A ' : SOUTHERN
family newspaper Neutral ii
TERMS:
TWO DOLLARS PER ANNUM.
i-
mm of gdsth GAmumi trrBMTonB, iws, ifflTioD, nmm
POLITICS.
! MIRD 1 Mi IB
mum
I ;,.r : : : - - ; : :
y :
'". . S-,iSf. .I
: -a .:-
11
!
Si
? r
ft
'1 3
-
..t
.". if
i '!:
5. v;
r
it'itf- -,;
I,
;v; '
"4
4
r.
: m"
,1V
SELECTED
ivH
From Chamber's Magazine,
? THE POINT OF HONOR.
! '; ' Mitnmn' vf !tlia. vtiir
meven 'liirsoiis, iHi lutiing ! myself; were sitting and
a IS
lII-7aenW-Arf'U(JIaHVuritry-liduse,.a mile; or so ou'rof
FvA Sahtiao tie .Cuba, in- the Astern tntenden;ia 01
theQijleen ot the .Aimnes, ana once us cniei capitoi,
wherf jnp7icident" occurred that as effectually put an
cact iii isli or . upn the. noisy, hiirthas if a bomb
shell ?iad.-WtfdenIy, .exploded at' .our "'feet.. -But first
a brjfaecoui!t of tliose seven persons, and the cause.
. i . ! A .L!; . v.... -.1.1, ,4 .ullfU. . -...-..rt,.T '
i -Three vere' AmerLcsirVr merchants Southern.ers
trid liiba'rt;' tiiplers, extensively connected with the..
f &nmw(i of the.iXuunlbia Archipelago, and de-
gi 'i!niiiirto sail on "the morrow, wind and weather
, "t? ... '.i'v u-.;'
penjilt UHgr in V-n .oaiKxi upuiiie outiKUVj nictsiei
4nd: p; rt oiier--tbr pMdraht Bay, Jamaica ; one
..'- . lifttii.tifitit-, in itlift 'SnsinJsh artillprv. arid
. n . ' - - j i
jjephw of our ho .another was a M. Dupont, a
young! and rich Creole, of mingled " French and
Spanish parentage, aiid ttie reputed suitor for the
hand of Domia Antonia the -daughter and ,sole
: i'-Kires! ofcSeuor'rArguellas, and .withal a graceful
- ;. vr and ciiarming mainen eigiueen a ripe age in
" that' precocious clime ; the sixth guest was! tjapt.
it; l! Sfctrk.jv f the Neptune, a gentlemanly, fine-look-
1 - iflg Eiglish seaman, of about thirty ears of age
ft the seteivth -and, hWtr was myself, afc that .time a
ti ' ii-(.niicct..r 'i !iril ' lint iiist rcovprftd from ;i
,S JW IVUHL-HV...".... J . - .
sitated. niv, removal froni Jamaica
to the much more temperate and equable climate
of Cuba; albeit the two isla.rids areionly distant a-
.hoii4t five degrees from each' other. I- was also one
of Captain Starke5 's passengers, and so was Senor
t Arguellas, who;had business :to wind up in King-
v ston i He was to be accomiianied by Senor Ar-
-gUtllas, Antonia, the young lieutnanM n(i
DutHjuL . The e4uiie had brought a. cargo o
?"' : i sundries, consisting of hardwpe, cottons,, etc-r-to
-"' '' Cuba; and wasr returning ": abut hali-ladeh with
f ;goofs Amongst these, belonging to V tlift Ameri
is can merchants, was !a number of barrels of nan
, .' "' TW1W ,Ur Hint Fiad tirdved unsaleable in Cuba, and
' , 5vjiiclil it wf? thought, might find a satisfactory
II market in tJamaica. There was - excellent ,cafin
1 V4 iV - " . 11 1 V V. -
f and-as the weather was fine, and the passage proin
I ised to; Be a brief as well as a pleasant one the
M i wind having-shifted to the northwest with1 the'
. s intention it seemed -of remaining there - for some
.- f ;ftim& we were all, as I-Jaave stated, in exceedingly
I good, humor, and discussed the intended' trip,1 Cuban,
: i American", and European politics, the comparative
I iriierits of French arid Spanish wines, and Havana
4 and Alabama cigars, with infinite glee and gusto.
; Tlui evening, . too, was iU'elicipusly bright and
- ".clear. The breeze, pronounced by Captain Starkey
;X fitol be rising to a five orsix- knot bnevat seai, only
I sufficiently : stirred, the rich and odorous vegetation
;! ic)f the valleys, .'stretching far away, beneath ust
to! fan the heated taces qii the party, with its
grateful-perfume, and slightly ripple the wipdinr
: rivers, rivulets rather,-vyfiicfi every where intersect
tli ir'ri(T:ifrd-"isliinil iinrl wiling w or A now rrlittprincr
i - . ni ' "" - tj
i t 1 ! I with the mvriad snlendors of the intensely lustrous
..stirs, that diadem; a Cuban night. -'Nearly all the
X I guests had drunkveiy freely of the winetoo much
' " so", indeeHr but the talk, "in French, whiefi all could
4 speak tolerably, did not profane the calm glory of
I "i the scene, till some. tine after Senora Arguellas and
her 'daughter liadJett r us. Ihe feenor, I should state,
. . A was still defined in'town liy business which it was
i 'nNrftssarv" li' itiriiitT litiiio nf : ivvivinn tn'ftnbftrli--
f ihg for Jamaica. ' '-. : ' - v .
