upon the General
Aooertocl, of the Valery Line. and after
seeing my baggage aboard, and looking in
VAN Tor some one to whom [ might saw
the deck. ~ 10 SUM vi
L looked around me at our passencor0
never was there a greater mixturo -
nations. French, Spanish, and above all
Itallan, was heard on every side, but /
listened IN vain for sound of our good old
English tongue, After numerous leave.
taklngs and kissings, such as only n for
elgner can indulge in, we managed 70 GOT
OH, and steamed from the barbor with a
llgnt breeze following, and as happy a COM
pahy as was ergot together. There wore
several notables on board, the Consul
General of France to Rome. and his wica
an accomplished and elegant woman. , sov "m
Secretaries of Legation, besides man
o onlcerS oil the French Army, who, with a
company of troops, were on their wav 70
Ieleye a part of the garrison at Ciyito
Neccm, then held by the French. As we
saileu along many small boats followed us
Ine occupants shouting and waving their
good-byes until we were out of s;gbt
Gould they have seen what the pevt
tl,wenty-four hours would produce cou1J
they have known that their good hives wore
mdeed iarewells to those who. before tbo
morrow's sun, would be in eternity tba;r
gladness would have been changed 10 Gov
row. and their rejoicing to tears. ~
AS l sad, we sailed on the morning of
the 18th of May, 1869, and nothing occurred ID
70 mar our voyage up to 8 O'Clock that
n'snI, Wnen the wind changed, and n be,d
sea SET IN, which quickly drove all the
lauieS ana most of the men below. AS for
myself, (having spent nearly wear Of sen 90
ana never suffering from that maladv called
sea-slckness, | walked the deck for some
Two hours, partly for the fresh air which
coula not get in the saloon, and partIv bo- ,
cause feeling of uneasiness and insocyr;tr
u; nau uo oahen nold OF me, which | endoavored J
VI VAN 10 throw of. There were good {
GROUNDS, however, for my feelings. for had Q
noe oeen nall an hour on board before T /
no lack Of discipline among the off, c
'elS ana crew, which BODIED no good in case s
~ accident, and which was afterward fnIlv S
'onhrmed by their conduct We war, h
;lso heavily laden, including among orr D
relght deck-load of petroleum. mon tba 4
barrels OF which the troops Law or sat d
lhoklng' L endeavored in vain bv s;on. 6.
% make the Captain understand tbe 49, II
u such lntiammable material. but he troat ~
" 'ne SUBJECT with the utmost indiffer- h
nee ana, struggling his shoulders. went S,
nto MS room, as if the fate of over s;xtv q,
ives f9 were OF no possible consequence
having remained on deck up to nearly or
l O'CLOCK, went to my room and law CT
own, taking off my coat merely. for the b,
orrld presentiment that sometime wonId y;
ccur stllI chung to me, and made nv sleen hi
1ything but quiet. 1t was about o,cloct n
, n, was awakened by fearful crash rash
moved instantly by two more sbocls al
'peated In quick succession, while at tbe ~,
me moment shrieks and cries hnrst e., ~ 81 81
! paris OF the cabin, where terrified in
o az ana children were rushing madIv nj,
'ner ana thther. My first Thoughts W.
ere mat we had struck upon some hidden wi
eI or shoal which this part of the Medi- lar
l,aheah abounds in, but on reaching tbe I;o
'ch l soon saw my mistake. for a large re,
", whose outlines could lust see in tbbo cr r
rknesS' was slowly drifting away from an,
, ana knew in moment that we had for
ushed into her, and the onlv ouest;ou u NV NJ,
W was, were we sinking or was She !? If IT, ;,
livery one was now on deck and +bo nm
INFUSION and excitement was dra.d &c up
en called aloud for their wives. and ~
'tners Tor their children, while Others lik
tneir knees called upon God to save DIRE
went to forward part of the shin and p,o
ere saw enough to convince me that ON on,
ur would soon decide the case for ne al son
our bows, which were made of iron I'm fin,
t. the ship was iron, and Clyde bn;IHt : od It
re all stove in, and the water fast no,,rl If :
IN IN great volumes at the apertures, con
= another sight / saw, which. for cow. for
nee and unsailorlike conduct coma al
IDLY be equaled. The Captain and crew 70
70 only one or two glorious exceptions the
|, seized the only boat left uniniured tina
IN the lndistinct light saw them null, Ital
away from the ship. and leaving us 10 in !
1ate. L rushed back to the stern sta,
ere the passengers, who had now caught can