The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1845-06-07

strike, twill lie the broad-side of a
rock as big as church; and that, too,
where to clear one of the rocks is to
run foul of another. Keep dark bit
and I'II scare the skipper into rounding
to-big daredevil, as he may be. If
he knowed his place just now, he
wouldn't have his head under the blan-
kets." -
Now, though Saunders was no scho-
lar, there wasn't man forra'd but what
would put more faith in his judgment,
than in ali the navigation in the Navy.
Well, he makes run aft bit, and sings
out -"land no! land hor'
Upon that, the mate gives jump
and he sings out, "land no." While
the man at the helm sticks his head in
the companion way-and sings out
"land hop too.
"Where away?" asked the skipper,
who had made but one jump from his
berth to the deck.
"The mate saw it, sir," says the man
at the helm. t.
By this time the mate was forra'd,
and the watch below were all up. The
skipper taking command of the deck,
halls the forecastle-"forra'd there"
"Aye! aye! sir!!'
"Call all hands!"
"Ait up, sir"
"Lay aft here by the main braces"
While the old man was hollering
there was a weather bound owl who,
hearing the hulabaloo, thought he'd see
what it was about; and getting the
bearings of the ship from the noise, he
made for her. and Int right in the mizzen
rigging along side of the skipper, star
ing at him with two big eyes that made
show in the dark, s'like two burnt
holes in a sojer blanket" The old man
jumped as if he was shot; and 'twas
enough to start any one. for you could
see nothing but eyes, and they looked
as large as two topsail-sheet blocks.
We were coming along aft pretty
lively, not knowing about this owl, and
the mate with us. He was one of your
mincing perli,e young chaps, ships
cousin, who didn't know enough to talk
sailor.
"Captajn," says he, ,"wilI you be good
enough TO tell me what you presume
this land isl"
"Tophet, sir!' says the captain, "and
here's Satan to pilot us I'M" says he,
pointing to the owls eyes.
Just then we saw this canicaI look
ing land-lubber that the sold man. had
scared up, that is we saw his top-lights
and Pm blowed if some OF US didn't
think sure enough that sold Jenny"
had deputy on the quarterback. Off
We started forra'd again, the mate as
well as the rest.
":Well done!" roars the captain" ,"born
in the woods to be scared of an owl!
Forra'd the mates watch, haul up the
foresail, and hoist the stay sail! bear a
hand! or I'll send this genius on the
forecastle TO hurry youw
The mates watch mustered strong
for once, for all hands, except one or
two, concluded il they did not, that
they ought to belong to it, while that
DEVILS bird was on the quarter. The
head sail was looked after, and the ship
brought up by the wind, and then the
old man and his pilot looked every
where,to see if they could see this land.
"You don't mean to say that this owl
helped the captain to look for the land?"
asked one of the sailors.
Aye! indeed door he made that
shore, any way. For look which way
the skipper would, the owl turned his
blinkers the same, as if he knew all
about it. Then the captain, not being
able to see any land, which was natu-
raj enough to US, after what Jack Saun-
ders had said he meant to do, gives the
word to get the deep sea lead along for
a sound. .g.se. ls
"Wateh2-hoE Watch !"the man for
rad sings out, and away wen, the lead,
while at the same time the owl stretch
es out his neck; as much as to say,
"Aye!aye! I'll look OUT" We got no
soundings, though we run out humid
red fathom Of line, while the tend ofthe
lead showed that we were drifting some
three orfour knots. ~
{ "Who seen this land 6rstr' says the
skipper. 'Some precious lubber,F III be
bound--there amt a man aboard can
point it out" ~, feaa sl'''--.. ',9
"Here it is, sir! dead to leeward--
where 6rst saw it, and we raise it fast,
can assure you" says Saunders.
Come to look, sure enough, there it
was, all hands could see il; and the owl
had turned broad round, staring at il
as though he knew the coast.x.,s,.ss az ]
"Why here's the land to windward |