THE CHILDREN'S CORNER. The Children's Corner. THE LITTLE BOY'S PURCHASE. I WELL remember when I was young, says Dr. Vaughan, possessing, for the first time, a guinea. I remember, too, that this circumstance cost me no little perplexity and anxiety; as I passed along the streets, the fear of losing my guinea induced me frequently to take it out of my pocket to look at it; first I put it in one pocket, and then I took it out and put it in another-after a while I took it out of the second pocket and placed it in another, really perplexed what to do with it! At length my attention was arrested by a book auction. I stepped in, and looked about me. First one lot was put up, and then another, and sold to the highest bidder. At last I ventured to the table, just as the auctioneer was putting up the 'History of the World," in two large folio volumes. I instantly thrust my hand into my pocket, and began turning over my guinea, considering all the while whether I had money enough to buy this lot. The biddings proceeded-at last I ventured to bid too. "Hallo! my little man," said the auctioneer, "what not content with less than the world!" remark greatly confused me, and drew the attention of the whole company towards me; who seeing me anxious to possess the books, refrained from bidding against me, and so the "World" was knocked down to me at a very moderate price. 66 This How to get these huge books home was the next consideration. The auctioneer offered to send them; but I, not knowing what sort of creatures auctioneers were, determined to take them myself; so, after the assistant had tied them up, I marched out of the room, with these huge books upon my shoulder, like Samson with the gates of Gaza, amidst the smiles of all present. When I reached my home, after the servant had opened the door, the first person I met was my now sainted mother. "My dear boy," said she, "what have you got there? I thought you would not keep your guinea long." "Do not be angry, mother," said I, throwing them down upon the table, "I have bought the World for nine shillings." This was on Saturday, and I well remember sitting up till it was well nigh midnight, turning over this History of the World. These books became my delight, and were carefully read through and through. As I grew older, I at length became a christian, and my love of books naturally led me to desire to be a christian minister. To the possession of these books I attribute, in a great measure, any honours in connection with literature that have been added to my name. I have not mentioned this anecdote to gratify any foolish feeling, but to encourage in those young persons I see before me, that love of literature which has afforded me such unspeakable pleasures-pleasures which I would not have been without for all the riches of the Indies. THE BURNING SHIP. OUR passengers had as usual walked the deck after tea, until about eight o'clock, when, feeling it cold, they had gone below. In less than half an hour I followed them to the after-cabin, having given the chief mate his orders for the night. We were all in excellent spirits, and speculating how soon, and how safely, we should reach our destination with so good a wind. Alas! how little did we know the horrors that awaited us: destruction even then had begun its frightful work, and was silently, but too surely, consuming our solitary and sea-girded habitation. Soon after entering the cabin I was affected with the sense of something burning; supposing that the ladies might have set something in their bed-rooms on fire, I ran forward in the dark to their cabins, but found everything safe. The sense of burning, however, became more strong and decided. I therefore snatched a light, and found, to my dismay, that smoke was issuing from the fore bulk-head on the starboard side of the mainmast. It was but the work of an instant to clear away the goods with which that untenanted berth had been filled, if possible to reach the seat of the fire. My brother William, and four or five seamen, withstood resolutely the suffocating smoke that surrounded them in this labour, while others stood arranged and ready with bucketfuls of water, to dash upon the first appearance of fire. But what was our horror to find, on emptying the berth, that the evil lay deeper, and was every moment on the increase ; in short, that the ship's hold was on fire! This was too soon apparent, for, on removing a plank from the bulk-head, we saw the whole interior of the vessel like the womb of a volcano, and the entire cargo of coals and combustible goods in a blaze. It was impossible, from the superincumbent and intervening goods, to pour in water in sufficient quantity to extinguish so extensive a conflagration; this I perceived at first glance, and therefore at once drove in the board to confine the flames, feeling, in the agony of despair, that the vessel was irrecoverably to be consumed. It was an awful moment to every one of us. To die on so sudden summoning, and to be summoned to such a death, were sufficient to appal the stoutest heart. What were we to do?beneath us was a burning bier, and all beyond was a black and angry abyss. We could not abide where we were, and to go No. 91. 97 THE BURNING SHIP. forth scarcely promised a better fate, for no small boat could live long in such a sea. I saw in the countenances of the haggard beings around me, that they were fully alive to either fate. Some, frantic with terror, sent forth cries which found no echo from our shoreless and surrounding solitude; others clung around me, tormenting me with questions which I could not answer; while the remainder stood silent and trembling, as if the presence of death had smitten them dumb. It was easy to discern their emotions in their demeanour-but why should I dilate on others' feelings when I can but faintly recall my own? I have a confused recollection of a tumultuous throng of momentous interests rushing upon me with an overpowering rapidity, and of a certain effort of self-possession seeking to stem, while it received the tide. Visions of danger-of selfprotection—of death, mingled with thoughts of duty--of home of a probably widowed wife and fatherless family—all flashed wildly through my brain. I felt that I stood in immediate contact with death, and the solemnities of a judgment to come rose in array before me. It is not for me to reveal the secrecies of such a situation; but I can only say, as one who has been "in deaths oft," that I know but one confidence which can prove unfailing