Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1854-11-09


tain; keep her full and bye, quarter-master =
Aye, aye, SIR
The tack was boarded.
Haul aft the main sheet y shouted the
captain; and aft it went, like the spreading
of sea-bird's wing, giving the huge sail to
the gale.
Give her the lee helm when she goes into
the sea = cried the captain
AYE, aye, sir! she has it, growled out
the old sea-dog at the binnacle
Right your helm; keep her full and bye 7
Aye, aye, sir, full and bye she is was
the prompt answer from the helm.
How fast does she go!'
Nine knots and half, sir
How bears the light q
Nearly abeam, sir
Keep her away half point
How fast does she go!'
Nine knots, sir
Steady SO y returned the captain.
Steady answered the helmsman, and all
was silent as the grave upon the crowded
deck, except the bowling of the storm, for
space Of time that seemed to the imagination
almost an age.
1t was trying hour to us: unless we could
carry sail SO as to go at the rate of nine knots
an hour, we must of necessity dash upon
Scilly; and who ever touched upon those
rocks and lived during a storm
The sea ran very high, the rain fell in
sheets, the sky was one b,aoh curtain, Inu-
minated only by the faint mark which was 10
mark our deliverance, or stand monument of
our destruction. The wind had got above
whistling-it came in puffS that fattened the
waves, and made our old frigate settle to her
bearings, while everything on board seemed
to be cracking into pieces. AT this moment
the carpenter reported that the left bolt of the
fore-shroud had drawn.
Get on the luffs, and set them all on the
weather shrouds. Keep her at small helm,
quarter-master, and ease her in the sea, were
the orders of the captain.
The luf1s were soon put upon the weather
shrouds, which of course relieved the chains
and channels, but many an anxious eye was
turned towards the remaining bolts, for upon
them depended the masts and upon the masts
depended the safety of the ship-fOr with one
foot of canvass less she could not live fifteen
minutes.
Onward plunged the over-laden frigate, and
at every surge she seemed bent upon making
the deep the sailors grave, and her live oak
sides his coffin of glory. She had been fitted
out at Boston when the thermometer was below
zero. Her shrouds Of course, therefore, slack
ened at every strain, and her unwieldly masts
for she had those designed for the frigate
Cumberland, much larger ship-seemed
ready to jump out Of her.
And now, while all was apprehension,
another bolt drew-and then another-until at
last our whole stay was placed upon single
bolt less than mans wrist in circumference
Still the iron clung to the solid wood, and
bore US alongside the breakers, though in a
most frightful proximity to them. This
trifing incident has never, believe, been no.
ticed in public, but is the literal fact-which
| make not the slightest attempt to embellish.
AS we galloped on-for | can compare our
vessels leaping to nothing else-the rocks
seemed very near US. Dark as was the night,
the white foam scowled around their black
heads, while the spray fell over US, and the
thunder of the dashing surge sounded like the
awful knell that the ocean was singing for the
victims it was eager to engulph.
At length the light bore upon our quarter
and the bold Atlantic rolled its white caps be-
fore US. During this time all was silent,
each officer and man was at his post, and the
bearing and countenance of the captain seemed
to give encouragement to every person on
board With but bare possibility of saving
the ship and those on board, he relied on his
nautical skill and courage, and by carrying
the mainsai which in any other situation
would have been considered suicidal act,
he weathered the lee shore, and saved the
Constitution.
The mainsail was now hauled up, by light
hearts and strong hands, the jb and spanker
taken in, and from the light of the ScilIy, the
gallant vessel, under close reefed topsails and
main trysails, took her departure, and danced
merrily over the deep towards the United
States.
Pipe down. said the captain to the first
Iautnnant and cn1ioa tho noa;r h-a.o,
Pipe down 7 echoed the first lieutenant to
the boatswain.
sPipe down = whistled the boatswain to
the crew, and pipe down it was.
How near the rocks did we go a said to
one of the masters mates the next morning.
He made no reply, but taking down chart,