Mineral Point tribune. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1854-1858, 1855-01-10
miscellaneous.
GID IR0NSIDES In A TIGHT PLACE.
BY AN EYEWITNESS,

)
| Constitution, under command of Captain
Elliott, having on board the late Edward
Livingston. then Minister at the Court
of France, and family, and manned by
nearly five hundred souls drew near to
8 chops" of the English Channel. For
four days she had been beating down
from Plymouth. and on the fifth at eve
ming, she made her track for the french
coast
The watch was set at eight p NJ. the
captain came on deck soon after. and hav-
ing ascertained the bearing Of Scilly. gave
orders to keep the ship full and bye" re-
marking at the same time to the officer
of the deck. that he might make the light
on the lee beam but he stated, he
thought it more than probable that he
would pass it without seeing it. He then
"turned in" as did most of idlers, and the
staboard watch
At quarter past nine, P. NJ, the ship
headed west by compass. when the call of
Light ho was heard from the foretop-
sail ward
Where away 2" asked the officer of
the deck
Three points on the lee bow" replied
al reader will understand to mean very
nearly straight ahead
At this moment the captain appeared
and took the trumpet.
Call all hands was the immediate
order
'' All hands u whistled the boatswain,
with the long, shrill summons, familiar te
the ears Of all who have ever been on
board of a man -of-war.
''All hands, screamed the boatswain's
mate. ard ere the echo died away, all but
the sick were upon deck.
The ship was staggering through
heavy swell from the Bay of Biscay; the
gale, which had been blowing several
days, had Increased to a severity that was
not to be made light of. The breakers,
where Sir Claudesly Shovel and his feet
were destroyed in the days of Queen Ann
sang their song of death before, and the
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 eye of
the captain was the furled mansail.
which be had ordered to be carried
= Z
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 posi-
ti0u on lee shore, upon which a strong
gale was blowing her, in which the chance
Of safety appeared to the stoutest nerves
almost hopeless That sole chance con
sisted in standing on, to carry US through
the breakers Of Scilly, or by a close Craze
along the outer ledges. Was this desti-
ny to be the end of the gallant old ship,
consecrated by many prayer and bless
ing from the heart of a nation?
why Is the mainsail up. when [ or
dered il set cried the captain III trc-
meudous voice.
Finding that she pitched her bows
under, / took it in under your general
order. sir, that the officer Of the deck
should carry sail according to his discre-
ton" replied the Lieutenant in com
maud
Hcave the log was the prompt com
mand Of the masters mate
The log was thrown.
How fast does she 90 2''
Five knots and half sir"
Board the main tack sir"
"She will not bear it, sir" said the eff
ser OF the deck.
Board the main tack thuudered
the captain keep her full ana bye, quar-
termaeter
Aye aye. sir"
The tack was boarded
Haul aft the main sheet" F." 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.
Ave. aye, sir she has it growled
out the old sea dog at the binniole
Right your helm keep her full and
bye u
Aye, aye, sir, full and bye she Is,
was the prompt answer from man at the
! helm.
I :. H ow fast does she go2"
Nine knots aud half sir"
How bears the light ? -"
Nearly abeam, sir"
Keep her away half point"
How fast does she go z
mine knots sir.n
Z" Steady So" returned the captain
Z" Steady answered the helmsman.
and all was silent as the grave upon that
crowded deck, except the bowling of the
storm. for space of time that seemed to
my Imagination almost an age
1t was d trying hour to US; unless we
could carry sail so as to 90 at the rate of
nine knots an hour, we must of necessity
dash upon Scilly. and who ever touched
those rocks and lived during storm
The sea ran very high, the rain fell in
sheets. the sky was one black curtain. IL
lumirated only by the faint light which
was 20 mark our deliverance, or stand a
...onument Of our destruction The wind
had got above whistling-it come in puffs
that flatteued the waves, and made our
old frigate settle to her bearings, while
everything on board seemed cracking
Into pieces At this moment the carpen-
ter reported that the left bolt Of the fore
sbroud had drawn