Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1879-08-08

sail was not visible from the deck, Captain
Baker went aloft with his glass, and discover
ed it to be a ship apparently in a sinking con-
dition, her fore and main masts gone by the
board, and flag Of distress in the mizzen-
rigging She had evidently been dismantled
by the late hurricane
Square the main-yard!" was the ordor
that now rang through the ship, and she WIS
then kept away for the wreck. which very
soon became visible from the deck. As they
drew nearer they could see that she was set
tlting fast, and that the crew (her boats hav-
ing been carredaway) were rapidly construct
ing a raft alongside The DLulep Singh was
hoye-to short distance from the wreck,
which proved to be the Rothsny, tea-clipper
of London, and a boat waslowered and sent off
to her. The Rothsay was almost down to her
scuppcrs, wallowing helplessly in the sea- and
her end WIS fast approaching. Help had
come to her ere : just rs she was about to 90
from under them and lenve them adrift on
the waste of ocean nor was it safe for the
boat to linger alongside. lest il should be suck
cd down by the whirling vortex caused by the
death-throes of the laundering ship, liable to
occur at any moment. number of the
Rothsdy's crew had been washed OF in the
hurricane, aud one who had been manned
by falling spars, was already lying on the
raft, and was gently transferred TO the boat,
which then showed OF. When it was midway
between the two ships the Rothsay. lnrching
cOnyulsiyely, buried her bow in a sea, and
the waves closed over her az she went down,
locked in their embrace till the sea give up
her dead There il no more solemn or i'm
pressive sight in this world than the sinking Of
a ship at sea. When man dies the body con-
tinues for while to give the semblance of
reality, and only by degrees wastes away to
nOthugncss. When house burns down, il
is only gradually, and the ashes remain
When an earthquake fclls n city, the frag-
ments are still there But when one moment
We See the strong and mighty fabric of a ship
actually before US, aud the next can discern
absolutely not a yestige or sign or semblance
or shadow Of it existing, we come very near
to forming n conception Of what annihilaton
Is, if there be any such thing.
The Roth,ay having disappeared, the atten-
tion Of all on board the Dhulep Singh was di-
rcctcd to the returning boat, and the haggard
faces Of those who had been SO opportunely
rescued from watery grave We're eagerly
scanned But when it arrived alongside. and
the features Of the wounded man became dis
tiuctly visible, Mrs Baker, shuddering as if
with cold. pall as death, and with tongue al
most paralyzed with overpowcring emotion,
clutched her husbands arm: "Abijah, don't
he look like our Johnnie -
Elizabeth, what-you don't mean to say
My God, it can't be'-aud yet-if only the
d ad could come to life, should say it was
our John"
Thus gaspiug and staggering, rather than
walking Captain Baker took two or three
steps forward, and gazed earnestly into the
eyes Of the manned seaman, who at the in
staut looked mp. As he caught the gaze Of
the Captain, q change came over his sunken
features: reaching forward his arms and *
claiming Father :" he fell back apparently
dead it was this circumstance which aided
to prevent the parents from yielding to the
emotions caused by the violence of the shock
received from this most extraordinary event.
Descending into the boat the Captain found
that his son was only in a syncope, resulting
from excitement from physical exhaustion.
With the greatest Tenderness and sympathy,
in which every Que of the crew joinod-and it
may be said to their cr,dit that more than
one Of them drew his rough fist across his
eyes-Johu Baker was hOisted out of the
boat ard carried into the cabin, where the
usual remedies applied in such cases soon re-
stored him to consciousness.
John Bakers story is soon tod hair
breadth us was lis escape, it is at any rate no
more remarkable than the adventures which
are encountered by most seafariug men some
time in the course Of their adventurous lives
On the might Of the collision he was ON deck !;
the schooner wh- iyiug-to, and, as she was di-
rectly IN the track Of mward-bound vessels,
anxiety was fit and sharp lookout main
tanned He discovered the bark at the same
instant that the schooner was perceived. Con-
scious at a glance that collision was unn-
yoidable he at once took thought for his per-
sUuul safety. As is common on our fishing
schoonvrs, there was a nest of dorics amid
ships. He made a dive at this and lifted the
upper ono out of its bed just rs the two YES
sells came together, and held fast to it by the
painter By great good luck it hoated when
the schooner went down, and he contrived to
get into IT, 1t glided over the seas before the
wind, It's very lightness giving it bUOyancy,
and helping 20 keep it clear Of combers. Bat
it was only by the greatest management
may lot one also add, 10y the aid of Proyi-
dclce that dory and crew of one man lived
till morning. He was then sighted by ship
outward bound she altered her course, and
flung ropc to him as she swept by; he
caught it and was saved. The vessel was
bound to China, and the Captain was loath
to put back 10 land him, but promised to trans
fer him to some home warl-bound vessel If
convenient. No such opportunity seemed to
occur either the sea was too high to launch q
boat when they met such ship, or they did
not care to lose a fair wind something al.
ways prevented, In the mean time John was
given berth in the forecastle and worked
his passage. At Shanghai he secured
tha place of second mate in the ROthsay, and
started for home rid England. The Rothsay,
was oyertaken by the hurricane described
above, and hove on her beam-ends her cap,
tain was washed overheard with several OF
the crew it was then found necessary to cut
away the masts to right her, and John had his
leg broken i'll two places by falling spar
After the ship righted it was discovered thai
she had started butt, caused perhaps by the
pounding Of masthead before the wrecked
stuff was cleared away, and the water gained
rapidly on the pumps.
John had suffered greatly from the severe
accident which had befallen him, which had
been aggravated 10y exposure and lack of sur.
gical aid And although the tender care OF
his mother and the glad face of his father die
much to relieve his pain it was decided tC
put into Cape Town to procure the medica
advice he so much needed. At the Cape OF
Good Hope they remained several days, and
then under propitious auspices hoisted tn,
topsails once more for home. Past st. Hele
mas rocky isle across the line, and the Gull
Stream, the Dhulep Singh sped as if impellec
10y a consciousness of the glad tidings SHE
pore 70 luc Aullolh hChiA pil AhO OhpNi bnNihE
with despair along the far-oG verge of ocear
for the sail of one who would never return to
cheer her life again.
1t was glad moment for all on board wher
the bare, yellow sand-hills of Cape Cod anc
the Highland Lighthouse hove in sight. IN,
country :" exclaimed Captain Baker with ex
ultation, as he proudly gazed on the rising
shores Of his native land, while Neptune, wag
gng his bushy tail with becoming dignity
evidently regarded the scene with similar SEN
timonts, and hailed every passing vessel Will
a sonorous, good -natured bark.
question which often arises in life i
whether the happiness that succeeds adversit!
and sorrow is dearly purchased at that rate
Probably, if we had the choosing of our des
tiny, we should shrink from such valuation
of good fortune. But Providence, which lay
down the laws for man, has otherwise ordain
ed aud DEGREES that as in art so in life tn
strangest effects of light shall be gained by
deep, contrasting shade that repose shal
come as a relief from toll and pain that rap
ture shall be rapture because it is the reyul
sion from overpowering anguish of soul
0 - T.