Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page.

v THE FLOWERS COLLECTION VOL. V. J.H.&WB. SEALS,} ATLANTA GA., MAY 10, 1879. Terms in advance:} No. 20L evestiauties. [From the German of Heine.] O sluggish and silent sea. Where never a barque hath sailed; O shores of the realm to be. When the summit of hope is scaled; In the vastness of Time, shall we, When the day star on high hath paled, Abide by that desolate sea, Where never a barque hath sailed. REPLY BY CHARLES W. HtYNIS, A sluggish and silent sea, Where never * barque hath sailed Thou art not,O Eternity ! When the summit of hope is scaled, A wcndrous fair sight shall be To the eye of the soul unveiled— A vision that hidden shall be Till the day-star o'earth hath paled. From out of the halcyon sea Happy isles, where Ike Blessed dwell, In star-like infinity, And verdure perennial,swell; And thitherward ceaselessly Thou sailest, O Azrael! Swift over the opaline sea, With ghosts in thy shadowy shell! THE DUELLO; 015, A FOINTOF HONOR. The True and Tried Hero. A Thrilling Sketch, Complete in this issne. One evening in the autumn of the year 1S42, seven i „ . . in lu.i'vc-j.ys'-tf ere «•'ling nptl ch«etinc in a state of hilarious gay.ety in front of Setter Ar- guellas’ country-house, a mile or so out of Santiago de Cuba, in the Eastern Intendancia of the Queen of the Antilles, and once its chief, capital, when an incident occurred that as effectually' put an extin guisher upon the noisy mirth its if a bomb-shell had suddenly expl< ded a! our feet. Three of our company were merchants—South erners and smart traders, extensively connected with the commerce of the Colombian Archipelago, and designing .0 sail on the morrow, wind and weather permitting, in the bark Neptune— Starkey, master and part owner—for the Morant Bay, Ja maica ; one was lieutenant in the Spanish artillery, and nephew of our host; another was a M. Dupont, a young and rich creole, of mingled French and Spanish parentage, and the reputed suitor for the bund of Donna Antonia—the daughter and sole heiress of Senor At guellas, and withal a graceful and charming maiden of eighteen—a t-.^g age in that precocious clime ; the sixth guest v as Captain Starkey of the Neptune, 3 gentlemanly, fine-look ing English seaman of about ihiriy years of age ; the seventh and last was myself, at that time a mere youngster, and hut just recovered from a severe fit of sickness which a twelve month previously had necesitated nty removal from Jamaica to the much more temperate and iqua 1 climate of Cuba, albeit ti e two islands are only distant about live degrees from each other. 1* was also one of Captain Starkey’s passengers, and so was Senor Arguellas, who lias business to w ind up in Kingston. He w as to be accompanied by Senora Arguellas, Antonia, the young lieutenan*, and M. Dupont. The Nep tune. had brought a cargo of sundries, consisting of hardware, cottons, etcetera, to Cuba, and was re turning about half-laden with goods. Amongst these, belonging to the American merchants, -was a number of barrels of gun-powder that had proved unsalable in Cuba, and which, it was thought, might find a satisfactory market in Jamaica. There was excellent cabin accomodation on board Captain Starkey’s vessel, and as the weather was fine, and the passage promised to he a brief as well as pleas ant one—the wind lia\ ing shifted to the north w est, with the intention it seemed of remaining there for some time—we were all, as I have stated, in exceed ingly good-humor, and discussing the intended trip, Cuban, American, and European politics, the com parative merits of French and Spanish wines, and Havana and Alabama cigars, with infinite glee and gusto. The evening, too was deliciously bright and clear. The breeze, pronounced by Captain Starkey to he rising to a five or six knot one at sea, only’ suffi ciently stirred the rich and odorous vegetation of the valleys, stretching faraway’ beneath us, gently’ to fan the heated faces of the party with its grate ful perfume, and slightly ripple the winding rivers, rivulets rather, which everywhere intersect and ir rigate the island, and which were now glittering with the myriad splendors of the intensely-lustious stars that diadem a Cuban night. Nearly all the guests had drunk very freely of wine, too much so, indeed ; but the talk, in French, which all could speak tolerably,did not profane the calm glory of the scene, till some time after Senora Arguellas and her da ught* r had left us. The senor, I should state, was still detained in business which it was necessary he should dispose of previous to embarking for Ja maica. “Do not go away,” said Senora Arguellas, ad dressing Captain Starkey, as she rose from her seat, “till I see you again. \Vhen you are at leisure, ring the sonnette on the table and a servant will inform me. I wish to speak further with you rela tive to the cabin arrangements.” Captain Starkey bowed. I had never, I thought, seen