The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1880-11-26

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that the Nashville was officered by young,
enthusiastic and determined men.
/ 1 remained on the dock long enough to
/ take mental observation of her armament,
/ which consisted, as nearly as l could judge,
/ of a swivel bow-gun, probably a20-pounder,
/ and two others probably 1O-pounders. was
! about to leave for my hotel, when an officer,
who subsequently proved to be the chief en-
gineer, approached me, and in the frankeSt
manner possible said
''You are an American, perceive.
l replied affirmatively. He then invited
me on board, which invitation l declined.
He repeated the Invitation, stating that the
other officers would be glad to see an Amer
lean | begged to be excused, as l had some
purchases to make, etc. He then told me
that he and the second engineer were New
Yorkers-that their families lived in the city
of New York, and they wished me to take a
couple of letters containing money to their
wives l told him the United States govern
mens had sent instructions to Europe, warn
ing all Americans against oeing the bearers
of letters from OF to parties in arms against
the government, and, trivial as the service
might seem. l regretted exceedingly that l
could not comply with his wish.
Iparted with him, and was nearing my
hotel, when I heard footsteps coming rapidly
behind me. Turning around discovered my
new acquaintance, the engineer. He ap-
preached me, and, in an agtated voice, said {:
'Do YOU purpose returning to New York
on the Bremen ."
told him did.
Have you paid your passage 90
replied in the affirmative.
q am sorry," he added, and was about
leaving me, when lie turned quickly. came up
close to ME, and in a low voice said, Forfeit
your passage meney do not go by the Brem-
en-. We have an authenticated list of her
cargo She has on board 500 boxes OF Prus-
sian rifles for the Federal Government. In
twenty-four hours we will be out of the dry
dock. Two hours after the Bremen starts for
New FORK we viii bo in pursuit. The Nash
Vile is fast we shall rapidly overhaul, burn
and sink the Bremen. We shall bring back
20 Southampton all her passengers, but their
baggage will be lost"
l thanked him for the information and we
parted. / was plodding along, bewildeTed in
u measure by my situation, and contrasting
untavorably to myself, my refusal to take
York, who was, perhaps, suffering from want
Of the money it contained, with the anxiety
her kind husband had displayed TO save ne
from the horrors of perhaps a deadly conflict
at sea. [ had half a mind to go back to him
and take his letter and its consequences,
when I ran against Captain Vessels Of tho
Bremen. l felt it my duty to communicate
to him the information which had so strange
ly come to my knowledge. tie was very
much agitat-d,
"How long" said he, "will it take you to
get your family down to the steamer"
Twenty minutes" D." [ replied.
Il will give you half an hour. Forty min
utes from this moment" Cpuiliug out his
watch eve shall be under way"
In twenty minutes my family and bag
gage were on board. In ten minutes more
every passenger going by the Bremen was on
her deck. The gang plank was hauled in,
her fasteniugs cast of, the tinkle of bell
was heard, we backed out, from the deck
another tinkIe and We were under way. l
looked at my watch Forty-fvo minutes had
elapsed since l had been cohversing with the
captain in front of the hotel. Fortunately
the steamers fires had not been put out from
the time of her arrival, only few hours be-
fore.
The Bremen was staunch craft, ans O'li-
cered by hardy men of experience. As much
steam as she could safely carry was given
her, and we rapidly left behind us the shores
of old England. That night Capt. Vessels
told me that everything ne possessed in this
world was aboard the steamer; that he was
largely interested in the safe deliverance Of
the 500 boxes of arms; that the Nashville
was very fast and, in fair weather, could
overhaul US with our a hours start that if
she did he would fight her with steam as she
came alongside, and would scald to death ey-
cry human being on board If possible. Here
I could not help but think we stood a chance
of having a broi converted into boil, with
somebody cooked gratis. l should be telling
An untruth if l sta ted that ! Telished the
prospect
For 48 hours we doomed along in splendid
style, when a gale of wind spraug up, which,
although favorable for rs, neverthe less tried
the metal fastenings and cordage Of our
gallant iron craft. In such heavy sea the
Nashville could not live, the captain said,
which consoled us for the rolling and tossing,
the loss of meals, and general discomfort of
in honor of our escape from the Nashville,
gave us ''joliy spread" with fine old Rhen-
ish wine and other accorepaniments. Songs
werS sung and toastS were drunk IN memory
of ''Fadcrland," " "Our Fritz etc, for, with
the exception of two ladies, my family and
myself the passengers were all German stu
dents en- route to join the Union army On
the tenth day, about noon, whom on the banks
of Newfoundland, there was tremendous
crash, which shook the vessel from stem to
stern. Steam was let of rapidly; the vessel
stopped. Orders were imperatiyely given in
tones which seemed to combat with the Gle
ments, there was a running back and forth
on deck overhead, a dragging OF blocks and
cordage. and rafting OF chains. The vessel,
having lost her momentum, began to roll and
pitch and toss fearfu!iy. The weather was
bitterly cold, our sails frozen and uumaaaEe-
aole, our machinery disabled We vera at
the mercy OF the elements. The good ship
Bremen gradually settled to her larboard
side, the seas began to roll over Us, the hatch
es were battened down, the headlights Sc
cured we were in utter darkness and in
closed in an iron prison. \ feeble light was,
after time, swung in the cabin but 10 prep
aration Of food was thought Of. The cook
I and walters seemed to have stepped ashore.
/ For hours no one came to communicate with
/ us. at Lass a solitary waiter appeared, and
placed some bread, cold meat aud water on
! the table We questioned him; nc answered
/ not lookad friph+eued and disappearpd -