The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1878-12-09

noticed low down On the horizon had
risen rapidly until the entire heavens
| were obseured, the atmosphere had
grown dense, and the darkness was
simply intense, relieved only by the
now dismantled hulk which OCCASION
ally threw out gleam OF light.
"a strange, indefinable, rushing
sound pervaded the air. a slight ripple
rufIled the stagnant waters, cold
breath of air famed my cheek, while
under the black, frowning clouds
l saw a white line rapidly rushing
upon us.
"Louder and louder grew the
sounds; the men gazed at one an
other aghast. With a wave OF my
hand motioned the! seamen to pull
the boat round so rs to bear before
it, and the next instant the hur-
ricane burst upon us in all its fury.
"The shrek Of the tempest drowned
my voice. The oars were dashed from
the sailors hands, while they in ter
ror threw themselves down in the bot
tom of the boat.
"In an agony of terror Maria clung
to me, while 1, with all my strength
and skill, managed to keep the boat
dead before the gale.
"On rushed the frail structure
through the murky darkness, enve-
loped in a whirl of foam, which half
blinded me as the salt spray filled my
| hIy tho
barrels full, and hurled with cut
ting force and violence through the
air.
"Drenched to the skin, with the
delicate girl crouching by my side,
wrapped up in all the spare coats 1
could muster, kept watch during
the long hours Of that eventful night.
"How we ever escaped destruction
a merciful Providence alone can tell,
but with daylight the fierce gale
showed signs of abating and by noon
we were sailing upon a Summer sea.
A rough temporary, sail had been
rugged, and the boats head directed
toward the land; for, of course, we
had given up all hope Of ever seeing
the brig, for a while at least. II we
would be saved We had got to rely up
on our own resources. Carefully /
dealt out slim allowance Of bread
and water from the scanty supplies
which was in the stern sheets, eau
tioning the men to make the precious
fluid go as far as possible.
II could enlarge upon the suffer-
ings we endured, tell you about the
calm days which succeeded, how the
scorching rays of the sun beat down
upon our heads, and how the men
with noble generosity surrendered
their few drops Of water to the pale,
suffering woman, who never muir
INJURED once, though her brain was all
but on fire, and her tongue parched
land swollen in her mouth.
"You can imagine my feelings when
the last crumb Of bread was exhaust
ed, and the beaker had been drained
dry. Death in its most terrible form,
With the attending horrors Of hunger
and thirst, stared us in the face, and
1 groaned in anguish as gazed upon
the now inanimate form Of the poor
girl. She was dying-perhaps dead
already--and I stretched myself by
her side to meet the late was DOW
erless to avert. .r ....
"Well, we were picked up shortly
after by q Brazilian fishing-boat,
placed aboard a man-of-war cruising
on the coast, and the surgeon soon
had us under his care. Strange to
say none Of US succumbed to the pri-
vations we had undergone, but re-
covered to congratulate one another
upon our escape. The Senor Jose
Gonzales fairly hugged me in his de-
light at the escape of his daughter,
and insisted upon my making his
residence my home, The men were
rewarded by him beyound their most
sanguine hopes, and I-well, I re-
warded myself by marrying the fair
heiress, and when her father died a
flew years ago, assumed full control
Of the estates. AS for the old brig,
and Captain Thompson, she was never
seen or heard from after the terrible
storm which swept the coast of South
America, strewing it's shores with
the wreck Of many noble craft"