Antonia smile so sweetly ; and the two ladies left us. 1 do not precisely remember how it came about, or what first led to it, but it was not very long before we were all conscious that the conver sation had assumed a disagreeable tone. It str uck Jt me that possibly M. Dupont did not like the ex- ^, pression of Antonia’s face as she courtesied to Cap- tain Starkey*. The after-unpleasantness did not however arise ostensibly from that cause. The com mander of the Neptune had ngreed to take several free colored families to Jamaica, where the services of the men, who were reputed to he expert at su gar cultivation, had been engaged, at much higher wages than could be ob'ained in Cuba. The Amer ican gentlemen had previi usly expressed disappro bation of this arrangement, and now began to be very literal indeed with their taun's and sneers rt 1- ative to Captain Starkey's “negro principles,” : s y pleasantly termed that gentleman's very torn - 4 w C?ne, two, three, fire!” The sharp rep Ti |t ransr on the still air. perafte vindication of the right of colored people to She, however, at the request of their own si ulsaml bodies. This, however, would, stantlv led the way Into the bouse.-- plain. Hi vin''- the rest M. Dupont’s smothering ill-humor in a flame, and I 1 sa.l the in-xt gatheied from his confused maledictions that he bad suffered in property from the exet tions of that force. The storm of angry wools raged fiercely*. The n:o ives of the Engl sh for inter!ering with the slave-traffic were denounced with comemptuous bitterness on the one side, and as warmly and an grily defended on the 0!her. Filially—the fact is, they were both flustered with wine and passion, and scarcely knew what they said or did—M. Du pont appiii d an epithet to the Queen of England, at that moment partially* opened. In my still weak state, the terror of the sight—for the recol- wder on board flashed —for several moments 1 but that I caught in I should have fallen ine o'clock | prostrate on the deck. A wild outcry of “Fire! \ renewed torrent of rage, content it, and scorn , tire!”—the most fearful cry that can lie heard at broke forth at this announcement, lad a duel at 1 sea—mingled with and heightened the dizzy*ringing one time seemed inevitable between* Lieutenant | in my brain, and I was barely sufficiently conscious Arguellas and Mr. Desmond, the last-named gentle- j to discern, amidst the runnings to and fro, and the mail manifesting great anxiety to shoot somebody I incoherent exclamations of the crew, the sinewy. morning precisely* ml athletic figure of the capta n leap up, as it wen from the companion-ladder totl.e deck, and with his trumpet-voice command immediate sil nee, in stantly followed by* the order again to batten down the blazing hatchway. This, with his own assist- ther in vindication of his Anglo-Saxon lineage. This, however, was over-iuled, and the party broke up in angry* disorder. We were all on board by the appointed time on the follow ing morning. Captain Starkey* received which instantly brought a glass of wine full in his * 1 * 11 us with civil indifference, and 1 noticed that the anco, was promptly effected, and then lie disap- face from the hand of C< pfctin Starkey. Thi y elaborate sneers which sat upon the countenances 1 peaivd down the forecastle. The two or three niin- were all in an instant on their feet, and apparently j of Dupont and the lieutenant did not appear in the I utes he was gone—it could scarcely have been more sobered, or nearly so, by the unfortunate issue of j slightest degree to ruffle or affect lent: but the i than that—seemed interminable: and so completely* the woidy tumult. averttd eye and scornful air of Donna Antouia as ; did it appear to be recognize d that our fate must Captain Starkey* was the first to t peak. His | she passed w ith Senora Arguellas towards the cab-i depend upon his judgment and vigor, that not a flushed and angry features paled suddenly to an ! in, drawing her mantilla tightly round her as she almost deg!! ly wlite, Mid he stammered out. "1 | swept by, as if— sol perhaps wrongfully interpreted beg your pardon, M. Dupont. It was wrong—very j the action—it would he soiled by contact with a wrong in me to do so, though not inexcusable.” I poltroon, visibly touched him—only, however, for “Pardon! Mille tanneries P' shouted Dupont, a few brief moments. The expression of pain who was capering about in an ecstasy of rage, and 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, contemptible for bearance. Dupont, approaching him, gave his wiping his face with his handkerchief. “Y bullet through your head shall pardon you—noth ing less !” Indeed, at cording to the then notions of Cuban si ciety, in other alternative but the duello appeared possible. Lieutenant Arguellas hurried at once in to the house, and speedily returned with a ease of pistols. “Iiet us proceed,” he said in a quick whis per, “to the grove yonder ; we shall be