W f u Do iiiot . fWi' awnV." said Krinnra Arriiellas.,ad-
4 dressing, Captaiii, SarKey, as she rose from her eat,
' , r.-z: j- - a t- -
' till Tisee vou again, hehi you are at leisure,
. : i ; I ring Uie; somietre on. the table and a servant will in
" ; I form iiie. - I iwish to-sp?ak further with" you rehv
' .4jye to re.-abt,ri arxaifgementsJ '
Capfem Starkey beiwed.- . I had never, I thought,
if seen Antonia .smile so'sweetbvj; and the two ladies
' . left u?: 1 do hot precisely! remember howit came
. ? j ;abput,r whafeJirst led to iti but it-was not very
',! Jonir bf'f'-re we w 'ere all .conscois that the conversa
t; (tioii al assumed a' disagreeable tone.' It struck
"me that M.- Dupont did not Hike the expression of
jvaionia s lace. as lie counesieu lu.vapw1" hiuirKsv
The aft'r:iiripl.-asantness diilj not however arise os
f tenibly from- .that je'aus'e., I - .
' lie'factTis, tliey verb; both flustered with wine
J ad passion, arid scarcely kriew what they said or
; 1 did M;,! Dupont applied an epithet . to the Quein"'
of pTgland," whioli instantly brought avglassrof
Vine full injiis fice from the hand of .Captain Star
I eyr" They were all in an instant on tlieir feet, and
apparently solored, or nearly, so, by the unfortunate
issue- ot the wtrd v tiimnlt
His 4
HUSlltHl and flllfrr- tj.if.iiio c'it.l.1rril,r tr an nl-
Vsljed-.an'
,,..13 .1 i .. . . K
mOsLdeatlliV SU-liitn ofi.i .ViLi ctn,-.-,mnr-a.) -.nf " t
DegjyuUr-IV.mli m f IfVoe . wrAnm
--- lllll IIIXj V,U lUb :
ly wrong in iue to do so, ,tholigh not inexcusable."
ar4-' 1 tfilfc tonneheif" shouted Dupont
v .-'
4..
wnp wasapenng about in ariecstacy of rage, and
" Yes a bul-
xet ui
' less!!':
i-ou-h your .head shall pardon you nothing
- Indeed aecordrng to the notions of Cuban soci
ety,hio other alternative save . the duello appeared
possible. Lieutenant Arguellas hurried at oncein-
tue nu .se, speethiy, returned with a case of
;, pistois. , -et us proceed," he. said iua quick-whis-:
per" to the grove yond-rr, we-shall be there free
; from interruption, , lie .took Dupont's arm,- and
Doth turned to moye oti. As- they did so; Mr. Des-
iiiunu, m ciui-i ui me -vmerican gentlemen, step
pel towards CaptAin Stftrkev, who with rp,wir
caltnness, and with his arms folded, was standing by
-the tabl arid sakj: "I am' not entirely, mv nod
, : sir, a stranger'to these affairs, and if I can be of
' ; service, r shall "
vf -- "Thank fan, Mr. Desmond," replied the English
-Captaih u bit I !shalFnOt require your assistarice.
I Lieuteriant Arguellasyou may." as well remain. I
j am no dpelhst and shall not hgnt M. Dupont,!7
i- .ijXVhat; foe. W say ?" exclaimed the Lieutenant,
IgazingLwjth' stupid bewilderment' round the circle.
"..Not fight !'j; .- . -f, ; ;
- 0 The Anglo-Saxon blood, I saw, flushed as hotly
c ?B the veins ofHhe Americans as it did in mine" at
-. kthis exhibition of , the white" feather by one of our
I '.NotfiarhL Cantain Starkev !" said Mr. Des-
w f - l - T" "
RALEI
tou whose name is m- tli-Iist of -the isrrasnrwai
W;ti You 1 jesting ;
"4 ; am tjerfectly enous- 1 am opposed to duel
ing upon principle."
cV coward, upon principle ! -. fairly screamed
Dunont, with -mocking Fury, and at the "same time
shaking his clenched fist at the Englishman.
lhe degrading epithet stung like a serpent. A
gleam of fierce passion broke out of Captain Star-
key s dark eves, and he made a. step towards Jju-
pont, but resolutely ciiected nimseir.
-Well, it must be borne! I was wrong to otter
you personal violence, although your impertinence
certainly deserved rebuke. , Still, I repeat! will .not
fight-.-with' you.?' ,
j But you shall give my mend satisfaction :
exclaimed Lieutenant Arguellas, who was) as much
excited as Duptint; "or by Heaven, lwnl post you
as a bastard not only throughout .this island but
Jamaica !'1' I : .
