The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1833-02-26

wing 1t was--the two sails being doomed
out larboard and starboard, like the wings
of bird.
Our breeze increased to gale. The
sea rose. 1t blew harder, aud was as
dark as / desire ever to see it. felt
most uncomfortnhIy lone, for none on
board sympathised in my emotions. Six
out of the seven islanders were snoring
in the bottom of the boat. The wind
howled, and the sea roared, and the
monotonous song of Bill Rose, more in
tolerable than the wall ofthe water fiend,
chimed in with them.
But ! was soon reused from loneliness
to keen sense OF danger. The last
faint streak of blue in the east was OBJ
liberated. The blackness Of heaven met
the blackness of ocean and the compact
of the elements was complete. 1t seemed
as if the pail of nature had suddenly
dropped around us, so terrible was the
darkness SO foamless, though strongly
agitated, the sea. But the sea soon gave
US light. The legions of the tempests
were heard in full career in mid heaven
and fell upon US with unexampled fury.
We cut the water as bird cleayes the
air, but could not outstrip the fiery-crest-
ed seas that tumbled on all sides OF US,
pressing upon our rear with the fieetness
of the wind.
Rose managed the helm with une-
qualled dexterity and GOODNESS. He
knew how to take advantage of path,
where to landsmans eye, human skill
seemed utterly unavailing. And the be-
havior of our good boat was above all
praise, dashing through the wild chaos
Of waters with inimitable buoyancy and
speed.
Rose had spoken but once since dark,
and that was to order the sails reefed.
He now suddenly looked round and ex-
claimed, Its c-conIng! The next
instant the crest of sea struck me
sharply in the face and nearly half filled
the boat. Our drowsy crew was effect
ually reused, and flew to pump and buck
cts. Another huge billow came curling
and roaring towards US. we are gone,
Rose = exclaimed, sezing his arm.
sN-no, we amt said he; and obedient
to the skiIful movement of the helm that
followed, the sea dived under us, and
rose and rushed way on the other side.
There are worse craft afoat tonight
than the little Sea Flower l at length
remarked.
'Ay,' replied Rose, you may well say
that
He was ever and anon stretching his
head forward as if he saw something.
is that Point Judith light !! said l.
Pint Judy ? where away 2 said Rose.
Here's Pint Judy on our larboard
beam. But as you say, there is worse
boats afloat tonight than this here Sea
Flower: ay, and worse fellows a-sailing
them too than old BIZ Rose
But whet light can that be ahead OF
us, a little on the larboard bow =
Don't you see by the bearings it can:
be on the island nor the main 7
where can it be = and as spakc, the
light which was at first small, began to
expand and stream upwards.
THAT sir said Rose solemnly, lis on
board the ship Palatine
The Palatine = exclaimed the men, in
the suppressed tones of superstitious awe.
THAT them repeated !, lis the Pala.
tine-the phantom ship of Block Island. ,
'Ay,' said Rose (; 10y the way, l must
request my readers to imagine for them
selves the double tonguing, and other
graces inmitable on paper, that garnisl-
ed the conversation of this veteran y
'Ay,' said he, 'and before now, have
been near enough to count every rope in
her, and to see the flames creep up the
rigging, till every rope was thread of
fire [: ay,' and he dropped his voice to a
lower key, 'and ! have seen the poor fel-
lows run up the masts as the fire chased
them, and from top to top, till they
dropped from the yards into the flames
below-ay, and l have seen the lady
standing at the helm in the thickest Of
the fire. And there continued he, 'see
1t shoot up the mainmast-and now, the
fore and mizen-and now, she burns all
over.'
Sure enough, the fire which, at the
first, was shapeless mass upon the sea,
and apparently, mile or two distant,
now streamed up in three distinct spires,
as high as the masts of a frigate, and
even If had been unacquainted with the
supernatural legend Of the Palatine, l
should have pronounced it ship in
flames. had frequently heard Of the
light seen off Block Island, and dark
hints of unnatural deeds committed on
board ship whose ghost still haunted
these waters. Ofcourse, whatever cred
it l might have been disposed to give TO
the accoun. of the lost ship, land | have
seen silver cups that came out Of her)
I had secuted the light MS nm ingenious
fiction Of the islanders, or at the best, as
the firing of some brush-heap on the