there free from interruption.” He took Dupont’s arm, and both turned to move off. As they did so, Mr. Des mond, the elder of t he American gentleman, stepped towards Captain Starkey*, who w ith recovered calm ness, and with his arms folded, was standing by the table, and said : “1 am not entirely, my* good sir, a stranger to these affairs, and if I can be of service I ihail 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 arm--, lie threw bis burden on the deck, and passing swiftly to where Hawkins stood, said in alow, hurried whisper, but audible to me; “Run down and rouse the passengers, and bring my pistols from the cabin-loeker. Quick ! Eternity* hangs on the loss of a moment.” Then turning to thoughtaudiblei xpression, exclaiming, loud enough the s art led but attentive seamen, he said in a raj for several of the crew to hear, and looking stead- id but firm voice: “You well know, men, that 1 ily in the captain’s face: “LadieHe would have j would not on any occasion or for any motive de- turned away, hut was arrested by u gripe of steel, ceive you. Listen, then, attentively. Yon drunk- “Keoutez, monsieur,” said Captain Starkey: “indi- en brute—he is Lieutenant Arguellas’ servant—has v dually, I hold for nothing whatevei you may say; tired with his candle the spirits he was stealing, and but 1 am captain and king 111 this ship, and I wid the hold is a mass of fire which it is useless to waste permit no one to heard me before the crew, and | one precious moment in attempting to extinguish.” thereby lessen my authority over them. Do you j A cry of rage and terror burst from the crew, presume again to do so, and 1 will put you in soli- 1 and they sprang impulsively towards the boa f , but tary (onfineinent, perhaps in irons, till we arrive the captain’s authoritative voice at once arrested at Jamaica.” He then threw off his**’ J ’ startled audi-1 their steps. “Hear me out, will you ? Hurry and tor, and walked forwards. The passengers, colored : confusion will destroy 11s all. but with courage and as well as white, were •-.11 on board: the anchor, j steadiness every soul on board may be saved before ■‘Thank you, Mr. Desmond*” replied the English already apeak, was brought home; the bows of the I the flames can reach the powder. And remember,” captain; “but I shall not require your assistance, ship fell slowly off, and we were in a'few moments he added, as he took his pistols from Haw kins and L : eutenanf Arguellas, you may as well remnin. am no duellist, and shall not fight M. Dupont.” “What does he say ?” exclaimed the lieutenant, gazing with stupid bewilderment round the circle. •‘Not fight !” The Anglo Saxon blood, I saw, flushed as hotly in the veins of the Americans as it did in mine at this exhibition of the white feather by one of our race. “Not fight, Captain Starkey 1” said Mr. Des mond with grave earnestness after a painful pause: “you w hose name is in the list of the British Royal navy, say this ! You must be jesting !” “I am perfectly serious—I am opposed to duel ling upon principle.” “A coward upon principle !” fairly screamed Du pont, with mocking fury, and at the same time shaking his clenched fist at the Englishman. The degrading epithet stung like a serpent. A gleam of fierce passion broke out of Captain Stark ey’s dark eyes, alid he made a step towards Dupont, but resolut'ely checked himself. “Well, it must be borne 1 I was wrong to offer j*ou personal violence, although your impertinence certainly deserved rebuke. Still, I repeat I will not fight with you.” “But you shall give my friend satisfaction 1” ex claimed Lieutenant Arguellas, who was as much excited as Dupont; “or by Heaven I will post you as a dastard not only throughout this island but Ja maica 1” Captain Starkey for all answer to this menace coolly rang the sonnette, and desired the slave who answered it to inform Senora Arguellas that he was about to leave, and w ished to see her. ■‘The brave Englishman is about to place himself under the protection of your aunt’s petticoats, Al- phonso 1” shouted Dupont with triumphant mock ery. “I almost doubt whether Mr. Starkey is an Eng lishman,” exclaimed Mr. Desmond, who, as well as his two friends, was getting pretty* much incensed; ‘ but, at all events, as my father and mother were born and raised in the old country, if you presume to insinuate that—” Senora Arguellas at this moment approached, and running before the wind, though but a faint one, j cocked one of them, “that I will send a bullet af- for Point Morant. 