The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1855-01-03
III i srclla i
A Thrilling Sea Story.

j was at the close Of stormy day
IN the year 1898, whrn the gallant
'tigate CONSTITUTIONS under tho command
# Captain Elliot. having on board tho
ate Edward Livingston, then minister
At the Court Of France and fumily. and
marncd BY nearly five hunired souls,
drew near The chop" Of the English
Channel. For four day, sLe lad bean
beating down by Plymouth, aud on tho
lt'h. at evening she ntlc her tack for
the Ftcnch coast
The watch Wa, set at eight, p, VI
the captain came on deck soon aferand
having a certalned the bearing OF ciIly,
gave orders to keep the ship full and
bye rem rking at the same time to the
tfi"cr of the deck, that he might make
tie light On the lee beam; but. he stated,
he thought it more than probable that
he would pass it without seeing it, lie
then " turned in" as did most Of the
oilers aud the starboard watch.
At Il quarter past nine. p NJ. the
ship headed west by compass. when the
call of" Light ho !" was heard from the
iorctopsail yard
Where away ?" asked the officer Of
the deck
:" Three points to the lee bow" re.
Piled the lookout man, which the unpro.
tessional reader will understand to mean
very near y straight ahead
At this moment the captain appeared
aud took the trumpet.
Call all hands p was his immediate
order.
i" All hands r. whistled the boatswain.
with the long, shrill summons, familiar
to the cars If all who have ever been on
board nau.ofwar
" All handsm screamed the hootswain's
mate, and ere tho echo died away, all
but the sick were on deck
The ship was staggering Though 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. The break !
ers, where Sir Cloudesly Shovel and his
hect were destroyed in the days of Queen
Ann. sang their song Of death before, and |
the Dead Mans Ledge replied in hoars
or notes behind us. To 60 ahead, seem.
ed to be death, and to e. about was sure
destruction The first thing that caught
the oyo of the captain was the furled
mainsail, which he had ordered to be
carried throughout the evening--ihat
hauling up of which, contrary to tho last
order he had given on leaving tho deck,
had caused the ship to fall off to leeward
two points, and bad thus led her into a
position on a "lce 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 consisted in standing on, to
,arry us through the breakers of Sclly,
or by close Craze along their outer
edge. Was this destiny to bo tie end
of the gallant old ship, consccrated by
many a prayer and blessing from tho
leart Of nation
why is the mansail up, when I or
Tered it sct2 cried tho captain, in a
tremendous voico
Finding that sho pitched her bows
lnder, | took it in. under your general
,rder, sir. that the officer of tho deck
should carry sail according to his dis
'retion," replied the lieutenant in com
nand.
"IIoave tho !og,". was the prompt
command to the masters mate.
The log was thrown.
" How fast docs she 90 !"
" Five knots and half SIR"
Board the main tack, sir !,