Captain Starkev for all answer to. this menace
coolly rang tlfe sonnet tee, and desired the slave who
answered it to inW.rm henora Arguellas that he yas ;
about to leave, and wished to see her. ,
" The brave Englishman is about to place him
self under the protection of your aunt's petticoats.
Alphonso! shouted Dupont with triumphant
mockery. " iy
' 1 almost doubt -whether Mr. Mancey is an Jin--
glishmen," exclaimed Mr. Desmond, who, as well
as his two friends, Avas getting pretty much incen
sed ; " but at all events, as mv father andmother
were born and raised in the old cquntry, it you
presume to insinuate that
Senora Arguellas at this moment approached,'
and the irate American with some ditheulty re
strained himself. The lady appeared surprised at
the strange aspect of the eompauy she had so Iate
ly.left. She, however, at the request of the Cap
tain, instantly led the way into the house, leaving
tha rest 'of her visitors, as the French say, plan
ters la. ' ' '
Ten minutes afterwards we were informed that
-Captain Starker had left the house after impjres
sing upon Senora Arguellas that tM 'Neptum
would sail the next morning precisely at nine
o'clock. A renewed torrent ofrrage, contempt,
and -scori broke forth at this announcement, anjd a
duel at one time seemed inevitable between Ljeu-
teriant Arguellas and Mr, Desmond, the last naiiied
gentleman mannesting great, anxiety
bodv or other in vmdicatijf;"ei his Angto-feaxon lme-
age. hii Jweveiy was overruled, and the party
proke up in angry disorder. ' ,
We wrere all on board by the appointed tim4 on
the following morning. Captain 'Starkey received
us with civiL indifference, and I noticed that I the
elaborate sneers which sat upon the countenances of
Dupont and the lieutenant did not appear in, the
slightest degree to ruffle or affect him ; birfthe avert
edeye and scornful air of Donna Antonia ' as she
passed with Senora Arguellas towards .the cabin,
drawing her mantilla tightly round her as she
swept by, as if so I perhapswrongfully interpret
ed the actiOn it would be soiled by contact with .
a poltroon, visibly touched himr only, however,
for a few ' brief moments. The expression of pain
quickly vanished, And his countenance was as cold
and stern as before. There was, albeit, it was soon-
found a'limit to this, it .seemed, contemptuous for
bearance. Dupont, approaching him, gave his
thought audible expression, exclaiming, loud enough
for Several, of the crew to hear, and looking steadily
in the 'captain's face ; " Lache " He would have
turned away, but was arrested by a gripe of steal.
" i7icoMtez,"monsieur," said Captain Starkey ; " in
dividually, I hohb for nothing whatever ydu may
'say ; but I am captain and king in this ship, and I
will permit no one to beard me betore the" crew,
and thereby lessen, my authority over them. Do
yoii presume again to do so, and I will put you in
solitary 'confinement, perhaps in irons, till we arrive
at'lfamaica." He then threw off his startled au
ditor, and walked forwards.. The passengers, co
lored as well V.as white, were all: on board ; the ;
aneliory- already apeak, was brought Ahome ; the
bows of the ship fell slowly off, and we w ere in a
few moments running before the wind, though but
a faint" one, for Point Morant., ' , '
No one could be many hours on board the Nep
tune without being, fully satisfied that, however .
deficient in duelling courage her captain might be,
lieVas a thorough seaman, and that his ' crew a-
bout a dozen ot as hne tellows as I have even seen .
--were under the most perfect discipline and com-,
mand. The service of the vessel was carried on as
noiselessly and regularly as on board a. ship of war;
and a "senof confidence, that should a tempest or
other sea-ptjrib overtake us, every reliance might.be
placed in the professional skill and energy of Cap
tain Starkey, was soon openly or tacitly acknow
ledged by all on boai-d. The weather throughout
Ifappily continued fine, but thewindwas light and
variable, so that for several days after we had-sight-ed
the blue mountains Of Jamacia, we scarcely ajp
peared sensibly to diminish the distance, betvwn
them and-us.. At last the breeze again blew steadir
ly from the " northwest, and" we gradually neared
Point Morant. We passed it, and (opened up the
bay at about two o'clock in the morning, when the
vOyage .might be said to be over. This was a great
relief to the cabin-pass iiigens far beyond the ordi
nary pleasure to laud-folk of escaping from the tedi
um of; confinement on shipboard. There was a
constraint in the behavior of everybody-that was
exceedingly unpleasant. .The captain presided at
table with ! freezing civility ; the conversation, if
such " it could be called, was usually restricted to
monosyllables; and we were all very heartily glad
that we had eaten our last dinner in the Neptune.
