Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-07-19

west, Jest in our path. Thar was no use
trying to shun the gale, for it seemed to
me, tho | war frightened purity 'siderably
bout then, that it spread clar cross the
nor eastern board. In about three minnits
arter the mate come from the Cabin, the
wind that had been lying back in waiting,
commenced blowing slightly then CHANGING
10 look nor ward, all the while the July 60
ing twenty miles an hour, with flying sheets,
and thar, by gooze-gravy, if the eusscd gale
warn't coming down on US like troop O
wild arabs. Twas 20 use to think of reef
ing now, and if thar war, the Mate, good
fellow, wouldn't for his life have disobeyed
commands Twas'nt many minnits from
the time VIC saw the gale a'coming, before
we could 'stinctly hear the roar, and twas
jest like the loudest clap o thunder, repeat
ed jest as often as possible. 1t made my
har stand on eend. The sky was kivered
in the twinkling Of dead eye, with dark
ness as black as mammy's old black cats
back, and she is Some, | tell you. The
tornado coined down about one hundred
knots an hour, and-what yer larfing at !!
it's serious fack as l war saying it coined
down about fifty,
Hundred, prompted Reginald malicious
ly.
'Oh! yas, hundred, by goose gravy,
and / 'riteratesit, and | guess it didn't take
many minutes at that rate to come afoul O.
us, so we found it to our sorrow The
squall struck us just on our starboard bow,
and as it struck, the old July's bursting
sails war in nice lanyards The foremast
toppled aud fell and killed four men. The
minnit that our good old foremast went by
the board every man sprung for the boats
then thar war rale hurly burly; the men
war tumbling over each other to git to the
boats and save themselves, and some wal
mad with the fears O. DEATH As it hap
pened, as soon as the darned squall struck
| got in the yawl along with several others
the Mate got in ter the Jolly boat and as
soon as another of them mountain fellows
come along, we war borne up with it, and
sent about hundred yards like lightning
| trimbled all over, abeout then, did.
war setting in the fore sheets Of the yaw
that was raring and pitching, abeout to turr
over, every minnit, and happening to think
of the old July, in that ar direction tt
take parting look, and my blood farley
growed cold ! Thar war our Capting, stand
ing at the Cabin window, finging his arm
abeout, and crying loud for help. He haC
gotten sober, and the bloody scout coulc
not get clar. Twas only for bout an in
stant that seed him, for the next minni
the ole July gin lurch, then a plunge
and war gone to Dayy Jones Locker .Jsla! Ih.
days together, for we lashed the Jolly ant
Yawl boat together, and war finally spied
picked up and saved by an American ira
der bound homeward. Sam Ratlins, yon
der, can swar to my words.
Well. lothian, yours is thrilling yarn
and it puts me in bad spirits. hope II
never be as the drunken Captain. But. m
, God, lothian, listen and look yonder!' h
I exclaimed, as the moaning wall Of the win
sweeping over the waste, thesure forerunne
! of storm, smote his ear. The sky an
weather had indeed undergone a chang
. while Jotham was spooling off his yarn :
The bank Of cloud before noticed by Rec
! nald had assumed most threatening aspec
= and vivid flashes Of lightning accompanit
4, by the stunning report of heavens hea'
4 artillery, could be seen. The sea had col
- . menced its wild, angry pitching and tossin
and two men had gone to the helm. 'Tw
! the work of an instant to put his ship In {
= der to meet the storm that would ineyitab
a be upon them in short time. Away,
: loft, every mothers son of you,' he crit
= - through his speaking trumpet, and take
= " sail-be quick and cheerv, lads, for the stoI
= will be on us in a jify.
'Foretopman Yes sir. How far ;
= we from the cloud?' About four miles
= Tell us when it comes to blow harder
~ Ave, aye, SIR
- ~ Ease off your helm, take her before
- wind. there, steady so.
= STEADY and before the wind she
- = promptly answered the helmsman.
y The beautiful brig was now stripped of
=, her muslin, and lay under bare poles clos
:. reefed-still she kept on at some six kn
an hour and gained speed at every plum
!: Every thing was silent for some time, u
20 20 the foretopman's voice was heard excla
ns ing On deck there Well ! answe
I'd Reginald.
~ The gale is coming; brace your
sharp-Jotham assist at the helm-ev
Po man grasp something-look-out-steady'
uy strong at the helm-cling tight for yc
- 10 selves--the gale is upon US and as
y spoke thus al intervals. the raging gale g
y ering impetus as it madly dashed on, str
~, ~, the ship full forward the speed of the
~ ~ was checked so suddenly that several
.u .1.. fell forward and were near losing their Il
oue ',u The Gulf shook to her keelson, and a
IVA IVA cred in every timber, and as the gale p
"a "a ed o7er, laundering and roaring IN mad
Nv elry, she darted forward once more-saN
roo Yes, owing to the ships being nicely
5o died, and sails all furled away, she weat
d'nt ed the gale and saved many an honest
ga life.
that
ands CHAPTER vi.
Il The storm had now nearly subsided,
ana nothing told of the late roaring gale es
and the long swells of the ocean and snow