Du Buque visitor. [volume] (Dubuque, Lead Mines, Wisconsin Territory) 1836-1837, 1836-06-01
BUoE WEDNESDAY, JUNE 1886

ing of those who leaped overheard in
search of that safety below, which was
in such jeopardy above. Some pulled
one way, some another, while few,
dumfounded and aghast, lay perfectly
still, and had their birchen pinnaces shi-
vered and wrecked on the SPOT, as We
swept onward in our ruinous career. 1t
was scene tor Chapman, in his happi-
est mood. The water dashed, the pap
Ipooses squalled, the squaws shrieked,
and the old sagamores whoopcd like so
many Pandemonians neutrality-suspicious.
orgies. Save the pieces, but never
mind the splinters,' roared Hal, as we
raked the last canoe from stem to stern,
and left her literally amass offragmcnts.
And for the life Of us, we could not re-
strain hearty laugh, as we looked back
upon that scene of confusion and dis
may, and beheld those that had esca-
ped intact from our fearful visitation.
haul in their less fortunate comrades,
and make for shore, as if Manitou-h him
self were in their wake.
But our mirth was soon darkeneu by
the cloudcd prospect upon which we
were just entering. Hitherto we had
had land in hopeful proximity over eli
)ther bow; but now we were passing
Montauk, our Ultima Thule, and before
US stretched nothing but the mighty O.
ccan-lone, gloomy, vast-the deep
voice Of whose solemn majesty seemed
towarn us back from hisawful domains.
Two leagues away, over our starboard
quarter, appeared solitary ship stand
ing in under full sail. 'FaciHs aesce,s-
sus .3cer,1i-sea revocare ,gradtm,'
murmured /, dcspairinglv, with eyes
|rivited on the receding Point, around
whose rocky base the surge was break
| ing with terrible vchemcncc.
what say, shipmate' inquired Hal.
why responded Ned, 'l,c says it's
easy enough to get into a scrape at any
time, but to get out, is another natter
SAY, there's the rub, sure enough:
it's all moonshine to run upthc to'-gal-
lant-sails, Settle sky-scrapers, and take
a nap on the main-truck in mod rate
breeze; but to do sicllsthings when the
hurricane abroad At midnight, and it S
SO dark you can't sec yottr hand afore
your face, on'y when the lightning
touches off the big guns over head, and
the waters are trying titles with the
thunder to see which can make the
darndest racket, and the spray leaps in
to the round-topncttings, andthe winds
are screeching among the rigging, and
blowing the loose bights of cordage to
Toward, straight as looms leg, and
the masts are twisting Ikea sea-serpcnt,
and the vessel rareing and pitching
like a colt tied to gate-post-to do sich
things, in SIGH weather, say, ispret-
ty considerable ticklish, any how. But
-addressingme encouragingly-
up stiff upper-lip, my hearty; it s
a good ways tothe bottom where there's
no soundings: we sha'n't git there this
cruize, 'cording to my reck'ning; SO
don't let's give up ship, while there's
a spar to bend a hope to-
So saying, the old tar pulled out a
huge iron tobacco-box, and tearing of
the rusty cover, began saving its rough
edge with allhis might across the strain
ed tow-line. The spray dashed rude
ly up into his weathcr-beaten face at
plunge ofthe boat, halfb!inding his
already dim vision, and oozingin streams
from the elbows Of his pea-jacket; yet
he kept assidiously at his task, laconi-
cally observing that 'the lid of tobac-
CO box was pretty pokerish bulk-head
bctwixt life and DEATH
We were rapidly drawing near the
deeper water beyond the Point, and as
| it was manifest from the downward di-.
vergency Of the line, that the shark in
Hal's quaint parlance, would continue
to hug the BOTTOM and atlength draw
the boat under, proposed that we
should throw ourselves overheard, and
trust to the safer probability of being
picked up by the approaching vessel.
AS you viii, shipma!es,' replied
Hal, without looking up, 'bnt as for
me, devil bit do desert the little pc
trcl, while she floats plank. Old Hal
don't strike his bunting, warrant you,
till his underpinning's knocked away
that's gospcl!'
q Spoken like commodore! But
leave saving there moment, and just
take an observation TO windward there
returned Ned, pointing to the ship,
which was now pressing down within
n hundred Yards of us. and from oilr