When, we doubled Point, Morant, all the passengers
-except myself were in) bed, and a quarter of an
hour afterwards Captain Starkey. went below, and
was soon busy, 'I understood, with papers in Ins
caom. ror my part l was ioo eAciKxi i cv.-,
nnd T enntinned to nnee the deck fore and aft with'
i t . t a c ucn
' - . - ,
Hawkins, the first male, whose watch it was, eagerr
ly observant of the lights on the well-known shorev
that I had left so many months before Avith but
faint hopes of ever seeing lit again. ' As I thus gaz
ed landward, a bright, p-leam. as of crimson moon
light, shot across the dark sea, .and turning quickly:
round, I saw it was caused bv a tall jet of flame
shooting up from the main hatchway, which two
seamen, for some purpose or other, had at the mo
ment partially opened. In my still weak state, the
terror of the sight for. the recollection of the bar
rels of powder on' board flashed instantly , across my
mind for several-moments completely stunned me,
and but that I caught instinctively at t&e rattlings,
Gil, NORTH CAROLMA
I should have fellen orxfeUAthrdecic :AvSi3
can be heard - at sea mingled with and hightened;
the dizzy ringing in my brain, and I was barely
sufficiently conscious to discern, amidst the runnings
to and fro, and the incoherent exclamations of the
crew, the sinewy, athletic figure of the captain leap
up, as it were, from the companion-ladder to the
deck, and with, his trumpet-voice command imme
diate silence, instantly followed" by the order again
to batten dow;n the blazing hatchway. This, with
his own assistance, was promptly effected,, and then
h4 disappeared down the forecastle. The two or
three minutes he w;as gone it could scarcely have
been more than that sseemd interminable; and
so completely did it appear to be recognized that
our fate must depend upon his judgment and vigor
that not a word was spoken, nor a finger, I think,
moved, till he reappeared, . already scorched and
blackened with the fire, and dragging' up what
seemed a dead, body in his arms, lie threw his
burden on the deck, and passing swiftly to where
Hawkins stood, said iii a low, hurried whisper, but
audible to 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- a rapid but firm voice : "You well know, men,
that I would not on any occasion or for any motive
deceive you. Listen, then, attentively. Yon drunken
brute be is Lieutenant Arguellas' servant has fir
ed 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 attempting to Ex
tinguish." ' ' .
i A cry of rage and terror biy-st from the ere vf, and
they sprang iinpulsively towards the boats, but the
captain s authoritative v oice ai once arrcsteu ineii
steps. "Hear me out, will you? Hurry and con
fusion will destroy us all, i but with courage and
steadines
j y y -
r 111 U-J'I.1"J' "' evil,, -.k -wv -"jj"
ss every oul on board may be saved before
es can reach the powder. And remember,"
the names can reach the ppw
he added, as he took his pistols from Hawkins and
cocked one of them, "that' I will send a bullet
after any man. who disobeys me, and I seldom miss
my Aim ; Now, then, to your work steadily, and
with a will!" . !
tit was marvellous to observe the influence his
bold, .confident, and commanding bearing and words
had upon the men. The panic-terror that had
seized them gave place to energetic: resolution, and
in an incredibly short space ot
f time the boats were
J . .j. 'n
Hi t&Vn
is plenty of time, I again repeat. Four of you
arid he named them "remain with me. Three
others juriip 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 .gang
way clear."
1 The passengers were by this time rushing upon
deck halfolad, and iii a state of the wildest terror,
for they all knew there was a large quantity of
"gunpowder on board. -The instant the boats touch
ed the starboard side of the bark, the men, white
as well as colored, forced their way with frenzied
eagerness before 'the women and children careless,
apparently, whom they sacrificed so that they
might themselves leap to the shelter of the boats
from the fiery volcano raging beneath their feet.
Captain Starkey, aided by four athletic seamen he
had selected for the duty, hurled them fieroely
back. "Back, back!" he-shouted.' "We must
have funeral order here- first the women and chil
dren, next. the old men. Hand Senora Arguellas
along ; next the young lady her daughter : quick I"
! As Donna Antonia, more dead than alive, was
about to be lifted into the bat, a gusn flame
burst through the main hatchway with the roar of
an explosion; a tumultuous cry burst from the
frenzied passengers, and theyr jostled each other
with frightful , violence in their efforts to reach the
gangway. Dupont forced his- way through the lane
of seamen wjth the energy ot a madman, and
pressed so; suddenly upon Antonia that, but for the
utmost exertion of the captain's herculean strength,
she must have been precipitated into the water.
" Back, unmanly dastard ! back, dog '" roared
Captain Starkey, terribly excited by the lady's dan
ger ; and a moment alter, seizing Dupout hercety
by the collar, he added : "or if you will, look there
biit for a moment," and he pointed with his pistol
hand to the fins of several sharks' plainly visible in
in the glaring1 light at but a few yards distance from
the ship. " eu," he added, "let whoever presses
forward out of his turn fall into the water."
; " Ay, ay, sir !" was the prompt ' mechanical res
ponse. :
This terrible . menance instantly restored order ;
the colored women and children were next em
barked, and, the boat appeared full.
" Pull off, was the order :' " you are deep enough
for safety.' .
: A cry 'faint as the Avail of a child, arose in the
boat. It was heard and understood. j
; " Stay one moment ; pass al6ng Senor; Arguel
las. Now, then, off with you,-and be smart '"
i The next boat was. quickly loaded ; the colored
lads andx men, all but one, and three Americans,
went in her. . ' ''
"" You are a noble fellow," said Mr. Desmond,
pausing aii instant, -and catching at the eaptain s
hand ; " and I was but a fool to"
. Pass on," was the reply : w there is nO time to
bandy compliments."
j The order to shove off had "passed the ,captairi's
Hps wheit his glance chanced to light updn me; as
i leaned, wun terror, just Detnna nim againsi uie
vessel's bulwarks. 1 .
