Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1845-12-18
NUMBER ~.

81 will tell you what, Charles, l have been on
the sea for nearly fifteen years and never knew a
storm to commence as this has without its ternina-
ting in perfect hurricane. Depend upon it, be-
fore the morning dawns, you will wish yourself
ashore more than thousand times"
"Never--never I" replied and arising from my
seat sprung to the weather rail Waving my hat
above my head with enthusiasm, | shouted to the
utmost extent Of my voice.
Come on, my good breezes-muster all your
forces and show what you do make these
topsas feel that stranger has hold Of them arouse
up you towards, the old foresa is laughing al
you. Come and do your best; i, at least, am
not afraid of you" Having thrown out my cha
lenge, commenced whistng, that might WOO If
not enrage.
"Hush said the mate,-"you will wake those
below. You are a noble fellow and ought to live
and die on the sea and find a sailors grave"
What more he would have said know not. for
at this moment, as if provoked by the childish in
insult had Just given, furious blast swept tbro
the rigging and by the sails, while almost simuta
neously with ii, an immense sea lifting its white
head over the weather bow broke in upon deck
sweeping the whole length Of the vessel.
1--WE have il now in right good earnest" said the
mate. "These sails must be off the ship in less
than ten minutes or they will be blown rags and
the ship down on her beam ends. Jump and call
the captain and second mate, while go forward
and get every thing ready for having to-"
fastened to obey the order, and as / passed
down the gangwsy heard the mates voice rising
above the gale"
Gan hands. a--h--o-y," was borne on the air.
one OF the men aroused his sleeping comrades.
No matter how deep the slumber which holds the
sailor, let but the summons "All hands, ahoy,"
be sounded above him, and he is on deck and even
on the topsa yard before the echo has fully died
away Il so IN this case. Every man was i'm
medately at his post. At the captains request
took the wheel and permitted the helmsman to as
sist in shortening sail The foretopsai and fore
sail were handed and the maintopsa close reefed,
and under this sail together with the foretopmasi
staysail the ship hove to- that she might safely
ride ont Of the gale The helm dashed alec
and the watch again returned below.
However powerfully the wind may have blown at
the time of my conversation with the mate il was
then but a breath compared with the which
now went laundering through the air. The seas
had increased to an enormous size, and the whole
ocean was in boiling foam. Wave chased wave
Some ambitious than the rest, would strive TO
Guido their fellows in rearing their heads on high
until growing dizzy with their elevation they tum-
bled over one another while hoarse laugh seem
ed TO ring across the waters. The "lulls" which
usually attend gale, in this instance were
heard 1t was one harsh uninterrupted scream. At
one moment the ship was riding mid heaven" on
the crest of a mountain wave which rolled with
the ghtning's speed, and at another was sinking
into the trough Of the sea, while the water as she
FELL poured like cataract upon deck over the lee
rail- The masts groaned under the merciless
treatment they were receiving, while the noble ship
herself would hrst reel TO and fro, and then he
shvered as II stunned BY the repeated blows which
fell upon her.
The night sped on with no abatement Of the vio-
lence Of the wind or. the seas Thus far however
we had rode out the gale in safety Although sur
rounded with danger and liable at any moment
either TO capsize or to spring aieak, IN which case
all must inevitably have persisted, not breath Of
lear stirred in my bosom; on the contrary II was a
night OF intense delight; and although L did not
wish that anv accident might happen, yet urged on
by that uncomfortable power whose influence eve
ny one when in state of excitement experiences, j
secretly longed for something more terrible. II
soon came. The maia roPsal had noby barred its
unhlnching bosom to the wild blast and toed with
all its strength to Keep the ship headed 10 the
wind, until feeling Itself aggrieved that while all
the other sails were quietly sleeping IN their gas
ke's, " was compelled single handed 10 hght the
Storm u determined 10 endure !. no longer.
nae l1sl commenced remark'ng 10 me omcer OF
me DECK una, inc main s'orm-s'aysa ougnt supply
the place OF 'he topsa', "hen suouen sharp report
overhead Drought US upon ou. iee'' ana uPoniookng
aioi' we saw inc remains o. 'ne 'opsah, wh,ch nae
oeen rent rom 'ne oo'.'opes' nylng IN shreos upon
the gale "ihou' waiting 70 consider whetheri mad
any figh' SO 10 90, sPlang Forward ana eommene-
ca giving my o,oeist 70 tne men. ne snip having
now no sail to keep to the wlnd Tell OIL at hrsi,
aud then broachIng to Just as had reached the
waist, an enormous wave came rushing IN through
the iore-rggng, sweeping ana tearing away every
thing before u. l caughi Du. glance Of ine sea
heard