Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1829-11-14
From .iekerman's Juvenile Forget Ne-Not.
THE FISHERM FAMILf.
By THE OLD SAILOR

THE FISfiEkh NN > hihh.
By THE OLD SAILOR.
GAS he spoke
A sea burst Ger them, and their cables broke!
Then, ike lion bounding from the toll,
The ship shot through the pillows black reco;
Urged Nv the bowling blast all guidance gone
The, shudIering felt her Keeling, rushing on
Nor dared to question where; nor dared 10 cast
One asking look-for that might be their last.
"Come aft here, my lads, and haul down
another re, in the mainsaii!" exclaimed hoaiy
y.,fr n who s'ood at he helm OF a fishing
smack, which was buf1eting the waves at the
en,rance nf the British Channel, one October
evening, when the lowering OF the clouds and
III. freshening Of the breeze gave strong indica-
lions of q southwrsterly gale. The order was
promptly obeyed; and the snug little craft again
breasted the lofty surge. like bird upon the
wag, skimmins the foaming tops OF the bill
lows.
awe shall rave q rough night father, said q
middle aged man, whose hardy countenance
4 born the washing OF many a salt sea spray;
ar sun is set,ing on Won bank, and ti"ges he
oc.au with his reddening hue. The summi's
Of hr Scilly Isles" appear like dying watch-
&c. through The ssllen haze: and these, you
know. are sure prognos:ics of rising gale -
Then ie, i, COME" replied the veteran. He
whom me winds and the seas obey can, when
il pIeaseth hun, allay their fury, and command
them Peace, be siiNi" But go Richard, have
the trysai ready, and the storm ub up; for BY
the long swell from the westward, | am Of OPT
MON here has been bad weather TO windward,
which will be down upon US before long: so let
us have AL low aud snug before dark, mr lad!
And James," continued he TO noble looking
fair haired lad, James, set ST. Agnes light
house by the compass, for The fog will hicken
presently; and yon Sewn S,ones-worse than
the plaques OF Egyp to sailor-look fAr from
tempting, crested, as they are, with feathery
70 M" hope mother went be uneasy about
Us" +, joined the youth, as he laid the edge OF
HI, hand upon the compass, direotin il to-
wards the lieh, house: ave have been fort
nighr at sra, grandfather, and the tempes's
mus have howled round the cottage f'a,fully
O. ui,h,s |, has blown hard ever since we
caiae out, and no; fish caught; besides losing
pert &c our pets!".
WHAT, ii. u,,esing complaints" exclaim-
ed the veteran. Look at your brother yon-
der. on the wInd'ass END: how fearl- ssly he sits
aud watches the Ill omened bird, which tri
umphs in sto'm "
H. doe. no. think Of home," reptile the
yoa h Bat wha, would bee ONE Of mother,
and IAN, AID The little ones, should the Fish
esnsn's F miy go TO wreck"
" III, F. u rman', Family 20 to wr-ok!' re-
j,e,S,ed he cid man, Stamping his foot upon
the deck; " she'll weather may gale yet, my
b,y! Lnok at mi, whi he adj" And, as he
unoosried n's hoary :pcks, ha' wildly wantoned
IT, re breeze, re presented hr' picture OF
Tim, Steering inexperienced youth Through
tn. dangerous CHANNELS which bsset human
life. Lork at This white head!" he exclaim-
ed; " The SHOWS and storms Of slxty-seven win
tiers have passed over it, yet vas never de-
- in h,r -. cal
nv trust. Your mother knows wha, fisher
mas lie is. Av, boy, i, was my pride 10 for.
ufy her a,ind agains' adve's say. Bul go, James.
and help your father reef the bowspr it.; Tor we
shall have he gale here presently"
And gale, irdeed, hey had;for, scarcely was
tAe glory Of the day departed, when the wind,
like destroying angel, came sweeping over the
surface Of the deep. and dsshing the billows up
to h .aven with fury. Night shed irs blac kness
on III scene, willis, the dense fog rendered il
more dresr and horrible. Poor James Thought
Of his mother and his happy home; whilst his
bro'her Ned, though two wears his junior,
seem d like child Of the 'empes, exul,ing in
i s laws wildness
The Fisherman's Family (for such was the
name of the smack rode buoyan, on the
waves; she rose aud fell with the heave and Sc,
ofths sea, like the swift winged swallow when
~
I, fel, he roughness OF he pillows, where lar
g. ,ts,els would have laborrd f-atfgLy with
their h. ANY burdens
L. WAS sbou' ten O'Clock, when the crew Of
TIE smack thought that, amidst the roaring OF
TIE storm. hey could distinguish the reports Of
signal guns distance; and every ear was
axiausiy inclined 10 discover the oaarier
whence he sounds proct eded. A, length thew
became more distinct, and il was soon ascer-
taiaed tina, the vessel mus DC nearing them
The iog was i'll thick and gloomy; ye, occa.
sio,,alis there we're intervals of partial clear
ness; and j, was during one OF these bresks that
ship was deserted, drifting at the mercy of
III, wind and waves; for i, was evident, from
the wild course sht was pursuing, tina. all ma
nsgement was lost Her foremas', bowspri,,
ard ma,n,opmas', were gone; and having no.
thing l-f. slof 10 steady her, the pillows beat
agaiost her sides. and dashed raging over her.
Th. mack showed q light, which was imme-