The Literary echo, and Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1851-1854, 1851-11-13
Gclcttc0.
From the Flag of our Union.
Going to Sea Without Orders.
BY G.. S. RAYMOND.

1t was in the year IS, I don't know
but I remember the month and the night
very well, and if ever this yarn should
happen to come under your observation, |
think you will vote with me that have
good cause to remember the particulars of
the incident as lone as l live.
Well, then, it was in April, and l was
chief mate of New York ship of about
six hundred tons, lying in the harbor of
Gibraltar. We had been out from New
York to Sumatra for a cargo Of pepper,
with which we went to Genoa. We were
about five weeks in discharging, and taking
in our homeward bound cargo during
which time our men were kept constantly
at work. They grumbled sailor fashion
but as the old man promised them plenty
of money, and good long liberty in Glib
raltar, they worked pretty well. We had
four passengers from Genoa. A rich Ten
nessee planter, Mr.. White, his two daugh-
ters, one of them was about twenty, and
the other eighteen. And then there was
fourth one, in the shape of little black
eyed witch of cousin to the two sisters,
named Isabel.
Isabel's father and mother were dead,
and she an only child, was left an orphan
with an ample fortune, under the guardian
ship of her uncle, who loved her quite as
well as he did his own children. She was
a universal pet with everybody, and yet
she was not the least spoiled, for hers was
one of those happy dispositions we some
times meet with, that, while grateful foI
every little kindness, are wholly insensible
to fattery. She was just seventeen, beau,
tiful indeed, and the most joyous happy
creature had ever seen.
On the morning of the fifth day after We
anchored in Gibraltar, the captain wen
ashore after broadcast, giving me orders tt
send the boat for him at sundown. All the
fore part of the day it was fine, pleasant
weather, with light airs at northwest; but
about two o'clock PM, the wind shifted
to the eastward, and it began to threaten
foul weather; and by five O'Clock it had
clouded over, and set in to rain, with strong
breezes, coming at times, sweeping down
over the rock in violent squalls. About
half an hour before sunset, L sent away the
boat with five men in her, for the purpose
of bringing the old man off.
The ship carried twelve men, but the
second mate with the whole starbord watch
was ashore that day on liberty so that at
ter [ had sent the boat off for the captain
had just one man left in the ship. The
fellow which I had kept on board, was
little atom of Kanakar, not much larger
than Jersey carrot; an excellent sailor
what there was of him, but he couldn't un
derstand more than ten words of English
The cook was also ashore and the steward
although he was great on pies and tarts
was SO ignorant that he didn't know the
maintop-bowline from the chain bobstay.
Not more than a minute had passed afto
the boat reached the mole, when casting
my eye to the eastward, where the water
of the Mediterranean were visible abov,
the low, sandy, neutral ground, 1 discover
ed that ten miles distant the whole line O
water was white as snow-wreath, lasheC
into foam by the mad winds. On the in.
slant, called the Kanakar and steward
and turned to giving her chain. In fv'
minutes the tornado was upon us. The
guard ship began making signals for every
BODY to let 90 their best bower anchors
send down royal and top-gallant yards anc
masts, point their yards to the wind, anc
house topmasts. l understood all these
orders very well, but the trouble was t.
obey them There was, in six hundred
ton ship, with crew of seven all told, ant
three Of them in pc tcoats. However, a.
we had excellentsground tackle, guessed
/, that we could hold on if | gave her plenty
of chain. SO we bent on with will, anC
in half an hour we had her riding at th'
end of ninety fathoms. AS straiteneC