The Cincinnati daily star. [volume] ([Cincinnati, Ohio]) 1875-1880, 1880-05-13
SAVED BY A BARREL.
An old shipmate called to see me a fe

An old smpmate called TO see me few
days ago at my lodgings in--street.
He had followed the occupation of a
sailor from the time that he was thirteen
years of age, and although the. thrilling
adventures, hairbreadth escapes, and sin
gular vcissitudes Of his. wandering life
might, if written, have filed Q dozen
toolscap journals, they We're all clearly
TRACED upon the tablets of his memory,
even 10 the most minnie details. ''t
As we conyersed of old times, the
hours flew by unhesded. The clock
struck eleVen--n,y old chum's oyes
frightened; he looked at me. wistfully.
Understanding the mute appeal, /
nodded consent, whereupon my shipmate
set is,@spinning machine" to work, and
the following yarn began to unwind:
"Forty years ago, at this hour precise
ly-I rememLer the circumstance as
we'll as though it had happened but u
night since-I stood at the helm Of the
ship Champion, leaning against the
barrel OF the wheel. and looking up in a
sort of dreamy reverie at the stars,
!, which, it seemed to me, were all dane
ing back and forward, like so many little
imps peeping over the yards, retreating
beneath The sails, or looking slyiy down
at me from behind the masts, the. ap-
pearance being caused by the, motion Of
the vessel as silet rose and fell upon, the
long, lazy swell Of the equatorial waters.
There was not breath of air stirring,
aud the sails kept loud racket as they
tapped heavily against the masts, with
their broad shadows waving to and fro
upon the moonlit sea. ..-,..
'It was one of that kind of nights, in
fact, wnich are, calculated TO Create, a
drowsy feeling throughout the whole, of
Jacks systein-a feeling which, joined to
the slow rocking Of the vessel the
warmth and dreamy softness Of the
night, and tn. calm, steady cleaning of
the sllvery moon, produces an influence
that IL is. almost impossible to resist.
Every man composing the watch on
deck, with. The exception of myself, had
fallen into deep sleep; and although |
was. struggling hard against the inclina-
! ton to follow their example, my eyes
woulu clo,e every now and then, as
though wei GIFTED down by some invisible
hand.
But from these oblivious. relapses l
would rouse myself with a powerful
effort, and again fix my gaze upon the
S ars, mentally vowing that the drowsy
god should not get the better If me. But
nature will assert her rights. had been
up. the greater part of the preceding
night Watching by, the side of a wounded
cnum-whose leg had been severely hurt
a, few weeks prior tohhis time, when the
boat to which he belonged was stove by
sperm whale-and on that account.
needed sleep more than, any otmy snip
mates. .... ...
Gradually the faded stars from, my
view; my heavy eyelids closed; and L
was about to sink into another doze,
when a noise, cose at my right ltand,
caused me to awake with sudden start.
Upon looking in the direction Of the
sound, | perceived that it had been
caused by the third mate, who, while
laundering along, half asleep, in the d.
reetion OF the binnacle, aprobably with,
the intention of looking at The compass,
had stumbled over an empty barrel that
obstructed his way.
with Il fierce oath, uttered IN an
angry voice. he lifted the unconscious
object of lis wrath from the deck and
hurled it over the rail into the sea. L.
was we'll fur me that he did so.'
How, What connection had you
with that empty barreR' / interrupted.
BE patientand YOU, shall hear" re-.
spondedmy chum; "but l again repeat,
it was we'll for me that lie hove that bar
rel overheard. Ihave since thoughtithe
act must have been performed through
the instrumentality OF some, good spirit
who, watched over my welfare. But to
proceed with my story. .,. ..... ~.
Having thus vented his indignation,
the third mate gave q glance at the conn
pass, and then returned to his comfort
able quarters near the steerage-hatch,
where, stretching himself upon the
deck, and resting his head. upon his pill
Iowa. bag of potatoes--he was soon
snoring away in II lusty manner.
"a. few minutes afterward my eyes
closed again, the noise from the officers
respiratory organs died upon my ears,
and | found myself once more in the
land Of dreams.
"I seemed to be standing near the
verge of precipice. The sky was clear
it was highland the moon was sail
ing majesticalIy along the heavens. Sud
denly beheld dark cloud swiftly ad
vancing from the west Nearer ano
nearer it seemed to approach every
moment, and Icould perceive that itwas
followed by aenumber Of blaek-iookihg
objects, which, upon closer inspection
l distinguished to lie locusts. The loud
humming noise emitted by these intects
fell with strange, weird sound uponm.
ear. .a.. ."T -t.t Jt.i-
"At length the cloud passed over thu
moon. The wind rose; the lightnin!
flashed; the thunder rolled. The forct
Of the gale seemed to be CARRYING me t'
the verge Of the precipice. lm vain Ere
sisted; nearer and nearer toward tn
4 frirhtful spet was / borne. Another step