Democratic Sentinel, Volume 11, Number 15, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 May 1887 — CAPTAIN MURRAY'S TRUST. [ARTICLE]

CAPTAIN MURRAY'S TRUST.

BY R. A. RILEY.

Stories of shipwreck are common. The wide ocean swallows up many who venture upon its treacherous waters, and many who escape with their lives, after their vessel has gone down into the briny flood, can only look back with a shudder of horror at the perils and privations they have passed through. In tin days before steamships were in vogue, the well-built and seaworthy brig Tornado, commanded by Captain John Murray, used to make an occasional trip between the city of New Orleans and the city of New York, carrying such passengers as desired to make the voyage. On one of these occasions an unusually large number of passengers embarked on board the vessel at New Orleans. Among this number was a slender young girl, about seventeen years of age. of remarkable beauty, who had been placed in charge of the Captain by her relatives, with the request that she should be landed at Charleston, South Carolina, where the vessel expected to touch. This young girl was named Adelaide Bronson, who had been on a visit to her brother in New Orleans, and was now returning to her parents in Charleston. The passengers soon discovered that, in addition to being remarkably beautiful, Adelaide was very intelligent, and possessed all other qualities necessary to insure admiration. Captain John Murray felt his heart warm toward her from the first. The Captain was not, as one might suppose, a rough old “sea dog, ” who by years of command over his men had acquired a bluff air and a stern demeanor, but was young—only twentyfour—with a handsome, pleasant face and courteous air, yet the set of his mouth and the stately poise of bis head showed that he possessed a will-power that would carry him through dangers and difficulties wherein a vast majority would fail. His men loved, respected, feared, and obeyed him. Captain Murray was unmarried, and it was natural that his heart should warm toward the most lovable, the most beautiful female he had ever beheld, and he conducted himself toward her with his natural gallantry, and showed her those delicate attentions which a lady of her intelligence could duly appreciate. The voyage was commenced under favorable auspices. After having once cleared the Mississippi, a smacking breeze earned the brig swiftly forward upon her course. “At this rate,” said the Captain to his mate, “we shall be opposite to Havana in two days at the furthest. ” The vessel sped onward under the influence of the fine breeze, and in a little less than forty-eight hours had arrived at Key West City, on Key West Island, south of Florida, which is about one hundred and fifty miles northwest of Havana. Stopping here for a few hours, the brig resumed her course, steering south of the Florida Reefs, upon which so many vessels are annually wrecked. For five or six hours the vessel kept steadily on its way. All at once there burst upon the brig one of those sudden and furious storms so common in that latitude. It came up so quickly that they had not time to prepare the vessel before it was upon them. Bronze-cheeked sailors turned pale who had never felt fear before, for in spite of all the efforts of the gallant crew, the furious tornado was bearing its namesake directly toward the fatal Florida Reefs. Onward the vessel rushed, scudding under bare poles, for every sail was split to ribbons. The chain of low islands called the Florida Reefs were not yet in view when the storm began to lull, and hope sprang up once more. A stornl stay-sail was tried and found t 6 bear. Other sails were being bent, when suddenly a crashing, grating noise was heard along the vessel’s keel. “Ah! we’re done for now,” exclaimed the Captain to his first mate; “we have rushed over one of the sunken reefs. Go below and see what is the damage, while I order the men to man the pumps so as to have them ready in case we can do any good with them.”

' «“Ay! ay! sir,” responded the mate, as he bounded down into the hold. He soon returned, with an ashen hue upon his face, and said: “I fear, sir, the pumps will be of little use; the water is rushing in at a dozen great rents faster than fortv times the number of pumps we have could pump it out. ”

“How long do you suppose we can keep afloat?” asked the Captain calmly, though his face expressed the anxiety he felt. “Twenty minutes, and not more than thirty at the furthest. ” The gurgling sound of the water rushing into the hold was now plainly to be heard. The passengers were collected around, holding on as best they could to keep the lurching of the vessel from throwing them overboard, and manifesting great distress, with the exception of a small group who had collected near the Captain, and among this group was Adelaide Bronson. Captain Murray gave one glance upon Adelaide, a hopeless, longing glance, and then looked out upon the stormy sea. The waves were dashing high, and the prospect indeed seemed hopeless. All at once the Captain placed his trumpet to his mouth and shouted: “Man the boats!”

“Why man the boats?” said the mate; “no boat could live in such a sea as this.” “That may be true,” replied the Captain, “but we can all get into the boats, and let them remain fastened to the brig, until the very moment she is going down, and then cut loose, and thus we won’t be sucked downward to such a great depth by the sinking vessel, nor be killed by the'fragments bursting upward; and if the boats swamp some may be able to get . hold of fragments, that will support them, until the sea becomes calm.” “I understand,” replied the mate, “but I can’t see much hope in either case.” “Heave away, my hearties, never say die!” shouted the Captain to the men who were lowering the yawl; and they did heave away and the boat was soon rocking upon the billowy tide. The other boats, three in number, had been lowered at the same time at other points; and a general scramble commenced to see who should be first to get in them. Captain Murray now turned to Adelaide Bronson and said: “Miss Adelaide, this is probably our last hour on earth. I will tell you now what I would not have had the courage to tell you under other circumstances. I love you as I neyer loved any other before. You were placed under my charge to watch over and protect, but now I must place you under the care of some one else m one of the boats, for I must be the last to leave my vessel, and it may go down before I can leave it. Come, and as we go I’ll say farewell.” “Nay, Captain Murray, I would stay with