' " Hold 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
into the boat, whispering as he did so : " Remem
ber me, Ned, to thy father and mother should I
not see them again." "
... rii l- .1 111 . 1 I A
I hora via -vnir- tno cinn nnar raiwinn ui
.. v...; ... ....... .r...- -
J safely containing but eight- persons, and how, it
was whisnered amonjyst us how in addition to
j the two seamen already in her, can she take off
i Lieutenant Arguellas, M. Dupont, the remaining
colored man, the four seamen, and Captain Star
key? They were, however, ajl speedily embarked
except the captain.
" Can she bear another V he asked' and although
Vic UTQS firm arir ii!a fnnntflnanCP. T nOti-
ced was ashy pale, yet full as ever of unswerving
resolution.
"We must, and will, sir. since it's you ; but we
are dangerously overcrowded now, especially with
yon Ugly customers swimming round us.
u Stay one moment; I' cannot quit the ship
SATURDAY,! JANUARY
jsTf fcxhai&ad pntfy-rjpearf at tire
gangway with the still senieless body of the lieu
tenant's servant in his arins, and dropped it over
the side into the boat. ' There wasfca cry of indig
nation but it was of no ayail. The boat's rope the
next instant was cast , into the waters" Now pull
for your lives 1" The ojifs, from the instinct of
self-preservation, instantly fell into the water, and
the boat sprang oft. Captain Starkey, now that all
except himself were clear of the burning ship, gaz
ed eagerly with eyes shaded, with his hand in the
direction of the shore. Presently he hailed the
headmost boat. " We must have been seen from
the shore long ago, and J pilot-boats ought to be
coming out, though I don?t see any. If you meet
one bid him be smart : there may be a chance yet."
All this scene, this long agony, winch has taken
me so many words to depict very imperfectly from
my own recollection, and those of others, only last
ed, I w as afterwards assured by Mr. Desmond, eight
minutes, from the embarkation of Senora Arguellas
till the last boat leftjhe ill-fated Neptune.
Never shall I forget the frightfulsubhmity of the:
spectacle presented by the flaming ship, the sole
object, save ourselves, discernible amidst the vast
and heaving darknesSy if I may use the term, of the
night and ocean, coupled as it was with the dread- 1
ful thought that the heroic man to whose firmness
and presence of mind we all owed our safety was
inevitably doomed to perish: We had not rowed
more than a couple of hundred yards when the"
flames, leaping up everywhere through the deck,
reached the rigging and the few sails set, presenting
a complete outline of the bark and her tracery of
masts and yards drawn in lines of fire h 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 T and was
for a brief space ft om the flames; but what wasjthis
but a prolongation of the bitterness of death ?
. ' The boats continued to increase the distance be
tween them and the blazing ship, amidst a dead
silence broken "only by the measured dip of the
oars ; and many an eye was turned wun intense
anxiety shoreward with the hope of descrying the
expected pilot. At length a distinct hail and I
!,felt my heart stop beating at the sound was heard
ahead, lustily responded to by the seamen s throats,
and presently afterwards a swiftly-propelled pilot
boat shot-out of the thick darkness ahead, almost
j immediately followed by another.
il. 11 . ik. j. 1 i i
man standing in
't o
the Lows of the first boat.!
" The Neptune, and thivt is Captain Starkey on
the bowsprit !" '
I sprang eagerly to my feet," and with all the
force I could exert, shouted: " A hundred pounds
for the first boat that reaches the ship '!"
" That's young Mr. Main wiring's face and voice !"
exclaimed the foremost pilot. " Hurra, then, for
the prize,!" and away both sped with eager vigor,
but unaware certainly of the peril of the task. In"
a minute or so another shore-boat came up, but
after asking a few questions, and seeing how matters
stood, remained, and lightened us of a portion of our
living cargoes. . We were !all three too deep in the
water, the small boat perilously so.
Great God ! the terrible suspense, we all felt whilst
this was going forwardi I can scarcely bear, even
now, to think about it. I shut my eyes, and list
ened with breathless, palpitating excitement for the
explosion that hould end all. It came ! at least
I thought it did, and I sprang convulsively to my
feet. So sensitive was my brain, partly no doubt
from recent sickness as well as fright, that I had mis
taken the sudden shout of the boat,s crews for the
dreaded catastrophe. The" bowsprit, from the end
of which a rope was dangling, was empty ! and both
pilots, made aware doubtless of the danger, were
pulling with the eagerness of fear from the ship.
The cheering among us was renewed again and
again, during which I continued to gaze with ar
rested breath and '.(fascinated stare at the flaming
vessel and fleeing pilot-boats.
