The Litchfield County post., 1828-10-23

Was never over bold, knocked against my
ribs uniI tancied could hear it even a
mid The roar. After some minutes, in
which the fresh air, or my terror, opera'ed
etfectuaIly upon my sickness, | became
caImcr, nay, entered in.o the spirit OF the
SceEe. CowardS in battle are sometimes
capable of becoming brave: it was the case
with me in that strife of the elements. My
spirits sweIed wi each trumpet tone Of
the winds the sounds of the conflicting
elements had such an effect upon me, that
finally look a stern pleasure IN what was
going Oh around, and walked along even
care!esSly upon The slippery deck. AS The
tempest increased, ii was necessary to
meet its violence with corresponding eau
ton, and accordingly the voice of Capt.
Jones rose above the roar, as he shouted
through trumpet i'll deep but animating
! tones,
"Haui down the head-sailS, secure them
well, ~ were some of the commands, which
| set down as illustrative oflhe progress of
the tempest. "Stand by to square away
the yards,' he continued. "Be ready at
the helm to keep her away! So, up; hand
somely; round in the weather braces !;
! CHEEKY, away, away; hard up the helm,
so, keep her dead before it Delay, Delay
the braces"
There was pause in the storm, occa-
stoned by the alteration of the ships course.
Before, she was sailing, as it were, against
the wind i; and now she was turned direct
ly from it, the waves thropging tumul-
tuous after her, as if defeated of their
prey.
1--WE must make more preparations for
this wind" said Captain Jones in my ear
and leaving me clinging to the rigging, he
leapt lightly upon the ha chway, stead
wing himselfby the ropes around the mizen
mast.
"Stand by, to take in the foresail," he
cried. This duty, from the preparations
made, appeared to require much caution.
When all was ready, the Captain continue
ed: "Man the clue-garnets, bunt-lines,
leach-lines, and clue up all together; cheer
ly, CHEEKY, so, lay up and secure all sail"
After this essay, which ended so happily,
he ventured upon another, and similar Or
ders were given concerning the main
course : but just at the moment of letting
go the rigging, the foot-rope of the sail
burst, and the sail, rent in twain, commen-
ced threshing the air with such violence,
us to shake the ship to her centre. In
vain the sailors attempted to secure it /;
rope after rope snapped land ribbons of the
canvass were already flying from the yard.
Orders were at last given to cat the sail a.
way, and in a few moments, it swept
and vanished like white cloud over the
waters.
The other sails we're reduced in success
sion, until at length the ship was dashing
on with nothing but her bare masts and
yards opposed to the wind, she laboured
dreadfully, at times. as she sunk in the
trough of the sea, she seemed parting asun-
der; one moment she would hang notion
less on the summit of wave, and the next
be rolling in valley, whose horrors were
increased by the ftful glimpses of black
clouds caught between the overhanging
and threatening pillows, whose crests
seemed hid in their bosom.
In these moments the management Of the
helm was critical, nay, imminently dam
gerous. At particular times the slightest
deviation from straight forward course,
would have brought down certain destruc-
ton on our heads. The Captain here
showed his admirable GOODNESS, and judy
ment in sea affairs he permitted no one
but himself to direct; and perched, like a
bird, in the mizzen rigging, he gave his Or
ders to those at the wheel in clear and
quick tones. His sharp eye in that utter
darkness caught the distant wave as it
came overlapping its fellows, and his rea-
dy commands pointed out the way to a.
void the dangerous contact; notwithstan-
ding, however, his consummate caution, a
billow would, now and then, dash its
spray upon the deck, or wash partly over
the ship.
"Mr. Andrews" cried Captain Jones to
the first officer of the ship, "try to get
down the top-gallant yards and masts: stay,
hold on" he continued, af.er a pause, but
the command was already given, and the
men were dispersed upon the different
mass. The additional weight of at least
Two men nearly at the top of the masts,
caused them to bend fearfully, but the dam
ger was seen too late for remedy. The
Captain shouted to the sailors TO come
r.