True American. [volume] (Steubenville [Ohio]) 1855-1861, 1857-09-02
eiiis BOB WINTERS FORTUNE;
--OR-
THE CLIPPER AND THE FRIGATE.
BY DUNCAN M'cLEAN..

t77-'- -7'.
" Sail no |" shouted Bob Winter. from
the royal-masthead Of IT,. s. forty gum
frigate, while crossing the south.eas,
trades, bound round the Horn.
"a" Where away :" demanded the first
lieutenant
"Thre points on the lee-quarter, sir
her, upper sails just above water"
Very well," replied the first luf. and
turning 10 the captain, who had just come
on deck remarked that the sail reported
had probably been passed during the
night.
Half an hour later Bob again sung
out, and said he thought the vessel was
just coming up with the frigate.
Impossible! !" remarked Capt. Brag,
"we are going nine knots. and no ves-
sci ahoat was ever known to 60 more up
on a lowline. The sun, suppose. as
he rises gives better view of her, and
makes that fellow think she's coming up
with u.s." ... ......
Now Capt. Bragg sincerely believed
that all the stories about clippers going
fifteen or eighteen knots were internal lies.
He had had been in The smarlest frigaies
that ever swan, and he never knew one
of them 10 60 more Than thirteen knots.
even in hurricane.
1t is ship,I think" shouted Bob
from the masthead, 81 can see half way
down her top gallant sails"
Don't believe it ~ beloved the cap.
tain, leone down. Quartermaster, take
q glass and see what you can make out Of
that craft"
The quartermaster, after looking at hel
ten minutes through the glass, reported
that she was ship san6ug The SAME
way as the frigate, and was gaining upon
her fast.
Although past the prime Of life Capt
Bragg mounted the rigging himself, and
was soon convinced that the stranger was
coming up with him rapidly. Flushed
"a with excitement, he descended and order
ed the log to be hove; the frigate was re
ported going nine knots good.
"Mr. Smith," said the captain, addres
sing the first luff, the ship is out Of trim
call the hands up, and have the anchor.
taken off the bows, and slowed one OF
each side of the mainmast. This will
ease her forward; ! see she pitches anc
4 loses way"
The anchors were brought aft as order
ed, and again the log was hove; sh'
went half knot faster; but still tn,
stranger was rising like cloud out o
the water. Her royal and top-galan
sails could be seen from the lrigate
deck. r-
.'Mr. Sm,th,' again said the captain
sour topsails are thin, the wind blow
through them; we must shift them, bu
keep the others aloft till the last minute
the yards must not be lowered. Wei
see il that fellow will come up with US.
" The yards were kept mastheaded, ant
the other sails were all ready to bring to
when at the orders, 4" Cut adrift take tc
bend away" the topsail sank abaft tn
new sails on deck, and the others wer
bent in o minute, and set fiat as board.
Again the log was hove; She was goin
nine knots five lathoms.
"We'll do it yet" said Capt. Brag, eV
identity pleased at the increase of speed
now bring the fre.engine up and we
the sails"
She went ten knots, but still the strar
ger rose, her topsais were squale wit
the water. Is a
Si" This will never do" said the captain
"must not allow that fellow to pass III
Pipe the hammocks down and make a
hands turn in, but a quarter watch. Th
will make her 60 another knot; but sh
goes faster now than / ever knew her 9
before by the wind
\ When all the men were in their han
mocks, she went ten knots two fathoms
but even then did not appear to hold he
own. a... a,s..l. J48 f
~" Pipe tie hammocks up again, on
bake all hands carry short fore and aft,
prdered the captain, "and see what tn
yill do. That fellow is either the ev
me let loose, or the Flying Duchman
n his heart he hoped it was not the FL
ng Cloud.
The rigase lost half kno, by the liar
nocks being piped down again. Wat
|utts were slung in the hatchways, Il
uns were shifted in all directions, 4
ackstays and rigging we're slaCkehe
ut though she went faster, still the stra
sr came up hand over hand, and wor
ian all, If she continued, she wor
,ickly cross the frigates wake, and %
the windward Of her. The though
1' ough, of such beat almost drove {
... sag crazy. The sails were set Ii
lids, every yard was trimmed to liza
cry tack and sheetfin place, and
gate was going eleven knots but
vain, The clipper washull out, had Gro
tbe frigale's wake al an angle Of thii
gress, and would pass her full I
les 10 windward.