Suddenly a pyramid of flame shot up from the
hold of the 'ship, followed :by a deafening ro?r. I
fell,. or was knocked down; 1 know not which ; the
boat rocked as if cauglit in a fierce eddy; next
came the hiss and splash of numerous; heavy bodies
filling frorii a' great height into the water ; and t!iea
the" blinding glare and stunning uproar were suc
ceeded by a souudless silence and a thick darkness,
in which no man could discern his neighbor. . The.
stillness. was broken by a loud, cheerful hail from
one of the pilot-boats; we recognised the vjice, and
the simultaneous and ringing sho.t which burst
from us assured the gallant seaman of our own
safety, aiwi how exultingly we all -rejoiced in his.
Half an'hcUir afterwards We were all safely landerl ;
and as the ship and cargo had been specially in
sured, the .only ultimate evil result of this fearful
passage in the lives f the passengers and crew of
the Neptune, was a heavy loss to the underwriters.
A piece of plate, at the suggestion of Mr. Des
mond and his friends, was subscribed for and pre
sented to Captain Starkey at a public dinner given
at Kingston in his honor-a circumstance that many
there will remember. In his speech on returning
thanks for the compliment? paid him, he explained
his motives for resolutely refusing to fight a duel
with M. Dupont, half a-dozen versions of which
had got into the newspapers.,
"I was very early left an orphan," he said, " and
was very tenderly reared by a maternal aunt, Mrs.
(He mentioned a name with whicii nunu-
be still
reds of newspaper readers in England must
familiar.) " Her husband, as many here may be
aware, fell in a duel in the second month of wedlock.
My aunt continued to live dejectedly on till I had
passed my nineteenth year; and so vivid an im
pression did the patient sorrow of her life make on
me so thoroughly did I learn to loathe and detest
the barbarous practice that consigne 1 her to a
premature grave, that it scarcely required the sol
emn promise she obtained from me, as the last
sigh trembled on her lips, to make me revive never,
under any circumstances, to fight a duel. As to
my behavior during the unfortunate conflagration
of the Neptune, which my friend, Mr. Desmond v
has spoken of so flatteringly, I can only say that. I
did no more than my simple duty in the matter.
Both he and I belong to a maritime race, one of
whose most peremptory maxims it is that the cap-.
tarn must be the last man to quit or give up his snip.
, Besides I must have been the veryest dastard ahye
j to have quailed m the presence of of Uiat is, .m
the presence of the circumstance which in point
of fact that
Here Captain Starkey blushed and boggled sadly :
he was Evidently no orator ; hut whether it was the sly
24, 1852.
just then happened to Tbe turned ' towanfc'him, or L
the glance he threw at j the gallery where Senora
Arguellas grave placidity, and Donna Antonia s
bright eye's and blushing cheeks encountered him,
that so completely put Him. out, I cannot say ;. but
he continued jto.. stammer painfully, although the
company eheejred and laughed with great vehe
?mence and uncommon good-humor, in order to
give him time. He could not recover himself; and
after floundering about through a few more unin
telligible sentences sat down, evidently vefy hot and
uncomfortable' though iamid a little hurricane of
hearty cheers and hilarious laughter.
I have but a few more words to say. Captain
Starkey has been long isettled at the Havana, and
Donna Antonia has been just as long Mrs. Starkey.
Three little Starkeys have to my knowledge al
ready come to town, and the captain is altogether a
rich and prosperous man ; but though apparently
permanently domiciled in a foreign country, he is I
am quite satisfied as tree an Esglisbman, and as
loyal a subject of Queen victoria, as-wnen he threw
the glass of wine in the Cuban Creole's face. I don't ;
know what has become ot Dupont; and, to tell the ;
truth, I don't much care. Lieutenant Arguellas
has attained the rank of Major; at least I suppose
he must be the Mater Arguellas officially retorted.
to be slightlv wounded in the late Lopez affair. ,
A , " '- ' '
DOIHG AMOCK AUCTION.
Notwithstanding the ease and impunity with
which the mock auctioneers generally use up tlwir
vic tims, they occasion ally get hold of one whose
simplicity is more assamed thau real, and whose
shrewdness is! a match for their cunning.
It is not many weeks since a great crowd cluster
ed around th counter of one of these. " flash" es
tab lishments,!all bidding eagerly for -a prize, which
according to ihe auctioneer "w a eqnsislr hi f".v
and surpassed by none:" The prize was . a watch,
a real gold watch, which to the shame of a civilized
community was going only for ten dollars. The
timepice was passed around among the persons im
mediately under tbe eye of the auctioneerr; & final
ly fell into the hands of a tall, bony, sandy haired
individual, who wore a heavy red blanket coat, j
listened with! much gravity to all the auctioneer's
wonderful tales, and was evidently irom " up the
river." He proceetfed qsrety aad steadily to ex
amine the wateh. whilst " fifteen dbllaW " sixteen
watch ! rang- above his head raplJ ariF fiercely
The watch- was gold, sure enough, lhe man m
the red coat proceeded to open the casings " Twen
ty dollars ? said one of the hangers-on a Peter
Funk man, in all probability. " Pass on the watch,
sir, pass it onj ! Gomjfor twenty dollars !. " I wen-ty-five
V said Red Coat, minutely e-yeiagthe wheels.
