The Literary echo, and Pawcatuck advertiser. [volume] (Westerly, R.I.) 1851-1854, 1851-11-13
WESTERLY, R. l., NOVEMBER 10, 1851

observing that she made a motion, as if to
take the wheel again"
"I riU, 1 tell you, Steward Bring me
a block of wood, or stool something l
Can stand on so that can see the compass,
and if l don't steer this ship till you get
ready to take her, you may say that Bell
White never ought to get married"
The broad barge was brought out of the
forecastle for platform, and Isabel took
the wheel again, determined to steer the
ship until got ready to relieve her. In
about half an hour we got the main-spen-
Ger set and L took her place, and she went
below
kept the ship to, so as to pass as close
TO Cape Spartcl as | dared to go and on
we dashed before the mad, shriekins hurri-
cane, with the nigh as black as pitch, and
the rain coming down in torrents. In
about fifteen minutes Isabel came on deck
again, having dressed herself in a suit Of
dry clothes, and borrowed the captains
oil-cloth jacket and south-wester, for a
hard weather rig. She took her station
close by me at the wheel, and there she
remained until after twelve o'clock when
judging, that we were well out clear Of the
capes, | hove the ship to, head to the south
ward, where she lay as comfortable as if
she had been in port.
The wind continued to blow a gale until
near night on the following day, when it
died gradually away, and finally about sun
down it fell calm; and in an hour after
wards came out light at southwest. AS
soon as the wind came round fair, we point
ed the old Triton's head towards Gibral-
ter again, only putting the foresail on her
that night but when daylight came on,
as the weather looked fine, and the breeze
continued light, we turned to making sail,
and by ten o'clock p. NJ, we had every
thing on her.
Isabel had steered the ship all the morn
ing while we were making sail, and when
we had got everything that would draw,
set, l sent the Kanacker to relieve her,
and walked up and down the quarter,
cutting quite swell as captain, mate,
and second mate of a six-hundred ton ship.
The wind kept freshen.ng gradually un-
til little after noon, when We entered the
straits, and L thought it quite time to be-
Gin to take in sail. But it was a great
deal easier to make sail, than it was to
take it in We managed after long time
to clew up and furl the mizen-royal, and
topgallant sail; and then we voted to
knock off and let her slide. And she did
slide some. My opinion is that the old
Triton never was drove through the wa
ter so quick before.
BY the time that we had run as far down
as Tarife, it blew a living gale of wind,
and began to think that l was a little
like the chap who flew from off the tower
of the church, and came down all in a
smash, breaking both legs. He had made
no calculation about alighting. l knew,
however, that could steer her into Gi-
bralter Bay, and she would bring up some
where. When we were about three miles
from the anchorage, l set our colors union
down: and taking the wheel myself, L
pointed her in for the thickest of the fleet
The English line of battle ship Indus
was anchored outside of all the rest, and
for her l shaped my course. As l neared
her l saw plenty Of laced caps, and gilt
buttons, on her quarter deck, and snatch
ing up the speaking trumpet, l shouted to
her for assistance. All that could hear
as we shot past her like rocket was a
hoarse o-oo-as-ah from the trumpet OF
the commodore. My next appeal was to
the United States Frigate Columbia, which
had just arrived from the Brazil station,
and Law about half a mile down to leeward
of the Iudus. got about as much salts
faction frt m her as l had from the English
man. There was plenty of orders to heave
to-take in sail-let go the anchor, and
forty other things-but no offers of assis,
tance.
fl put the helm down and brought
her up into the wind, so as to get her
E aback, knew that her masts would &C
over the side; and if run her stern on
to anything big enough, and solid enough
to stop her, they would 60 over the bows