and infallible in such a crisis, and that is, a personal interest in the Lord Jesus Christ, and an implicit reliance on his perfect work. As I looked around upon the shivering group that had enclosed me, I became filled with one solemn conviction,—it was my official responsibility; and I was fired with one desperate effort the effort of rescue. Without a momeut's delay, therefore, the plan of arrangements was fixed, and the orders were given. The mate was instructed to ease sail, and heave the ship to, in order to drive the fire forward, and clear the afterpart of the vessel from smoke, so as to allow us to labour with efficiency. A hole was then cut in the deck above the strongest seat of the fire, and an uninterrupted stream of water poured down through the opening; but the rapid increase of smoke and flame soon convinced us that all idea of subduing the fire and saving the ship was impracticable. We then covered the deck with the loose sails to smother, as far as possible, the smoke and flame; for by this time the deck-plank was blistering beneath our feet, and it was impossible to breathe amidships. Our next efforts were directed to launching the longboat, which, as usual, was secured on deck. This proved to be a work of great difficulty, and occasioned considerable delay, THE BURNING SHIP. not unmixed with danger. The boat had been converted into a stall for two live bulls, and in attempting to get them over the side, one of them, in the confusion, unfortunately got out of the slings, and ran frantic along the deck. This accident, as may be supposed, greatly increased the general consternation, and much invaluable time was lost ere the furious animal could be secured and despatched; so that when the tackles were hooked on to the boat it was impossible to breathe in that part of the ship. The men could only take a hasty pull, and run aft to breathe; and it was only after repeated efforts, and great perseverance, that we got the bow of the long-boat sufficiently high enough for launching. We then manned the after tackle, but, unfortunately, it unhooked aloft, and it required enormous exertions to get it replaced; however, by fastening some guys round the rigging, and through the blessing of God on our efforts, we at length got the boat launched, with two good hands in her. To pass her aft, and preserve her from swamping, were matters of great labour; for the roll of the sea was so heavy, and the smoke was so dense over the lee-side, that we could not see what we were doing. While these things were going on, I had ordered the steward to prepare some bread and small stores to put into the boat; and I now went down to see what progress he had made for our supply, leaving the mate on deck to roll some water-casks aft, and after slinging them well, to drop them over the quarter to the long-boat. Every moment, by this time, was invaluable ; for the flames had now made their appearance up the fore-hatch; and very soon caught the rigging and sails. I can never sufficiently commend the energy of the mate, and the steadiness and good behaviour of the men, during these exertions. There was no swearing, no inclination to fly to spirits; every man was open to orders, and anxious to do his utmost. The passengers revealed the same excellent spirit. I heard no screams from the females; and even the children ceased to cry. All seemed to feel that every effort was making for their safety, and they silently acquiesced in the arrangements. Our preparations were soon made. Two small bags of bread, two hams, two cheeses, two or three canisters of preserved meat, and a few bottles of wine; with a sextant, some charts, an almanack, my Bible and Psalm Book, and some flannel shirts and blankets, &c., were all that we could secure amid the suffocating smoke. These were immediately carried on deck and secured in the skiff, which still hung at the stern THE BURNING SHIP. davits. The mate, in the meantime, had rolled two casks of rain-water aft, which was all that he could obtain. To secure their safe transmission to the long boat in such a sea was no easy matter. I therefore confided to the mate to lift them into the boat, and he left the ship for this purpose. The first cask was well directed, but in lifting it over the gunwale of the boat, it fell upon the mate and another seaman, who were dreadfully bruised; it was a marvel indeed that they were not killed. In consequence of their being disabled, the second cask got out of the slings, and we lost it. This was a very serious matter, but it was irreparable, as the whole front part of the ship was now on fire, and quite impassable for any purpose. Finding that I could make no further provision for the people, I put the ladies and three children in the skiff, with two seamen, who were ordered to cut the faulds so soon as she touched the water, while we lowered them from the davits. This was done in safety, which was a special mercy, as the boat was greatly overloaded; having, besides the stores and the above company, two of the passengers, who, unknown to me, had concealed themselves under the thafts. There were now left on board the ship five or six persons, together with myself, These immediately launched the small boat, which hung on the maindeck, and got safely into it, so that, for a little season, I stood the last living thing amid the burning mass. My position was alike novel and awful; two horrid deaths were before me-one on either hand-and I stood but upon a point between them. At that moment the flame was playing fearfully over all the rigging; the topping-lifts had been burnt through, and the trysail-boom came swinging down on the taffrail; the trysail itself was on fire as high up as the third reef, and the mainmast every moment was expected to fall above me. With a heavy heart I felt that I must quit for ever the ship and property, of which I could no longer retain the charge. Another and a still more sacred trust was beneath me; and as I looked down upon the twenty-seven hapless beings, ghastly amid the glare of the burning ship, and tossed above the billows that soon might be our mutual tomb, I felt—oh, I deeply felt- that the charge of such beings was not mine. Calmly as my momentary solitude would permit, I lifted my soul to Him who "rules the raging of the sea," and cast myself and company into his everlasting arms. If ever fervent prayer was productive of immediate peace, my heart felt it at that moment; for the words of God thrilled through me at the instant, as if his own finger |