" Very well, sir ; twenty-five it is but pasVon
the wakii,"-ontiaised tlfee- aia-tiofsaeer, impatieidly ;
"other gentlemen wish to-esamine it." " Pas be
blowed . said Red Coat, "not until! i ve seetlthe
critter through Twenty-'glit dollars T called
out another pysfcHlejr ix donbt an honest Han.
" Going for iwerity-grii dollars, geotleaaea !"" said
the auctioneer in a deep, rolling, bass voice, anx
iously eyeing Red Coat all the while : " Going !
Going ! Superior article t Worth a cool hundred !
Only twenty-eight , bid L Shait I We "a bid?"
" Thirty dollars' sail Red Coat, quietly, " and
darn me if that ain't too much for sich an old thing."
" Thirtv dollars '. Going for thirty ! Only thirty '.
Thirtv dollars! Going!.! Goae! LI" baml went
the hammer i th-wakh-was sold. "'Your' mime.
sir?" " Cash," said Red Coat, putting dmvn the
nioney. I ;
" Will yoii hare tlte goodness to pLisi me the
watch for a' nnuotef said- the- actionver in the
sweetest tones aad blandest manner possible; " lil
wind it up for you fix, the key and hands."
" Hands off, stranger I. None of vour tricks on
me. I've paid for the watch and tluis's the mo-
A
ney in your drawer 1 You don't
get any.
watch
out ot me ! land so siivincr Ked Coat put the tune
! piece in his pocket and drew himseli" vg as if for a
fight. The countenances of a few persons arotmd
i fell ! the-were evidently sold. "But, sv, jus j to
! arrange the key aad Itands '" interpoR.'l the. aric
! tioneer blandly. ' . -
;. " Yes, just to cJ.iao seal gaJi waicl fr one
; of ysur galvanized jiriicracLs ! No,, sir-ee 1 vu
! don't catch this- child."
A general qnaiFtl easued" ; btii Ke-1 Coat got off
scott free, wauh aixl all. - His new timepiece was
! actually worth a hundred dolhus, and lie 1m l reaSiv
done a mockj auction. i
A ROGUE, OUTWITTED.
' A curious instance occurred in Londwa seme
time back, in which a rase
witted. A bachelor gentle
superior draughtsman and eari
i in his apartments with c?6ut in both feet. He
i could not movet but sat in an easy chair, and was
; wheeled in and out in his chair to the sitting room-
A well kndwn vagabond, ascertaining the fact,
! watched till his servant was sent upon a message, j
"The area dolor communicating with, the kitchen,
down wentf the vagabond,, entered the kitchen, I
' walked np sitairs, where, as he expected, he found
j the gentleman quite alone and helpless,
j "I am sorrjr to see you ijisucli a situation," said
the rogue ; ' you cannot move, and the servant is
i out." The gentleman started " It is excessively
! careless tdJeave yourself so exposed, for, behold
the consequences : l tafce the liberty oi removing
this watch and seak off the table anJ putting then
in mv own jboeket ; and as I perceive your keys
are here, I j shall unlock these drawers, and see j u now t0 leave us, having accepted a Pro
what suits mj purpose." ; ! fessorship ia Randdph Macon Cbfkge; therefore
" Pray, help yourselt replied .the gentleman,! iecjtri That we hereby tender
who was aware that he could do nothing to pre-
vent him. j ;
Tbe rogae did so accordingly ; he fouad
j plate in the: sideboard, and muiy other things that
i suited him ; and in ten.minutes, havpfeg made up
his bundle, he made the gentleman a low bow and
j decamped, j Jiut the gentleman bad the use ot ni9
i hand, and had not been idle ; be had taken an ex
j act likeness of the thief with the pencil ; and, on
his servant s returning, soon after, he dtpatched
him immedtately to Bow st with the drawing,
and an account of what had happened. The like
ness was "soj good, that the man was immediately
identified by the runners, and was captured before
he had time to dispose of a single article He was
brought tojthe gentleman two hours afterwards,
identified, the property on him sworn to, and iu
six weeks h& was on his way to Jiotany' Bay:
NO. 8.
From tb M&c$k2kmehotn Courier.
JH
THE UHFEUTTFUL TREE-A PABABLX.
FROM THE GERMAN OF K.RIMM ACHKR.
A countryman had a brother who lived neat the
city and was a gardener, and his orchard was full
of the most beautiful trees, upon which he greatly
prided himself and his skill in rearing them. Now
the countryman went to visit hia brother and ad
mired the' trees which stod-4ivJautjful rows, tall
and even like wax eaiidjos. ""
: Theu spake the gartfriier to him:" Here, ray
brother, 1 will give thee a tree; the best in my
nursery and thou shalt enjuy the fruits of it, thy
children and thy children's children." ....
"Then he called his husbandman, and dug up a
choice tree, and the brother rejoiced greatly, and
carrieu ii. siraigmway to nis own neia.
The next morning, great trouble tilled his mind
where he should plant the tree ; for he thought " If
I plant it there on the hill, the wind will shake
oil -the preekvas fvtsit befreit is ripe; and if 1 plant
it here neaivthe road, tbe passer-by will see it and
oe temptea to roo me of ttie oeauuiui appies ; ana-
it i plant it near cine door oi my nouse, it is noi
safe agaiust the depredations of my children and
serviiftts' .
