Clarksville weekly chronicle. (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1873-1890, 1881-03-19

| instinctively at the ratings,
should have fallen PROSTATE on tn
} deck. A wild cry of "Firel Fire !
the most fearful that can be hear
at sea-mingled with and height
ened the dizzy ringing in my brain
/ was barely sufficiently consciou
J to discern, amid the running to an,
fro, and the incoherent exclama
tions of the crew, the sjnewy, ath
letic figure of the captain leap UP
as it were, from the companion lad
, der to the deck, and with his trum
pet voice commanded immediat
silence, instantly followed by tn,
order again to batten down thl
blazing hatchway. This, with hi
own assistance, was promptly eff
fected, and then he disappeared
down the forecastle. The two o.
three minutes that he was gone-i
could scarcely have been more thar
that-seemed interminable, and 81
completely did it appear to be recog
| nized that our fate must depend
upon his Judgment and vigor thai
not word was spoken nor finger
I think, moved till he reappeared
already seorched and blackened
with the fire, and dragged up what
seemed a dead body in his arms.
He threw his burden on the deck,
and passing swiftly to where Hawk
ins stood, said in a low, hurried
whisper, audibleto me: run down
and rouse the passengers, and bring
my pistols from the cabin locker.
Quick Eternity hangs on the loss
of a moment" Then turning to
the startled but attentive seamen,
he said, in rapid but firm voice |:
"You well know, men, that | would
not on any occasion, or for any mo-
tive, deceive you. Listen, then, at
tentively. Yon drunken brute-he
is Lieutenant Arguella's servant
has fred with his candle the spirits
he was stealing, and the hold is a
mass of fire which it is useless to
waste one precious moment in at
tempting to eXtinguish."
A cry of rage and terror burst
from the crew, and they sprang i'm
puIsively toward the boats, but the
Captains authoritative voice at once
arrested their steps. s'Hear me out,
will you? Hurry and confusion
will destroy us all, but by courage
and steadiness, every soul on board
may be saved before the flames can
reach the powder. And remem-
ber," he added, as he took his pis-
tolls from Hawkins and cooked one
of them, "that / will send bullet
after any man who disobeys me,
and ! seldom miss my aim. Now,
then. to YOUR Work-steadily and
with a will"
1t was marvellous to observe the
influence his bold, confident and
commanding bearing and words had
upon the men. The panic that had
seized them gave place to energetic
resolution, and in an incredible
short space of time, the boats were
in the water. "Well done, my fell
lows! There is plenty of time, |
again repeat. Four OF you"-and
he named them-''remain with me;
three others jump into each of the
large boats, two into the small one,
and bring them round to the land
ward side of the ship. A rush would
swamp the boats, and we shall be
able to keep only one gangway
clear.
The passengers were by this time
rushing upon the deck half clad and
in a state of the widest terror, for
they all knew there was a large |
quantity of gunpowder on board.
The instant the boats touched the !
starboard side of the bark, the men, |
white as well as colOred, forced |
their way with 1renZied eagerness |
before the women and children
careless, apparently, whom they |
sacrificed so that they might them
selves leap to the shelter of the |
boats from the fiery volcano raging |
beneath their feet. Captain e'tarkey, /
aided by the four athletic seamen
he had selected for the duty, hurled
them fiercely back. "Back, back!'
he shouted 1--WE must have funeral
order here-first the women and
children, next the old men. Hand
Sonora ArguelIas along; next the
young lady, her daughter. Quick"
AS Donna Antonia, more dead
than alive, was about to he lifted
into the boat, gush OF flame burst
up through the main hatchway with
the roar of an explosion; tumult-
1ous cry burst from the frenZied
and they jostled each
lther with frightful violence in
their efforts to reach the gangway.
Dupont forced his way through the
ine of seamen with the energy OF a
madmap. and pressed SO suddenly
upon Donna AntOnia that, but for
5he utmost exertiOn of the Captains
herculean strength, she must have
been precipitated into the water.
"Back, unmanly bastard! Back,
log!" roared Captain Starkey, ter
-ibly excited by the lady's danger
and a moment after, seizing Dupont
iercely by the collar, he added, Tor
f YOU will, look there for one mo-
nent," and he pointed with his pis-
-ol hand to the fms of several sharks
visible in the glaring light at but a
few wards distance from the ship.
Men," he added, ''let whoever
presses forward out of his turn fall
INTO the water"
"Aye, aye, sir" was the prompt,
response.
This terrible menace instantly re-
stored order. The colored women
and children were embarked and
The boat appeared full.
"Pull Off" was the order; "you
are deep enough for safety"
A cry, faint as the wall of child,
arose in the boat. 1t was heard and
ssStay one moment; pass along,
Sonora Arguellas. Now, then, off
with you, and be smart" !" /
The next boat was quickly loaded;
he colored lads and men, all but
1ne, and the three Americans went
with her.
"You are a noble fellow" said
Mr.. Dresmond, pausing an instant
and catching the captains hand
'and | was fool to-"
"Pass on" was the reply; "there
IS no time to handy compliments"
The order to shove off had passed
the Captains lips when his glance
to light on me, as /
leaned, dumb with terror, just be-
hind him, on the vessels bulwarks.
"Hold on a moment" he cried.
Here is one whose weight will not
hurt you.n And he fairly lifted me
over and dropped me gently into
the boat, whispering as he did so,
sRemember me, Ned, to your
father and mother, should ! not see
them again."
There was only the small boat,
capable of containing but eight per-
! hi