you. I love you, I warrant, as much as you do me, and when you die I wish to die also.” The Captain clasped her in his arms, and amid the howling of the storm, and the lurching of the vessel, imprinted upon her lips a kiss of pure and holy love. The storm had now lulled considerably, yet the sea was violently rough. The last of the passengers and seamen were scrambling into the boats. Pete, the Captain's cook, was banding down into the yawl a little girl, the daughter of the mate who stood just behind anxiously looking on; when suddenly the vessel gave a great forward lurch.

“Cut loose,” cried those in the boat, “she’s going under.” It was immediately done. Pete and the mate sprang over into the yawl, at the risk of maiming some one, and the boats all shot away from the doomed vessel, on whose deck alone was left Captain Murray and Adelaide, clasped in each other’s arms, and thus they went down, down, down, with their ill-starred vessel to its watery grave. To Captain Murray, who held Adelaide clasped tightly in his arms, it seemed as if they would never begin to rise again. All at 'once he felt something surge up beneath his feet, bearing them upward. He never lost his consciousness, but a great roaring was in his ears, and it seemed as if he would suffocate for want of air. Let any one hold his breath a minute by the watch if he can, and he will have some idea of his feelings as he went up, up, to tne surface. It was reached at last. The Captain caught one gasp of air, and before he could catch another, felt himself and Adelaide going down, down, again; but in a few seconds they returned to the surface. The stout planking of one of the decks had broken loose from the sunken vessel and had arisen immmediately beneath them, and its buoyancy doubtless saved them from going to a much greater depth and from perishing. The portion of deck which had broken loose was some eight or ten feet in width and double that in length. The planking had been stoutly braced together, so that there was but little danger of its going to pieces immediately. Near the outer edge of this planking, securely fastened to it, were some iron\rings. which had been thus placed that be drawn through and secured.

Providentially as they came to the surface the second time, Captain Murray was directly over one of these rings. The Captain instantly grasped the ring with his left hand, while he supported the now unconscious Adelaide with his right. He caught his breath rapidly as the planking beneath them arose to the top of a huge wave. The life-giving air renewed his almost exhausted strength, and he instantly arose erect, and lifting Adelaide as high as he could reach above his head, he ran his foot through the ring, so that he might not be swept backward and off into the water as they went down into the trough of the billow. As they went downward, the planking shot into, and was for a short time so deeply submerged in the next wave that the water swept up even into the Captain’s face, and had it not been for his foot in the ring, and the other foot hard braced behind him, he would have been instantly swept away; as it was, he with difficulty held Adelaide clear of the water above him, and maintained his balance. The ring was near the forward end of the planking, and the weight of the Captain and Adelaide had submerged their frail support much more than it would otherwise have been. The Captain felt that he could not maintain his position long. As they arose to the top of the next wave he looked back and saw, as he expected, another ring at the back end of the planking. He immediately rushed toward it, bearing Adelaide with him. His experience in walking upon the deck of his vessel when it was rolling and lurching so that a landsman would have fallen headlong, now enabled him to reach the other ring in safety, just as they went sweeping down into the trough of the next billow. The weight, now so suddenly transfeired to the back end, so raised the front of the planking, that when it dived into the next wave the water barely swept around the gallant Captain's ankles. He now felt much more secure and turned his attention to Adelaide, who was vomiting sea-water and gasping for breath. In a short time she had fully recovered, and the Captain placed her on her feet beside him, while he supported her with his right arm, his right foot being firmly braced in the ring. Occasionally they had to move from side to side to balance their frail craft and to keep it from turning end for end. In this way an hour passed, and the sea grew comparatively smooth, So that they could move about together upon their frail craft in safety. A few more hours, and the sea had resumed its natural placidity. The day wore away, and night came on. They passed the night in sitting side by side upon the planking, which still held together remarkably well. Morning dawned at last. Ten o'clock came, and, to the joy of both, a sail was descried bearing directly toward them. They were both beginning to suffer from hunger and thirst, Adelaide very severely. The advancing sail proved io be a very small schooner sailing from San Augustine to Havana. As it drew near, a boat was sent out, and the Captain and Adelaide were taken on board, where they received every courtesy from captain and crew. At Havana, a vessel was found about to sail for Charleston, and, taking passage, they soon arrived at the latter place, where the gallant Captain had the satisfaction of delivering his charge safely into the hands of her parents; but as the price of his delivery he demanded his cargo, ffhd his demand was complied with, and he and Adelaide in a few weeks were united in marriage. Only one of the boats from the illstarred brig escaped; Ihe other three were swamped, and the occupants perished. The gallant Captain tried the sea no more, but with his lovely bride settled down on a rice plantation back of Charleston, which his wealthy father-in-law had given them.