The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1881-04-20

questioned him; he answered not,
looked frightened and disappeared.
This state of things was kept up for
twenty four hours longer, when,
finding things getting no worse, we
began TO think. matters were more
likely to improve.
About seven o'clock on the nj ght
of the eleventh day out, Captain
Vessels, for the first time since the
accident, entered the cabin and took
his seat at the head of the table. He
looked sad, gloomy and exhausted.
Although he had been so long with
out food, | noticed he was not eating.
Not a word was uttered by any of
tie passengers. / approached the
cabin, and, quietly seating myself at
his right, SAID, in tones us firm as L
could command, well, captain,
how does it look?"
He did not Immediately reply or
look at me. Thinking he had not
heard me, | was about to repeat the
question, when he gently placed his
hand on mine, and with an express
sion so sad, so mournful, that |
shall never forget it, replied:
Il will tell you. No small boat
can be launched, or can live, in such
sea as is now raging. Our ma
chinery is disabled beyond repair.
Our sails are frozen and unmanage-
bic. We have sprung a leak on the
larboard quarter. Our pumps are
broken. The water is gaining on us
with such rapidity that, if the wind
does net SHIFT before midnight, SO as
to throw us on our starboard, and
thus enable us TO pass sail over
the leak on the larboard, we shall
be at the bottom when that hour
arrives. Now, 60 to work, cheer up
your fellow passengers. particularly
the poor ladies and children. If we
should never meet again., believe
that have done all in the power of
human being to save the ship and
the precious lives entrusted to my
care. May the great God have
mercy on Us all p
He then left the cabin and went
on deck. The passengers had been
attentively watching for us. Turn
ed to them, and although, as l was
told afterwards, my face was as
pallid as that Of a dead person, l
exclaimed:
Cheer up, cheer up, by midnight
we shall be out of trouble"
German songs were then sung by
the students, atfording me an oppor-
tunity to quietly slip away to my
state room, my family having per-
ceived me. On entering my state
room | locked the door, took out
the key, and placed it under the pill
low on which the head of my dasl-
ing boy was resting.
| awakened him and told him to
rise and kheel with me. He did
so. | said, "Now, my child, it is
my duty to say to you that We are
in great peril. God alone can save
Us. Pray fervently to him to save
us-to spare all in this ship"
The child did SO; we prayed to-
gelher, and if prayers ever went up
from the heart, those prayers did.
4 few moments afterwards the boy
was fast asleep, and, strange as it
may seem, a feeling of drowsiness
had oomc over me. | have heard
it said that persons on the eve OF
execution had been known to sleep
soundly. | think | can account for
it. Hope and fear have given away
to resignation-quiet submission to
the will of providence. Be that as
it may, / soon fell asleep, and slept
as soundly as | ever did in my life,
and was suddenly awakened by
what appeared to be heavy blow
against the larboard quarter of the
ship.
In an instant i realized the situa-
ton. / thought my hour had come,
and with all my faculties alert,
calmly awaited the awful sensation
of sinking to the bottom. Even in
this terrible moment there was con-
ISOLATION in knowing that all who
were dear TO me in life, would no.
be separated from me in death-that
we would 90 down together. The
vessel, however, gradually careened
from the larboard to the starboard.
Pulling and hauling, shouting and
running, were heard overhead. 1t
wanted half an hour to midnight.
The wind, as by a miracle, had sud-
denly shifted from NNW to NNE.
God was in the clements. The mys-
terious hand was visible! We we're
saved
In five days afterwards we were at
our dock in New York. With the
exception of myself, who was in the
consular service, the passengers were
rigidly searched for letters but none
were found. Mr.. Seward was in
formed by me of the locality of the
Nashville, and Q nan-of-war was
promptly dispatches to look after
her.