The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1886-09-02
THE NOBLE RESCUE.f +,

The English ship Confucius, home
ward bound from Cape, Town, ,Soutl
AfliSal With az cargo Ipf} aloess hides,
iy9W dried fruits and Petroleum, alad
left Che coast asday's SAIL astern.
AS the vessel had good breeZe-al
most agale-she had sunk Table Noun
tain SO low that it's summit resembled
the head Of q huge white whale, thrust
upward from the sea.
The fragrance Of such plants as the
GergpWeum sgrapbaliui,a, eand, geranium
was still perceptible, waited By the
breeze from shore, while silver leaves
blown from the protean tree, were seen
floating here and there upon the waves.
The gale kept increasing, so that by
night the captain took three reefs in his
topsails and furled the jibs. The shin
rolled and pitched heavily, her masts
cracking and Jerking, as if about going
by the board, and her rigging humming
like discharged bomb-shell. Through
the darkness, which was intense, the
light of another craft was seen, far
away off tile weather bow, but for
a foW minutes. ~ thick,haze, whirlihg
past the vessel, obscured it, wrapping
ship and crew in an impenetrable cur
tain.
Go below, one watch, !" now was the
order, "but stand lby to tumble up at q
moments notice. y \ ~ ~ }
"Ay, ay, sir" was the response; and
!, the men descended into the forecastle
--all'but' one who preferred Sleeping in
warm weather in the fore7hold. ,1.S 1.
The man had pipe III his mouth,
percelying which the skipper rushed
forward, angrily, ordering him at once
to put the instrument away.
"Pity if man amt allowed to smoke Q
when it's his watch below" grumbled
the fellow, as he obeyed 'n
cay" answered the captain, ''but
don't you know, you lubber, that there s.
petroleum in that fore-hold, and that a
spark might send us all to eternity"
So saying, he walked aft, leaving the
sailor stretched at full length upon
some canvas in the fore-hold.
"What matter,'l he then gmuttered;
'the cap won't know it, and there'll be
no danger if Pm careful.'' Il,
He 'refilled the pipe, and lighting it.,
was soon enjoying com Portable smoke.
Suddenly there was a tremendous ex-
plosion; the man was thrown upward,
blackened, scorched, and dying; the
fore-hatches flew from their combings
and a dense volume or thick. black
smoke, mixed with flame, was be.ched
forth.
"Great Heaven!" exclaimed the Off
Ger ,of'theg watch, f'the petroleum has
explodedl"
Now half sttled scream was heard,
and presently the scorched body Of him
who had disobeyed orders, emerging
from the smoke-cloud, rolled over one
Of the hatch combings. 5,tnrm. II
He lay upon deck, writhing in horri-
bic pain ,apdsoen breathetl his last.,s
The cry of fire rang sharply, and up
came all hands. The islip's hose was
soon at work, but the flames were maxi
ing such .tremsndous headyYay3 that
- II
nothing seemed capable Of stopping
them. The seamen exerted themselves
with creditable energy, passing and re-
passing with buckets of water, which,
with, imminent peril to themselves,
they poured around them standing al
most in the very midst Of the scorching
blaze The flames kept increasing, roll
ing swiftly along, and finally shooting
up the shrouds. Soon all these were
ablaze, when the ship was one great
mass of fire that cracked and roared,
ascending almost to the very heavens.
Soon down went the foremast, crash
ing and Kissing into the water, quickly
followed by thetmainmast.lItfr
Then from one of the passengers
MissiC Clarai RoperI a yos,ng girltof leigh.
teen--broke forth an .agonizing shrek.
Her littlo'btother,,a a BOY Of ton, Home
ward bound from his fathers regiment
at Cape Town, in charge OF his beauti-
ful sister, shaving broken fr6ih her grasp
and run forward, was now hidden from
vieW,lhXs tlsatshil faargshipg flail9ssS
and tAtels, fesyy spa ;ss tina Be- heaysll4