Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-09-07
EVENING STAR.
A THRILLING SEA STORY.

Constitution, under the command Of can.
tain Elliott. having on board the late
Edward Livingston, then Minister at the
Court Of France. and family. and manned
by Yearly five hundred sonls. drew near
to "the chops" Of the English chan.
mel. For four days she had been beating
down from Plymouth, and on the fifth at
evening, she made her track for the French
coast.
The watch YVES set at eight, p. m, the
captain came on deck soon after, and
having ascertained the bearing of Scilly,
gave orders to keep the ship full and
bye" remarking at the same time to the
officer Of the deck, that he might make
the light on the lee beam: but, be stated.
be thought it more than probable hat he
would pass it without seeingit. He then
turned in" Is did most Of idlers, and
the starboard watch.
At quarter past nine, p. m, the ship
headed west BY compass, when the call
OF Light ho!." was heard from the fore
topsail yard.
Where away7' asked the officer of
the deck.
Three points on the lee bow" replied
the lookout man, which the unprofes
sional reader will understand to mean
very nearly straight ahead.
AT this moment the captain appeared
and took the trumpet.
Call all hands," was his immediate
order.
All hands," whistled the boatswin.
with the long, shrill summons. familiar
to the ears of all who have ever been on
board man of.war.
''All hands screamed the boatswain's
mate. and ere the echo died away, al but
the sick were upon deck.
The ship was staggering through a
heavy swell from the Bay of Biscay: the
gale, which had been blowing several
days, had increased to severity that was
not to be made light Of Tie breakers,
where Sir Cloudesly Shovel and his
fleet were destroyed in the days Of Queen
Ann. sang their song Of death before,
and tue Dead Mans Ledge replied in
hoarser notes behind us. To 60 ahead
seemed to be death, and to attempt to 90
about was sure destruction.
The first thing that caught the eve of
the captain was the furled mainsail,
which he had ordered TO be carried
through u, the evening-tha, hauling up
Of which, contrary TO the last order that
he had given on leaving the deck. had
caused the ship to fall off to leeward two
points, and had thus led her into a posi-
tion on lee shore. upon which strong
gale was blowing her, in which The chan
ces of safety appeared to the sicutest
nerves almost hopeless. The sole chance
consisted in standing on. to carry us
through the breakers of Sciliy, or hy
close Craze along their outer ledges.
Was this destiny 10 be the end of the
gallant old ship, conSecrated by MANY q
prayer and blessing from the heart OF q
nationl
why is the mainsail up. when or.
dered it Set T" cried the captain, in q tre.
ntndous voice.
Finding that she pitched her bows
under, took it in under your general
order. sir, that the officer cf the deck
should carry sail sccorGing to his discre-
ton. replied the lieutenant in command.
"Htave the log," was the prompt COM
mand to the master mate.
The log was thrown.
"How fast does she eo?"
Five knots and a hslf, sir.n
"Board the main tack. SIR
"Shc will not bear it, Sir" said the
officer of the deck.
Board the main tack Z" thundered
the captain keep her fill aud bye,
quarter. er.master
Aye, aye, sir."
The tack was boarded.
Haul aft the main sheet :" shouted
the captain; and aft it went, like the
spreading Of a sea birds 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," prowled
out the old sea-dog az the binnacle.
Right your helm keep her :ull and
bye."
"Aye, aye, Sir full and bye she is" was
the prompt answer from tie helm.
How iast does she go?"
''Nine knots ard halt, SIR"
"iow bears the light !''
NEARLY beam. sir"
Keep her away half point"
''liow fast does size goa'
mine knots, sir ~
STEADY SO y returned the captain.
Steady" answered the helmsmsnR
and all was silent as the grave upon tie
crowded deck. except the bowling of the
storm, for space of time that seemed to
my Imagination almost an age.
1t was trying hour 10 US, unless we
could carry sail so as to 60 ct the rase of
nine knots an hour, we must of necessity
dash upon Scilly, and who ever touched
those rocks and lived during storm2
The SEA ran very high, the rain fell in
sheets, the sky was one black curtain, H.
Illuminated only by the faint light which
was to mark our delive, ance, or stand a
monument Of our destruction. The wind
had got above wbistling-it came in puff,
that tlattened the waves, and made our
old frigate settle to her bearings, while
everything on board seemed to be crack.
ing into pieces. At this moment the Car.
penter reported that the left bolt Of The
fore-shroud had drawn.
Get On the lufts, and set them ON al,
the weather sheuds. Keep her at small
hE I'm o,xl