The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1850-05-07

&
BY CHARLES JEFFERSON.
II was sunny day in the winter OF 1S3-,
that we dropped down the Mersey and took our
leave Of Liverpool. Our vessel was a new ship OF
seven hundred tons and as she spJead, one after
another, her folds Of white to the breeze,
thought had never seen more beautiful sight
The scene around was lively and inspiriting. In
Vulnerable craft of all sizes covered the waters far
and near here, large merchantmen moving like
stately swan there, light yacht skimming along
with the swIftness OF a swallow. The sunlight
sparkled and danced on the pillows; the receding
coast grew more picturesque we lett II astern
and the blue expanse OF the Irish channel stretched
away in front, until lost in thin haze on the oppo
site horizon.
| had been reading below for several hours, but
toward nightfall went on deck again. How |
started at the change. 1t was yet hour to sun
set, but the lumnary Of day was already hidden in
thick bank of clouds, that stretched ominously
along the western seaboard The wind had in
creased TO a smart gale, and was laden with mois-
ture. The pillows increased in size every minute,
and were whitening with foam far and near. Dc
casionally roller struck the ships bows, the
white spray few cracking the forecastle, and
sometimes even shot into the top these occa-
sions foreboding, melancholy sound, like the
groan OF some huge animal in pain, issued from the
thousand timbers Of the vessel. Already, in antci
patton Of the rising tempest the canvas had been
reduced, and we were now heading toward the
and jib.
" A rough night in prospect, Jack I' said ], ad-
dressing an old tar beside me.
" You may well say that, sir" he replied "Its
bad on the Norway coast in December and bad
going into Sandy Hook in a snow-storm but both
are nothing to gale in the channel here,n he
added, a sudden whirl Of the tempest covered Us
with spray.
81 wish we had more sea room," answered
musingly.
cay I'd give the wages Of the voyage, il we
had; How happy you all seemed in the cabin, cir
the ladies especially, hour ago-I suppose il wa
| because we are going home-ah! little did any o
| us think" he added, with a seriousness and in
| language uncommon for u sailor, " that we nigh
be bound to another, and last home, which We
should behold first %
AT this moment the Captain shouted TO shorten
sail, and our conversation was of necessity eul
short. The ship, ought to have said, had been
laid close to the wind, in order to claw off the
English coast, TO which we were in dangerous
proximity; and as the gale increased, the heavy
press of canvas pressing her down into the water
she struggled and strained frightfully.- While the
crew were at work, walked forward. The bill
lows, now Increased to gigantic size came rolling
down upon us one after another with such rapidity
that good craft could scarcely recover from one
before another was upon her. Each time she struch
head-sea she would stagger instant, quiverinG
in every timber, while the crest Of the shattered
wave would shoot to the fore-top like the Jet Of
1
meath her, she would settle, gToanine into ih,
trough of the sea, until another hilow lifted her
another surge Numbered against her bows, anothe
shower of foam flew over her. Now and theT
when more colossal wave than usual was see
approaching, the cry, hold on all" rang warningl
across the decks. At such times, the vast bill0l
would approach, its head towering in the gatherin
twilight, until il threatened 10 enguf US; but, u,
when all seemed over our gallant ship would spriD
| forward 10 meet it, like sieed started by the spu
| and the maintain 0f trnt111 hraoE on
around us, Kissing, roaring and flashing by, an
then sinking into the apparently bottomless gu
beneath us:
Meanwhile the decks were resounding with III
tread OF the sailors, as they hurried to nd fro il
1 obedience to the Captains orders while the raj
| ling of the blocks, the shouts of command an
the qnick replies Of the seamen, rose over The up
| roar of the storm.
| the Captain. lease off the tack-haul on the wea
| ther braces ="
| Away went the huge sail in obedience to tn
order.
| " Ease off The sheet-hauI up to Iee!"
The crew redOubled their quiekness; and sooI
| the immense courses were slowed. In few minute
| the ships canvas was reduced to reefed topsails
| spanker and fore-topmast staysail. BY this tim
evening had set in though the long twilight Of tha
latitude prolonged siekly radiance.
Bui even this contraction of sail was not sui
ficient The thick duck tuRged at the yards, as
it would snap them in two. Every moment expect
| ed 70 see the spanker go.
"We must lake in that SAIL" said the Captain
finally, "or she will tear herself to pieces. A
hands in with the spanker."
In an instant the men were struggling with II
huge sheet Of canvas; and never before had bee
so forcibly impressed with the power and usefulne
of discipline. In an incredibly short interval d
gigantic sail, notwithstanding its struggles, was
under control, and safely slowed.
The ship now labOred less for while, but as Il
storm increased, she groaned and struggled as b.
fore. The Captain saw il would not do to carry tl
little sail now remaining, for, under the tremendot
strain, the canvas might be continually expected
be blown from the bolt-ropes. And yet her sol
hope lay in crowdng every stitch, IN order TO ea'
off the English coast The sailor will undersian
this at word; but TO landsmen it may require el
PLANTATION.
Our danger then, consisted in having insuffieien
| sea room. If we had been on the broad Atlantic
| with a hundred ortwo miles of ocean all aroun
u.s. we could have lain. to under some bit Of head
i sail, or fore-topmast sky-sail for instance, or
? reefed foresail. But when vessel lies.to, or
: other words, faces the quarter whence the win
: comes, with only enough canvas TO steer her b,
she necessarily drifts considerably, and in line
motion diagonal TO her keel. This is called maxim
! leeway Most ships, when lying-to in gale, dri
, very rapidly, sometimes hundreds of miles If tf
tempest is pronraeted. 1t is for this reason that
vessel in narrow channel does not lie to, for fe
miles of leeway would wreck her on the neighbo
ing coast. The only recourse in such case is
carry press of sail, and head in the directic
whence the wind comes, but not near so close to
as in lying-tO. This is called clawing off a |,
shore. A constant struggle is maintained betwee
the waves, which set the vessel in the same traC
, they are going themselves, and the wind, whiG
urges her on the opposite course. If the canvi
holds, and the ship is not too close to the shore III
der her lee she escapes il the sails part she driv
upon the fatal coast before new ones can be got
and bent. Frequently in such case the struggle
proracied for hours. 1t is noble, vet harroWiI
spectacle TO see gallant ship thus contending
her life, as if an animated creature, breasing sun
after surge, too often in vain, painting, trembliI
and battling till the very last.
The Captain did not appear satisfied with takin
in the spanker; indeed, all feared that the shi
could not carry what sail was left. Accordingly
he ordered the topsails to be close-reefed- Ye
even after this, the vessel tore through the watel
4 as if every moment she would jerk her masts ou
The wind had now increased to perfect hurr
cane. II shrieked howled, and reared around I
. as il thousand fends were abroad on the blast.
I In moments Of extreme peril strong natur
i gather together as if by some secret instinct
was in this way that the Captain suddenly -four
9 himself near the old topman, whom had be-
conversing with in the early part of the evenin
and who it appeared, was one Of the Oldest Al
I best seamen in the ship.
Z The Captain stood by the mans side
minute without speaking, looking At the W
!: waves that, like hungry wolves, came troOpi
down toward US.