The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1873-07-10
NUMBER 28.
Glimpsss or the Gulf.
A Travellers T'hrlIIlng rale-cazt Up 4
the sea.


In Lippincott's for June a terrible re-
alistic tale Of tragieal gulf storm is
given by traveller, who, sailing in a
fishing smack with the hardy fishermen,
fell upon q strange adventure, which he
relates as follows Suddenly the travel
er fsncied he heard cry, but the fish
erman said no, it was the scream of wa
ter-fowl or the shril1 call of an eagle
far above, dropping down from the
blue zenith aad they sailed on. Again
he heard the distant cry, and was told
cf the panther in the bush and wild
birds that drummed and called with al
most human intonation; they sailed on
AGAIN. But again the mysterious,
troubled cry arose from the labyrinth
Of green, and the traveller entreated
them to go in quest of it. The fishers
had their freight for the market, delay
would deterrioate its value but the
anxious traveller bade them put about
and he would bear the loss. It was well
they did. There, IN the dense eoverts
of the sea-swamps, amid the blackish
water-groths and grasses, they found a
man and woman, ragged, torn, starved.
For nine days they had had no food but
the soft pith of the palmetto, coarse
mussels, or scant poison berries, their
bed the damp morass, and their drink
the biaclxish water, and they told the
wild and Serr1DIe story OF Last 1siand.
Last Island was the Saratoga and Long
Branch of the south, the southermost
watering place in the gulf. Situated on
a fertile coral island enriched by innu-
merabIe hocks Of wild fowl, art had
brought its wealth of fruit and flowers
to perfection. The eocoanut-palm,
date-palm and orange orchards con-
trssted their rich foliage in the sunshine
with the pineapple, banana, and the
rich soft turf of the mesquit grass.
The air was fragrant with magnolia and
orange bloom, the gardens glittered
with the burning beauty of tropical
flowers, jessanine thickets and voluptu-
ous grape arbors, the gol len wine-iike
sun pouring an intoxicating balm over
it graceful white cottages festooned
with vines, with eurving chalet or Chi
nese roofs colored red f; psnnaeled arboFs
and shadowy retreats OF espaliers pret-
ty as coral grove, and a fair shining
hotel in the midst, with arcades and
porches and galleries, the very dream
of ease and luxury, as delicate and trim
as if made of cut paper in many forms
AI.a r4a1,r1.fe
retreat; in this balmy garden of delight
all that luxury, art and volumptuous
desire could hint or hope for was col
Ieoted and nothing harsh or poor or
rugged Jared the fullness of its luxu-
rious case.
FROM ACTIVE LIFE TO SUDDEN DEATH.
Ten nights before, its fragrant at
mosphere was broken into beautiful
ripples by the clang and harmony of
dancing music. It was tie night of
the hop" The hotel was crowded.
Yachts and pleasure vessels pretty as
the petals of a-fower tossed on the wa
ter, or as graceful shells banked the
shores; and the steamer at twilight
came breathing short, excited breaths
with the last relay, for it was the
height OF the summer season. In their
light, air dresses as the music swan and
sung, bright-eyed girls fioated in grace
full waltzes down the voluptuous waves
of sound, and the CLEAN of light and
color was like q butterflies ball. The
queenly lucious night sank deeper, and
lovers stroIled in lamp-lighted aroades,
and dreamed and hoped of life like
that. the fair existence of love and
peace and 50 till, tired of play, sleep
and rest calm in the small hours. Hush /!
All az once came the storm, not. as in
northern ATTITUDES, with premonitory
murmur and fretting, lashing itself by
slow degrees into white heat and rain,
but the storms Of the tropics, carrying
the sea on its broad, angry shoulders,
till, reaching the verdurous, love clus-
tered little isle, it flung the bulk of wa
ters with all its lIuge, brawny force
right upon the cut-paper prettinesses,
and broke them into sand and splinters.
Of all those pretty children With blue
and with opalescent eyes, arrayed like
flowers Of the field; of all those lovers
dreaming of love ia summer dalliance,
and Of cottages among figs aud olives
of all the vigorous manhood and ripe
womauhood. with all the skill and
courage OF successful life in them, not
a 1.-THE was saved. The CHASTITY NAV Of
the waters covered them and swallowed
them. A few sprang, among crashing
timbers, on floor laden with impetu-
Gus water, the many, perhaps, never
/ walked at all, or woke to but one short
prayer. The few who were saved hard
" knew how they were saved, the
many who died never knew how they
were slain or drowned. The pair found
by our hshing-smacl, were wealthy
planter and his wife. For nine days OF
starvation and danger they had elung
together. When I think Of the hus-
bands manly care IN thus abiding by
his wife. I find il hard 10 reconcile it
With the fact that he only valued his
| life and hers ct few dollars, not
/ enough 20 compensate the traveller Tor
the loss incurred as demurTage to the
fisherman. wow, Last Island is but
low, sandy reef, on which a few strag-
Cling fruit trees try to keep the rsmem-
branoe Of its bygone beauty. II is as
bare and desciate IS the bones Of those
/ Who fIled its halls ia the eataeiysm Of
that dreadful nighs, bones which no
waste to whiteness on sterile shores or
/ are wrought into coral in the under sea
A LADY Of very economical turn Of
mind not long ago illuminated with her
presence a Rhode Island calm bake.
with her came sizsyear old son. who
| Likewise illuminated the occasion by q
marvellous and transcendsnt power Of
absorption Of Gains The saltiness Of
this delicious food naturally aroused IN
/ this young gentleman Gn urgent thirst,
I A - ,.ss...a - IA