1 ter any man who disobeys me, and I seldom miss No one could be many hours on board the Nep- my aim. Now, then, to your work—steadily, and tune without being fully* satisfied that, however w ith a will !” deficient in duelling courage her captain might be, 1 It was marvellous to observe the influence his he was a thorough seaman, and that his crew— bold, confident, and commanding bearing and about a dozen of as fine fellows as I have ever seen ! words had upon the men. The panic-terror that —were under the most perfect discipline and com- had seized them gave place to energetic resolution, maud. The service of the vessel was carried on as 1 and in an incredibly* short space of time the boats noiselessly and regularly as on board a ship of war; j were in the water. “Well done, my fine fellows ! and a sense of confidence, that should a tempest or j There is plenty of time, I again repeat. Four of other sea-peril overtake us, every reliance might be i vou”—and h'e named them—“remain with me. placed in the professional skill and energy of Cap- Three others jump into each of the large boats, two tain Starkey, was soon openly or tacitly ac- j into the small one, and bring them round to the knowledgeil by all on board. The weather through-j landward side of tlie ship. A rush would swamp out continued fine, but the wind was light and va- the boats, and we shall be able to keep only one riable, so that for several day*s after we had sighted i gangway clear.” the blue mountains of Jamaica, we scarcely ap-j The passengers were by this time rushing upon peared sensibly to diminish the distance between ! deck half-clad, and in a state of wildest terror, for them and us. At last the breeze again blew steadily | they all knew there was a large quantity of gun- from the north-west, and we gradually neared i powder on board. The instant the boat touched 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 passengers—far hey*ond the or dinary pleasure to land-folk of escaping from the tedium of confinement on shipboard, there was a the starboard side of the bark, the men. white as well as colored, forced their way with frenzied e& gerness before the women and children—careless, apparently, whom they* sacrificed so that they might leap to the shelter of the boats from the fiery volcano raging beneath their feet. Captain constraint in the behuvioi of everybody that was I Starkey, aided by the four athletic seamen he had exceedingly* unpleasant. The cuptain 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 ail hour aftewards Captain Starkey* went below, ami was soon busy, I understood, with papeis in his cabin. For my part I was too excited for sleep, and I oontinued to pace the deck fore and aft with Hawkins, the first mate, whose watch it was, ea gerly observant of the lights on the well-known shore, that I had left so many months before with but faint hopes of ever seeing it again. As I thus gazed landward, a bright gleam, as of crimson moonlight, shot across the dark sea, and tumin selected for the duty, hurled them fiercely back. “Back, back!” he shouted. “We must have funer al order here— first the women and children, next the old men. Hand Senora Arguellas along: next the y*oung lady* her daughter: quick!” As Donna Antonia, more dead than alive, was about to be lifted in the boat, a gush of flame burst up through the main hatchway with the roar of an explosion; a tumultuous cry burst from the fren zied passengers, am! they jostled each other with frightful violence in their efforts to reach the gang way*. Dupont forced his way through the lane of seamen with the energy of a madman, ami pressed so suddenly upon Antonia that, hut for the utmost exertion of the captain's herculean strength, she must have been precipitated into the water. “Back, unmanly*dastard! back dog!” roared Cap- strange aspect of the company she It.. res*rained quickly round, I saw that it was caused tiva tall j.-t 1 tain Starkev. terribly excited by the danger of the ‘ * *’ 1 * “ — - ’ ' * ' ' ' ' - ' ’ ~ * ly look the irate American with some difficult . _ , = h : mself. The lady appeared si r"' s d at the I of flame shooting up from the main hatchway*, 1 lady: and a moment after, seizing Dupont fierce sad so iuidy left. | which two seamen, for some purpose or other, had I by the collar, and aildel: “or if you will, kx there but a moment,” and he pointed with his pis- tolhaiiu to the nns of several nuui'Ks plainly visible in the glai ing light at but a few yards distance | from the ship. “Men,” he added, “let whoever presses out of his turn fall into the water.” “Ay, ay, sir, was the prompt and lnechauicaJi response. This terrible menace instantly restored order; the, colored women and children were next embarked, and the boat appeared full. “Pull off,” was the order; “ you are deep enough for safety.” A cry*, faint as the wail of a child, arose in tbs boat. It was heard and understood. “Stay one moment; pass along Senor Arguellas Now then, off with you aud be smart!” The next boat was quickly loaded, the colored lads and men, all but one aud the Americans, went in her. “You’re a noble fellow,” said Mr. Desmond, pau sing an instant, and catching at the captain’s hand; “and I was but a fool 10 ” “Pass on,” was the reply: “thereis no time t> bandy compliments.” The order to shove off had passed the captain s lips when his glance chanced to