Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1854-01-18
CHAPTER XI.

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CHAPTER XI.
TIE leak -iacyease ia tie Storm-prospectiee
dedlh-tbe b0at-the rrecked Gull.
Storms may howl, lightnings play, thun-
ders crash, pillows leap and winds and hail
beat upon n vessel at sea, and the sailors
will swear aud be merry through it all
but when word comes to the deck that their
vessel has sprung a leak and is filling with
salt water, they at once become detected in
spirit. When the sailor feels the plank be-
meath him firm and steady, he cares not for
the war Of elements around him, so long as
his craft is tight but when the appalling
intelligence reaches him that the hold is FL
ling with water, rising every minute higher
and higher, his hardy courage begins to
quail, his spirits sink and his heart d~cspairs
of hope on rescue.
Man the pumps, my hcarties,' cried
Nicholas in cheerful tone : the Gull was
strained hard in that ere storm and there
is u little drap o'salt water in the hold, but
a quarter hours work will drain her dry as
a chunk of salt beef
The crew divided itself and Capt. Jerrold
md Jacques each headed a party. They
worked with a will for twenty minutes
at the pumps and Nicholas walked the
deck, occasionally going aloft to look out
for the Red Dragon. The men continued
to work cheerfulIy for an hour and Nicho-
las whispered to the carpenter to try the
we'll again.
Three feet water, Sir said he, in a tone
of careless despair.
The men ut work heard it and it thrilled
every bosom with its startling truth. AT
hours hard work aud the water gaining OF
them rapidly. More than one long ldrawr
sigh AMI Il p%eniteut prayer went up to Hea
ven from tao Sea Gull in that moment.
Nicholas ordered a ration Of liquor dis
txibuted among the men, and encourages
them to work again and drain every drol
from her hold. The men saw that thei
commander was speaking without hope eve
himself, 50 brave and daring in danger, bu
they continued their efforts knowing it wa
q game of life aud death.
Night was soon upon them, and with
came = renewal of the storm. a few re
aud fiery looking stars peeped out as tw
light began to cast its gray streaks athwal
the Ocean, but they we're soon concealed b
clouds of the blacklist dye boiling up fror
the windward. The wind began to sing i
mournful anthem and, then bowling j
shrieks, swept through the rigging of til
Gull ; the sky seemed as if ready to fla
with its own weight, a black and chaoti
mass upon the surface of the water ; til
bright CLEAN Of the lightnings and monot
nous roll of distant thunder booming ov
the waters, drowning in It's tremulous toI
the dull heaviug Of the lazy billow, told Il
h~eartless crew that a night of terror w
before them. Sail after sail was furled
the wind grew stronger, and all was col
motion on boardthe brig in making prepa
alton to meet the crisis that all felt mt
be coming. No voice or sound of mer
making was heard at that fearful hour
was silence and q dread suspense waiti
for the coming of Death among the Gre
Occasionally the loud tones of Nichol
could be heard giving orders to his men,
No star couldb be seen all above was Xix
rolling scroll, black as the deepest caVer
where supbeams never dared to peep, a
oil beneath was like . boundless cauldr
ofboiling pitch. The rigging began to trer
Bile ike the dry reeds in the gale, and
wind scrcoching through the sArouds, bac
stays and flying gear told those who heo
it that Death was riding on the yhirlWi
and q grave was shaped in the 0cea.
depths for them. Pale lamps swung in
rigging fore and aft, and a misty b
Rlimmered around them and dropped a pc
siekly glare upon the deck of the struggl
Gull. Above the raging of the storm
lion voice of Nicholas could be heard
c%ouraging his men, but all felt that
brave Nicholas himself saw Death just bel