Jhen he eis,Jeed, and at hast planted the tree
ptfthe north side jpf the' barn. " Here," said he to
himself, " the spying thief will never think of look
ing," anid he rejoiced arts his own cimntng.
But, loy tiie tree bore no fruit the first year, nor
the seeobd. Then he hastened to his brotherthe
gardener, angrily and said : " Thou hast deceived
me, and given me, a miserable barren stick instead
of a fruitful tree ; for lo, this is the third year, and
yet it has produced jsothitig bat leaves."
Then tb gardener smiled and answered: lhis
gives, u&e- no surprise ! Thou hast planted the tre
where it has only the cold wind; and neither light
npr heat. -;How shail h tlnai produce blossoms
and fruit ? It was and still is a noble tree, but thou
hast planted it with an evil and suspicious' heart.
Why dost thou then expect to gather from it any
thing noble aad beautiful ?" ' " V. F.
- - -
THE EYE.
la what ecrj&ists-the varitxl expression of the eye 1
It is nainly the scenery around the eye, that,.gives
enect ankepryawn
A ibe ite!lf - nevear
. - -1 o
or weake? lagjit proved by the fact that the
glass eye keeps pace exactly with the natural one,
in all apparent changes of that speaking organ-
we conclude that what are ealled "the various ex-
pressiofis of die eye,'r is the result of the . change
of the scenery around it, and not of the eye itself
Some eyes when at rest are more expressive than
others, Owing to thai color, aad the size, shape and
color of the diii'ercnt members around them. Gould '
we raise one eyelid and depress the other, and then
exhibit She eyas through a mask, you roight torture"
the roan with pain, slate him with joy, melt him
with sympathy, enrage him to despenvtMA with
anger, cmvulse hini witlv laughter, inspire him with y
hope, depre. htm w-irli fear, or haunt him with
despair, and thjougL all these varied and oppos
ing emotions, his eyeball would glar rp you
through the mask without th . slightest change of
expressioHi if Uve eyes fijied with tears, you coukl
not tell whether it were mirth or son-ow" thatcaus- !
ed them to flow. If one eye were artificial it would
! !ok exactly like its fellow, asd so would it if ydu
RMnore the mask, and agani alSow the BBrrotrod-
ing set wry cf the eyes to yield its usual expression.
. THIK03 TO BE FOUND OUT.'
Nature is not exlvaused: Wit&n her fertile W
som thera mav be thousrunds of substances, yet un-
known, as precious' as yet found. To doubt thia
j would le to repudiate the most logical interference
afforded by tiie whoLe history of the earth. Corn and
the,grap9-.exeepted aearly all our staples! in vege
table food are of coriiparatively modern aiscoyery.
j Society hud a long: exasteoce without tea, coffee,
i cotton, cocoa, sgar, and potatoes. Who shall Mkj
! there is not a mora nutritious plant thaa th sugar-
cane--a finer poot than die potajS-a more useful
three thiia-tiie eottoa 1 : Buried - wealth'Hes every
where in" the bowels of the earth.
11 br e a good first verse of a hymn to Koa-
Ulr
u Once in a a-? a niJnd appears-.
That seerns by will of heaven ordained (
To. rather in the thoujjhts oteare,
And sbw to. man. what man has gained."
Take a single drop- of rain, cloistered in the green
DEFERRED ARTICLE.
Tlie'
following
resolutions
were-
x
in type last
week,, but were unavoidably crowded out. .
Copt of a prea51blbano kesolctiovs passkd bt
' TILE TrCSTEKS OF THE SoCTH LoWELL ACAUK
At A MXETISO HELD DECEMBER 11, 1851.
Whereas, the Rev. James A. Dean has, for th
last t!i ree years, conductel our Academy 'with
signal ability aaul wjecess, taking charge of the
institution ia its infancy, and by his zealous and
well-directed efforts kavieg raised it to its present
elevated condition of prosperity, k being now n
of the most flourishing and popular Academies in
Ufnia ' art A 4nrO!i flip. Mill 1 James A. Dsak
j f Dea's our thank? foi the manuet in
. ivhicll" he discharged the duties of Principal of
our Academy 4 thkt he leaves us with our belt
for7 his future happiness, prosperity and
ugefyness . and that we deepy regret the necesity
nf rur raration.
Resolctd further, Tliat a copy of the above pre
amble and resolution be publicly read a the dose
of our execrises on to-morrow, and handed to Mr.
Dean as a token of 1 the 'high regard1 we entertain
for him.
Resolved, That a cop of these resolutions: be
sent to the Hillsborough rand Raleigh Papers with
a request to publish. j
A. O. GAY, PresL Ex. Com.
j' IX C Parrish, Seq'y. - j
j jSTTue Ralejgb paper art reqtw ti cjV '
d was completely vut- EZt Ti'u'Z
iuan, bo was aerv , b J , , r i
caturist, was laid up W1. 1 ... U"L , . UiaB '
snme late uiai i