The west shore., June 07, 1890, Page 711, Image 7

WEST SHORE.
lt
"Well," said I at supper, "I suppose you expect each socking his own safety; ami down there to loa
the governor on board." ward an awful line of white gleamed angrily out of
44 That's so." the blackness of tho storm.
'You'll bo getting him to take off his guard lest "Look out I"
the poor fellows should catch cold; there'll be lots of Down came the green sea In tons upon my buck,
pretty talk, and then he will go away with a few kegs nearly tearing me from my hold. For one wild mo-
in the boat, eh?" ment I thought the waters had rolled over everything;
"None of your business," said the skipper, and then the air cleared and I saw tho waters break
smiling, ing heavily down across the deck. At that moment,
But Providence ordered otherwise I stood anchor by some miracle, the staysail filled, and wo boro up at
watch from eleven p. m. until midnight, with orders to last against tho wind. .
tell the mate of any change in tho wind. He was I went aft. Tho skipper and mate were quarreling
playing cribbngo with the skipper down In tho cabin, violently on tho poop,. Our courso was changed twice,
and seemed very nervous, advising him to weigh and they say, and wo wcro taking fearful risks during that
get out to sea. The
wind was blowing
across the bay from
point to point, and did
not veer during my
watch. On being re
lieved I sat reading a
novel by the forecastle
lamp. Presently Jim
called me on deck to
see a seal that he had
caught with the boat
hook and which was
scrambling about the
deck. I returned to
my book, and, after a
little reading, had just
set it aside to turn in,
when the cry came
"All hands on deck I"
It was time. The
wind had risen to a
gale and suddenly
veered right into the
bay, raising a fearful
swell. We cast loose
! & -
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5 A M J IT i ... .J", ill WP W ' h" AM
1 , ,'' 'Jit'1 ! I
.. - - --v . fitful ' i in., 1 1. a
,...v.?V-.v.;, tr-'WiW
mm;
II A t lit
quarrel in me, iiimhi
of tho reefs. Hut this
was comparative safe
ty after tho breakers,
and everyone now
sN)ke In a gentle tone
wonderfully contrast
ed with tho harsh,
strained voices of a
few minutes ago. As
wo beat up out of tho
bay and out of sound
ings we stood taking
a drink at the water
casks, exchanging
comments as to what
had passed, and
watching tho mysteri
ous island vanish like
a wraith Into the dark
ness. Wo were right
glad to feel the honest
swell of deep water
under our feet once
more, and the weight
of tho galo In the clime
Wo had lost tho lat, tho best
Till FLYIMO DITCH XA AT AM A LANK AN HIT
and partially hoisted tho suils, and then manned the reefed sails aloft
windlass. Pumping up and down, up and down, at tho anchor, tho ship's discipline and our respect for tint
brakes, with strango sea voices croaking hoarse en- captain; but there was heartfelt gratitude In everyone
couragement; presently it worked with uneven ino- that wo had been delivered out of the Jaws of death
tion sharp jerks that really tore tho bars out of our from tho teeth of tho cruel ee shore,
hands while wholo fathoms were wrested from tho We lay hove to at sea just out of sight of land,
men receiving the chain. At last there was a dead waiting for tho full moon before attempting to raid
lock, when none of us could move the bars an inch; Bt. Paul's, the greater of tho two Islands. Every day
and lastly a crash that told us that tho anchor no tho weather grew more bitterly cold, tho enterprise
longer dragged that tho chain was broken. I began more disreputable. The deck was ilippery with frost,
to look about me. Tho schooner was pitching heavily; sails and rigging encased In lie; tho wind often blew
the sails flapping with loud reports, as though they half a gale, raising a swell that In thene shallow waters
would be torn to shreds; the main Ixtom brooken loose threatened at times to demolish the little whuowr.
in charge of the poop, swinging its ton weight wildly Scrambling up and dowiUho deck to keep warm; with
from side to side. Tho others were running about, wet mitts rubbing animation Into I Urge, cold nose;