The Empire County argus., 1856-10-11
From Peterson's Magazine.
OFF NEGAT.

"How does she head now?" cried the captain, in
deep, stentorian bass.
He was tall, powerful man. who stood braced on
the quarterback while every body else was lashed
fast. -Four men were at the wheel, and even they
could hardly steer the ship A hurricane, blowing
dead on Shore had surprised them, just before day
break and in the midst of it lookout had cried,
in those words that are never heard at such times
without thrill Of horror -" Breakers ahead!"
Instantly the helm Mas ordered hard down, and it
was then that the captain spoke
GLOW does she head nowY"
The answer was undistinguishable, except to the
ractised ears Of the speaker and it far from sat
isfying him, for he thundered in reply
Harder-harder!
The gallant ship, staggering under close-reeed
mainsail and doubereeftd fore-top-sail with just
enough Of her jib set to give her stcerage way,
plunged heavily into tremendous wave, throwing
the water cracking and hissing far above the yard
arm; while the giant bilow, rolling landward broke
into foam close under the lee.
The captain waited an instant and then demanded
again,
How docs she head?"
The answer was still unsatisfactory.
Harder
Gay! ay! SIR
Harder yeti"
"She is chock up sir!"
| IL
at the press of SAIL
"She must stand it," replied the captain, " or We
go ashore"
Close to the masters SIDE securely lashed was his
only son, child about years old. The little fellow
had been eagerly watching his fathers countenance
in the grey twilight and he now asked
"Are we going to be lost father"
For moment that bronzed face, which had hith-
erto gazed unmoved at the near prospect Of death,
| mi butth ro1 ip1 m
81 don't know, my son" he said. But you must
be brave boy, and be ready for the worst 1t wod
be better for you. you know, to die now, than grow
up bad man.
AS he spoke wave, rushing over the deck, swept
the child from his footing and away into the boiling
sea to leeward For a moment the parent thought
that his boy gone forever. But the lashings in
stead of having parted, had only become partially
unwound and, after letting out for twenty feet,
brought the child up. The returning surge bore him
inward. 1t was all the work of a moment.
The father sezrd the lad and casting loose the
lashings then calmly stepped to the cabin gangway.
Steward he cried, put dry clothes on the boy,
and bring him on deck again.
In few minutes the boy re-appeared. The father
re-lashed him. securely than before; but had he
been a woman, he could not have done it with more
tenderness; and it was in this only that his great
love for the child was shown. The little fellow
caught maniness from the calm looks of his parent,
and never again, through the trials that followed felt,
or at least exhibited alarm
All this while, and for hours after, the gale ragged.
Continually the master thought his ship would go
ashore in spite of all. The peril of wreck became
the imminent, because, after delaying it until
the mast strained frightfuly, he had to order the
mansail in and cosereef the foreop-sail and under
this rag Of canvass it seemed almost impossible to
claw off the treacherous coast.
What emotions agitated the captains heart, as he
gave the reluctant order, who shall tell? Doubtless
he thought of his wife, with her babe at the breast,
praying in the cabin, and of his little son, whose 81
lent heroism affected him more than noisy terrors
would but of himself we may be certain he did not
think at ALL He stood, all this time bracing him
SELF his feet wide apart while every body ashed
now scanning the mast that bent almost like whip
stalk, now asking, with hand to mouth :" How does
she head?" and now sternly gazing at the white
breakers that leaped and snarled, and howled mpa-
tiently under the lee.
Overhead the grey scud drifted swiftly westward :;
the hurricane shrieked and roared and the foretop
mast ierked and struggled in the wilder gusts Of the
gale, as if it would snap asunder Now gigantic
wave striking the ship on the weather bow, would
make her for an instant, pause, while every timber in
her would quiver, and che bulkheads would groan as
if she was living creature in agony then she would
be swept sensiby to leeward and next the fragments
of the billow would pour in her deck rage its
whole length like a pack of hungry wolves and final
ly leap sullenly the bulwarks or rush headong
through the skuppers, as the gallant craft rising to
windward, shook off her foes. Now another wave
would approach, towering and towering as if about
to submerge the doomed ship, when suddenly the
buoyant craft, meeting it with the helm, wonld shoot
up its gstening side and the spent surge would roll
in sheet of foam, landward, disappearing the next
moment in the breakers.
The morning dawned, but brought no relief On
the contrary, the bleak Shore the wild surf, and the
wrecks srewed along the dangerous sands increased
the sad forebodings of all. The men, with ghastly
faces surveyed the prospect, and those who had
er prayed before prayed now Yet still the captain
stood calm and stern giving his orders; and still al
So close beside him, his heroic little son took courage
from his countenance.
Suddenly the captain gave deep breath of relief;
his eye lit up; he struck his broad palms on his