Year: 1859

"ead e
his lips, he caught my eye and looked dis
concerted, but laughngly said: sE


"'Well, it can't do much harm, there's no
more to be had. Boys, here's quick and
safe passage home.' r


"Poor Bill If he had never drank that
toast, we might have had different passage
home. Ham had from Difference to the cap
tain filled the cup, and his brother observing
this, drank but half of ITS contents, but quite
enough to excite the old and fatal craving
The jug passed round the circle, and after
every one had drank, little Harry included,
there was still some left. As the potation
began to take its effect, mirth, song and story
prevailed in turn, and Captain Wainwright
alone was grave and serious, and knew
that he was engaged in fierce struggle
between the cravings Of his appetite and his
better resolutions; and for a time / thought
the latter would prevail; but when the full
cup was again passed to him, he returned it
empty a.g.g n. 3 s.af al -rH.ans
at is needless to amplify on the conse-
quences. The orgy was begun. Hams cask
was produced, and Bill was soon beyond the
control of reason, or the regard of conse-
quences. The songs grew louder and the
mirth more uproarious, until the most sober
and circumspect of both officers and crew
would gladly have ended the festivities; but
Bill was now frenzied with liquor, and one
of his drunken freaks was to compel every
one else to drink, particularly those who tried
to avoid it, and as we feared to arouse his
anger by refusal, the result was that we were
all, even to poor little Harry, soon in state
either of helpless intoxication, or of drunken
frenzy, What extravagances we committed
while in this state cannot remember, but l
fell into drunken stupor quite early in the
evening, from which awoke some time after
with raging thirst. / found the crew all
lying about, drunk and helpless. The wind
had greatly abated and all was quiet.


"Having tried in vain to arouse some of
the men, went down into the cabin and
there found poor Bill lying on the floor breath
ing stentorously and hard, his flushed face
and relaxed limbs showing the futility of any
attempt to ronse him. Ham and little Harry
lay on deck close to the companionway ; the
boy had, even in his intoxication, with the
instinct of affection, nestled his head upon
his brothers broad bosom, and his fair skin
and bright golden hair contrasted strongly in
the clear moonshine with Hams bronzed and
rugged features, muscular throat and shaggy
beard. Grieved and sick at heart at this sad
picture of our drunken folly, and anxious
about its consequences, l went forward and
stretched myself on the bulwarks of the fore
CASTLE leaning against the cat-head, and while
looking over the moonlit waters, and the is
lands, with their crests of dark waving trees,
and fringe of white, sandy beach, and listen
ing to the murmuring of the surf and the
breathings of the dying norther through the
rigging, fell into that state of dreamy tor
por which every one sometimes experiences,
and in which, although asleep to all intents
and purposes, we are still in a great measure
conscious of what is passing around us. In
this state, our real impressions partake so
much of the nature of our dreams, and in
deed become SO much mingled with them,
that often we are unable on waking to dis


tinguish between them. l soon got into a
long, rambling kind of dream, in which a
small boat with two men in her, hailing us
repeatedly, and then sculling quietly along.
side, was the most tangible impression
Next, Mobile-prizes-httle Harry-Missis-
sppi - northers- drunken sprees brandy
casks-immense boxes of specie--battle-
blood, and long and earnest whispered con-
versations with the two mysterious visitors,
word of which did not understand, al
though a confidential participant and adviser,
were inextricably mingled In torturing con-
fusion, while, to add to the chaos, an indie
Unable sense Of some -horrid danger, some
frightful catastrophe impending, peryaded
all, and like a hideous nightmare, weighed
down and paralyzed my system like noun
tain of lead. Bill Wainwright's mother, her
gray hair dishevelled, and muftled in a
shroud, rushed shrieking from the cabin and
commenced madly ringing our bell, the clang


ing of which echoed through my brain like
peals of thunder, and the huge volcanic cone
Of Orizaba seemed suspended in mid air, di-
rectly overhead, sending forth eruptions Of
flame and smoke, and gradually descending
like vast extinguisher upon U.S.. Through
all this turmoil could still hear the mur-
muring of the strange mems voices, and
had an idea that somehow they were con-
nectedr with it. When, however, would
have demonstrated with them, as thought,
they retired as mysteriously as they came,
and could hear their oars, as they pulled
softly away from the vessel. Then, all was
for time blank and silent, and Twas con-
scious of nothing but that vague foreshadow-
ing Of danger, which grew more and more
oppressive, and at length perfectly agonizing.