The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1858-05-21
Peril of Cape Horn.
- BY!H. w. rRowDRLDGH.

all, ycied the SKIPPER, rs he paced tht
quarterback Of the beautiful clipper Grey
huuni.
'Ay,"y, sir !" was the cheerful re.pous.
Of The brave ,ars.
Lower away for your lives ! clcw '.n
mp! Clcw mp the royals fore and af.' wa,
the next order, which, WAS chccrfully com
piled with.
We were soon standing to tho south,
ward under bare poles. The weather was
extremely cold, and ice in large quantities
had collected on the deck The rigging
was one mass of ice indeed, so completely
frozen were the braces, that the cook was
compelled to keep u cauldron of water co,,-
t'nua!lv boiling, to use in thawinc the ice
that collected on them and in the brace
blocks. The gale continued in all is fury
an'i II WAS evidently on the increase bu,
the Greyhound hore on with, as i. were, a
stern resolution never to say die
1he men, almost frozen collected in
groups around the deck, while the constant
warning cry ofthc look out on .he top cal
liant forccastlr often startled them from SIN
por 'n'o which they had fallen. Were i,
hot Tor the frequent call, upon ,h",n to per
''rm some work about the ship, they woull
Ii" doubt have fallen into that deep Sleep
from which one seldom if ever awakrns.
lceberss ahead = yelled the lookout.
lizard down yo,,r helm !
down it is y
We all g"zed eagerly into the deep dark
ness that surrounded the ship, and cauph,
glimpse OF a heavy white mass, which W.
''"i that moment passed. trcmL!cd for
! was aware that the ship touched any Of
these bergs, it were certain destruction for
al of us
Two OF YOU go up there and relieve the
lookout, Was the next order.
ljnmpcd to ohrv him, in comnanv with
IN old wb"rman, for imagined that wrr.
my eyes locking "ut, for my own safety
'lcy would have Il second siclt. Here my
companion and myself paced toand fro.
many minutes without daring to break the
silence, that was only marrcd by the whist.
ling of the wind through the naked rioo;,o
AT length vcnlurcI to remark:
"A stormy night tl,is, Dick "
Ncs, but were we ten dcrrccs 10 H.,
nor'hwirl it might blow" replied he. "bu,
here with the cold and ice, we stand =
chance o running foul
You have no fears OF danger, have YOU p
next asked.
There's more danger here than YOU have
any idea OF, boy. But what's ,ha, q he
exclaimed pccliny into The mist before u.s.
"A ship as I'm Il sinner! Hard down !.
bard down hare! !" ye yelled, as if all do
pe"ed upo" his being heard. Ship ahead =
In in instant tie captain was at his side.
Where is she, Dick 2
Dead ahead, sir, she was, bu: now right
oil our lee bow"
Aye! SEQ ) said the captain, but wha,
IN fury is She trying to do !-cross our
bows Z:
I'D bet month"; wages she is g replied
Dick.
Stand by your braces there Bow. run
and get my trumpet, and call Mr.. Eean =
were the rapid orders that came from the
skipper, as h'jnmpet down on deck. .IIow
docs she bead 2!
S""'west by SOU halfsoa', sir ~ cried the
helmsman.
Let her off a point 2
AYE, aye, sir!
where's the stranger now. Dick y said
The captain. coming up on the forecastle.
o"Ine posltIon-sommut nearer p was
Dicks brief reply.
BY the gods she'll run us down y
80 she will, sir
1he stranger now approached nearer and
nearer until we were able to perceive that
she was clipper, Of much more tonnage
than the Greyhound. Her lookouts, if any
she had evidently did not keep good eye
10 the w'nd'ard. for she kept on her course
winch would bring her across our bows. A
collision seemed inevitable, !or ut this mo.
ment cspicd an iceberg on our weather
bow. The only course Of action for US to
pursue was to endenvor TO pass the point
we should meet before she came down unon
u.s.
Our skipper saw this, for he immediately
ordered the main topsail to be unfurled.
The sailors with the second mate, ran m
the rigging, and lay out on the yard. AT
this moment the look on the other shin.
caught sight Of us, and her course was al.
tered so that she could pass us, but it prove
very close shave
. ) y ina few moments our main topsail swung