The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1858-06-30
PERIL OFF CAPE HORN.
BY II. w. TRowBRIDGE.

terdeck on the beautiful clipper Grey
bound
4' ''3fy, ah, 'sirr'' was the cheerful res.
ponse of the brave tars. d.. .--1 a-.s.
Lower away for your lives clcw 'em
up! Clew up the royals fore aud aft, -
was the next order, which was as cheer
fully complied with.
| We were soon standing to the 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 ok was compelled to keep "a
cauldnon of water continually boiling, to
use III thawing the ice that collected on
them aud in the brace blucts The gale
continued in all it's fury, and it was ev
identity on the increase /; but the Grey
hound bore on with. as it were, a stern
resolution never to say die.
The men, almost frozen, collected in
groups around the deck, while the con-
stant warning cry of the look out nu
the top gallant furecastie often startled
them from the stupor into which they
had fallen. Were it not fer the fire.
quent calls upon them to perform some
work about the ship they would no
doubt have fallen into that deep sleep
| from which one seldom if ever awakens
"Icebergs ahead ?'' yelled the look,
out Hard down your helm u is
."Dowu it is !"
80 " all gazed eagerly irto the dec,
darkness that surroundd the ship, aud
caught glimpse of IA heavy white mass,
which we had that moment passed. L
trembled /; for l was aware if the ship
touched any of those bergs, it was Ger
tain destruc ion for all of us.
1.-Two of you go up there and relieve
the look out" was the next order.
jumped to OBJ him, in company
with an old whaleman, for magrned
that, were my eyes looking gut for my
own safety, they would have second
sight. Here my companion and myself
paced to AID fro for many minutes with
out daring to break the silence. that was
only marred by the whstllug of the
wind throug ghathe naked rigging. At
length L ventured to remark:
'HA stormy night this, Dick !"
Yes, out were we ten degrees to the
uorthward it might blow" replied he,
''but mere with the co5d aud ice we stand
a change O. 'runbiag foul"
You have 10 fears of danger, have
you - ! ntxtra asked.
#, There's more danger hero than you
have an idea of, hoy But, what's that?
he exclaimed, peeriug into the mist be
fore US. IA ship as I'm a sinner i
Hard down! hard down! hard down /"
he yelled, as if all depended upon his
being heard. Ship ahead ~ In an in-
slant the captain was at his side.
Where is she, Dick ?'
Dead ahead, sir, she was, but now
right off our lee bow"
"Aye, 1 see, said the captain, "but
what iii fury is she trying to do ?-cross
our bow ?" - ,-.tt.
s.'I'll bet a months wages she is r
replied Dick.
"Stand by your braces there Boy,
run and get my trumpet, and ,al Mr..
Egan were the rapid orders that cam e
from the skipper. as he jumped down OIL
deck. "Eow does she head -
.. '"Sou'west b. SOU half SOU, sir !"
cried the helmsmau.
: LET her off point ~ - 1'H-5
aa"Aye, aye, sir u g-e fsa
Il aWhere's the stranger now, Dick ?''
said the captain, coming on the forecas.
tie. -
"Same position-sommut nearer !''-
was Dicks brief reply.
by the gods, she'll run US down T.
ll t'She will, SIR"
The stranger now approaches nearer
and nearer, until We were able to per
ceive that she was clipper, of much
more tonnage than the Greyhound Her
look outs, if any she had, evidently did
not keep good eye to the wind ard, for |
she kept GU her course, which would |
bring her ac; ess our bows. A collision
seemed inevitable, for at this moment
The only course of action for US to pur-
sue was to endeaver to pass the point
we should meet before she came down
upon.us. .s.lr.. sr
rs Our skipper saw this, for he immedi-
ately ordere the main topsail to be un
furled. The sailors, with the second !
mate, run up the rigging, and laid out
on the yard. At this moment the look
out on the ether ship caught sight of US,
and her course was altered SO that she
could pass US, but it would prove a very
"close shave"
In a few moments our main topsail
swung out to the breeze; but at this
moment the topnast cracked, and as the
man reached the deck, with loud, clear
snap, it parted from the mainmast, and
lay over the side. e,-s.T
H'"Cut away that wreckl' cried the cap
tain through his trumpet. ts
-'Man over boardt" yelled one Of the
men. ssr'
":Let him gol" auswerer the clipper.
''The second ma e s killed !'' was the
next warning cry.
The captain ran to him, and lifting his
inanimate body in his arms, he carried
him iuto the cabin. The poor fellow
was dead; portion of the topmast struck
him as it parted from the stays, and with
no warning sent him into the presence of
his maker! ,r,-
Where's the stranged now? said the
captain, coming from the cabin, and
dashing a, tear from his eye. "By
George, we'll strike her. Ship ahoy !"
5, No answer, the noise of the ereaking
spars, the dashing of the waves, aud the
winds shrill whistle, drowning bis voice.
After few moments, the ships having
somewhat nearer, he again
hailed them ie s,Tr 5.-5 zo-
ID Aye, ayer' came from the stranger.
"What in-------are you trying to do