light upon me, as I leaned, dumbed with terror, just behind him against the vessel’s bulwarks. “Hold on a moment!” he cried. “Here is s 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: “Remember me, Ned, to thy* father and mother should I nut see them again.” There was now only the small boat, capable >f safely containing but eight persons, and how, it was whispered amongst us—how in addition to the two seamen already in the boat, can she take off Lieutenant Arguellas, M. Dupont, the remaining colored man, the four seamen, and Captain Star- key! They were, however, all speedily embarked exeept'the captain, “Can she bear another!” he asked, and although his voice was as firm as ever, his countenance, I noticed, was ashy pale, yet full as ever of unswer- virg resolution! “\Ye must any, will, sir, since it is you; but w<* are dangerously Vrowded now, especially with von ugly’ customers swimming around us.” ■‘Stay one mon>ent; I can’t quit the ship whilst there’s a livingsoiul on board.” Hesteppfd basl’ 1 v forward, and presently reap jir-n-i " it ti ti.o ,v. ill sensei-ss A,.1« 'of the lieuiepaut'' servant in his arms, and (ill yne.l it over the side into the boat. There was a cry of indignation, but it was of no avail. The boat's rope the next instant was cast in the water. “Now jin f >r your lives!” The oars .mm the instinct of self-preservation, instantly fell into the water, and the boat sprung off. Captain Starkey, now that all except himself were clear of the burning ship, gazed eagerly* with eyes shaded with his hand in the direction of the shore. Presently’ lie hailed the headmost boat. “We must have been seen from the shore long ago, and pilot boats ought to be coming out, though I don't see any. If you meet one, bid him to be smart; there may bea.chance yet.” All this scene, this long agony, which has taken me so many words to depict very impei feetlv from my own recollection, and those of others, only last ed, I was afterward assure 1 by Mr. Desmond" eight minutes from the embarkation of Senora Arguellas till the last boat left the ill-fated Neptune. Never shall 1 forget the frightful sublimity of the spectacle presented by’that flaming ship, .the sole object, save ourselves, discerned amidst the vast and heavy darkness, if 1 may nse the term, of the night and ocean, coupled as it was with the dread- iul 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 "roved more than a couple of hundred yards when the flames, leaping up everywhere through the deck, reached the rigging and the few sails set, present ing a complete 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 fora brief space out of the flames, but this was 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 with anxiety shore - ward with the hope of descrying the expected pilot. At length a distinct hail—and I felt my heart stop beating at the sound— hastily responded to by the seamen’s throats, and presently’afterwards a swift ly propelled pilot boat shot out of the thick dark ness ahead, almost immediately followed by anoth er. “What ship is that?” cried a man standing on the bows of the first boat. “The Neptune, and that is Captain Starkey on the bowsprit.” I sprang eagerly to my feet, and with all tin* force I could exert, shouted: “A hundred pounds for the first boat that reach es the ship!” “That’s young Mr. Mainwaring’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 danger of the task. I11 a minute or so anothershore-boat came up, but after asking a few questions, ami seeing how mat ters 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 forward. I can scarcely’ bear, even now, to think about it. I shut my eyes and listened with breathless, palpitating excitement for the ex plosion that should end all. It came!—at least I thought it did, and sprang convulsively to my feet. So sensitive was my brain, partly, no doubt", from recent sickness as well as fright, that I had mista ken the sudden shout of the boats’ crews for the dreaded catastrophe. The bowsprit, from the end of which a rope was dangling, was empty! ami both pilots, made aware doubtless of the danger, were pulling with eagerness of fear from the ship. The cheering among us was renewed again aud again, during which I continued to gaze with arrested breath and fascinated stare at tl.e flaming vessel and fleeing pilot-boats. Suddenly a pyramid of flame shot up from the hold of the ship, followed by a deafening roar. I fell, or was knocked down, I don’t know which; the boat rocked as if caught in a fierce eddy; next came the hiss and splash of nu merous heavy bodies falling from a great height into the water; and then the blinding glare and stunning uproar were succeeded by’ a soundless si- sdnee and a thick darkness, in which no man could discern his neighbor. The stillness was bro ken by a loud, cheerful hail from oue of the pilot boats: we recognized the voice, and the simultane ous and ringing shout which burst from l sat