Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1855-02-10

! black as the raven His face bore the marks
both Of storm and battle; it was furrowed and
deeply embrowned by long exposure to every
vicissitudc of weather; and a deep scar across
| the left brow told a tale Of dangers braved and
| overcome. His eyes were large, black and
piercing: and the habitual compression and
curve of his lip indicated both firmncss and
| haughtineSs of character-ind which
| those who sailed with him had no reason to
complain Of as deceptive
But Notwithstanding his impatience, and the
| urgency OF his mission whatever it was, the
Active continued to roll heavily about at the
! sport OF the big round pillows, which swclled
| up and spread and tumbled over SO lazilv. that
! their CLASSY surface was not broken by ripple
The sun went down clear, but red and fiery
and the sky, though its blue faded to duskier
tint, still remained unlocked by single cloud
As the broad round disk disappeared beneath
the wave, all hands were called to stand by
their hammockS; and when the stir and hustle
incident to that piece of duty had subsidized an
unwonted degree of stiffness settled on the YES
sci. This was owing in part, no doubt, to the
presence Of the commander, before whom the
crew were not apt to indulge in any great eX-
uberance Of mcrriment; but the sluggish and
unusual state of the weather had probably the
largest share in the effect The captain con-
tilned on deck, pacing up and down the star
board side; the lieutenant OF the watch leaned
over the taffrcl, his trumpet idly dangling by
its beckett from his arm; and two quarterback
mdShipmen walking in the gangway, begulllng
their watch with prattle about home or gay
anticipations Of the future
eve shall have dull and lazy night Of it,
NangS" said the masters mate OF the fOrecaS-
tie, as he returned from adding on the log slate
another " ditto" to the long column OF them
which recorded the history of the day. The
person he addressed stood on the heel Of the
bowsprit with his arms folded on his breast
and his gaze fixed mtently upon the western
horizon, from which the daylight had now so
completely faded, that it required Il practiced
and keen eye to discern where the sky and wa
ter met. He was tall, squareiralaed, aged
looking seamen, whose thick gray hair shaded
a strongly marked and weatherbeatcn face and
whose shaggy overcoat, buttOned to the throat
covered % III that for forty years had breast
ed the storms and peris of every sea. He did
not turn his head, nor Withdraw his eyes from
the spot they rested on, as he said, in low
tone, 9" we shall have work enough before morn
ing. Mr. Garnet"
Why, where do you read that, Nangs Z"
inquired the mdshipman; " there IS nothing OF
the sort III my reckoning"
~ / read it in book have studied through
many long cruise, Mr.. Garnet and though
my ewes are getting old, | think | can under
stand its meaning yet Hark We, young man,
the hammockS are piped down. and the W; tea
is set. but there will be no watch in this night,
mark my words"
Why, Nangs, you are turning prophet
replied the masters mate, who was IL rattling
Young fellow, full Of blood and blue veins. " |
shouldn't wonder to see you strike tarpaulin,
when the cruise is up rig out in the broad brim
and straight tOggs, and ship the next trip for
parson."
" Ny cruisngs are pretty much over, Mr..
Garnet and my next trip, | am thinking, is one
shall have to 90 alonc-thOugh there's Il sign
in the heavens this night that makes me fear |
shall have too much company
Why, what signs do You talk of, man ?"
said the young officer, somewhat startled by the
quite and impressive tone and manner of the old
quartcrmaster " | see nothing that looks like
change of weather and yet | see al that there
is to b0 seen"
= | talked in the same way once, | remcm-
ber," said Vangs, " when | was about your
age as we lay bccalmcd one night in the old
Charlotte East Indiaman, hcaying and pitching
in the roll of ground swell, much as We do !
now. The next morning found me clinging to |
a broken topmast the only thing left Of a fine
ship of seven hundred tons, which, which with |
every soul on board of her, except me, had gone
TO the bottom That was before you was born, |
Mr.. Garnet"
Such things have been often, no doubt
1 ~ ,h will ha
nay. NAV happen as YOU say, before morning. !
But because you were once wrecked iii gale |
of wind that sprung up out of calm, it is no
reason that every calm is to bc followed by
such a gale Show me sign Of wind and |
may believe it; but for my part, | see 10 like |
lhood of enough even to blow away the smoke !
of that cursed galley, which circles and dances
about here on the forecastle as If it was mas
ters mate of the watch, and was ordered to
keep bright lookout"
"Turn your eyes in that direction, Mr.. Gar
net. Do YOU not see faint belt of light, no
broader than my finger, that streaks the sky
where the sun went down 1t is not daylight
for | watched that all fade away and the last
gIimmer of it was gone before that dim braSSy
streak began to show itself. And carry your
eye in a straighter line above it-do you not
mark how thick and lead like the air looks =
There is that there" said the old man, (aylng
his hand on the bowsprit as he prepared to SIT
down between the nightheads,) will try what
stuff these timbers are made Of before the morn
ing breaks"
Young Garnet put his hand over his brow,
and half shutting his eyes, pecred intently III
the direction the old seamen indicated; but no
sign pregnant with such evil as he forebone, or
no appearance of the wish for breeze met his
vision Imputing the predictions Of Vangs to
those megrims, which old sailors are apt to
have in long calm, or perhaps to desire to
play upon his credulity, he folded ms peacoat
more closely about him, and taking his seat on