The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1881-01-13


shall be able to keep only one gangway
clear"
The passengers were by this time rush
ing upon 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 we'll as colored forced their way
with frenzied eagerness before the wo-
men and chidren-careless, apparently,
whom they sacrificed so that they might
themselves leap to the shelter of the
boats from the fiery volcano raging be-
meath their feet. Captain Starkey, aided
by the four athletic seamen he had Sc
lected for the duty, hurled them tiercely
back. "Back back Y he shouted: "we
must have funeral order here-tirst the
women and children, next the old men.
Hand Sonora Arguellas along; next the
young lady, her daughter Quick"
AS Donna Ant0nia, more dead than
alive, was about to be lifted into the boat
a gush al flame burst up through the
main hatchway with the roar of an eX-
ploson; a tumultuous cry burst from
the trenZied passengers, and they jostled
each other with frighttul violence in their
effort to reach the gangway Dupont
forced his way through the line of the
seamen with the energy of mailman and
pressed 50 suddenly upon Antonia that
but for he utmost eXertion of the cap
tains herculean strength, she must have
been precipitated into the water
"Back, unlnanly bastard back, dog "
roared Captain Starley, terribly excited
by the lady's danger; and moment
after, Selling Dupont tercely by the col
but one moment,' and he pointed with
his pistolhand to the fins Of several
sharks visible in the glaring light at but
a few yards distance from the ship.
'Men," he added, ''let whoever presses
forward out of his turn fall into the
water"
Gay, ay, sir" was the prompt, mechan-
ical response.
This terrible menace instantly restored
order. The colored women and children
were embarked aud the boat appeared
! full
Pull Oft was the order: 'you are
deep enough for safety"
\ cry, faint as the wall Of a child, arose
in the boat. 1t was heard and under
stood. ''Stay one moment; pass along,
Senior Arguellas Now, then, Off with
you, and be smart"
The next boat was quickly loaded the
colored lads and men, all but one and
the three Americans went with her.
"Nou are a noble fellow" said Mr.
Dresmond, pausing an instant and catch
ing 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 CHANGED to
light on me as | leaned, dumb with ter
ror, Just behind him on the vessels bull
warks
"IIold on a moment" he cried. Here
is a youngster whose weight will not hurt
YOU" And he fairly lifted me over and
dropped me gently in the boat, whisper
ing as he did so, Remember me, Ned,
to thy father and mother should | not see
them again
There was now only the small boat
capable OF containing but eight persons,
and how, it was whispered among us,
how, in addition to the two seamen al
ready in her, can she take off Lieutenant
Arguellas, NJ. Dupont, the remaining
colored men, tie four seamen and Captain
Starkey! They We're, however, speedily
embarked except the captain,
"Can She bear another !' he asked. and
although his voice was firm as ever, his
cOuntenance, noticed, was ashy pale
yet full as ever Of answering resolution.
"We must and will, sir, since it's you
but we are dangerously over crowded
now, especially with yon ugly customers
swimming around US"
Stay one moment, | cannot quit the
ship while there's a living soul on board. .
He stepped hastily forward and presently
reappcared at the gangWay with the still
senScless body Of the Iieutenant's ser
want in his arms and dropped it over the
side Of the boat. There was a cry Of in
dignation, but it was of no avail. The
boats rope the next instant was cast into
the water. "Now pull for your lives Y
The oars, from the instant of elf-preser-
vatiOn, instantly fell into the water and
the boat sprang off. Capt. Starkey, now
that all except himself were clear of the
burning ship, gaZed eagerly with eyes
shaded with his hand i'll the direction OF
the shore. Presently he hailed the head
most boat. "We must have been seen
from the shore long ago, and pilot boats
ought to be coming out though | don't see
any one. If you meet one bid him be
smart there may be a chance yet" All
this scene, this long agony, which has
taken me SO many words to depict very
impcrtectly from my recollection and
those Of others, only lasted, | was after
wards assured by Mr.. Desmond, eight
minutes from the embarkatiOn of Sonora
Arguellas till the last boat left the i'll
tated Neptune.
Never shall forget the trightful sub
Unity OF the spectacle presented by that
flaming ship, the sole object, save our
selves, discerned amidst the vast and
heaving darkness, if may use the term
Of the night and ocean, coupled as it was
with the dreadful thought that the heroic
man to whose tirmness and presence OF
mind we all owed our safety was inevita-
bly, doomed to perish. We had not row
ed more than couple Of hundred yards
when the flames, leaping up everywhere
through the deck, reached the rigging
and the few sails set, presenting COM
plete outline of the bark and her tracery
OF masts and yards drawn in lines Of fire
Captain starkey, not to throw away the
chance he spoke Of had gone out to the
end Of the bowsprit, having first let the
jib and foresail go by the run, and was
for brief space safe from the flames
but was this but a prolongation Of the
bitterness of death?
The boats continued to increase the
distance between them and the blazing
ship, amidst dead silence broken only
by the measured dip of the oars; and
many an eye was turned with intense
anxiety shoreward with the hope of des-
crying the expected pilot. AT length a
distant hail-and | felt my heart stop
beating at the sound-was heard ahead
Justify responded to by the seamen's
throats, and presently afterwards swiftly
propelled pilot boat shot out of the thick
darkness ahead, almost Immediately fol