Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1859-12-31
WOLFGANG::
THE wRECKER's BEACON.
CHAPTER I.
DEFORE THE GALE.

CHAPTER 1,
BEFoRE TIE GALE.
The good ship PATHFINDER, of. New
York, and bound to Copenhagen, had en-
tered the North Sea, having left the Straits
of Dover two days behind ..g
The commander of the ship was a young
man. not over eight-and-twenty, and his
name was MAURICE LESTER He stood by
the taffrail, gazing off upon the horizon to
the eastward, ever and anon raising his
hand above his head to fecl.if there was
any wind stirring, and as often casting his
eye aloft to see how the canvas hung AS
he stood thus his mate approached, and
spoke to him:
"What dye think of this, Capt'n?'
'l think we're i'll for storm, sir" the
master replied. "And tell you what il
is, Griffin he added, after sweeping The
horizon again with his eye, ''when il comes
it will be an earnest one. None of your
broad Ocean pulis, with nothing but. water
TO hatch wind from; but we'll have it right
fresh from sCmc of these places where they
know how TO make things blow
"'fhcn you think we'll have hard one?"
said Griffin.
''Ayc," answered the captain. with al
most shddder, 81 feel it in my bones"
In the meantime, Captain Lester had
been watching the sea and sky as before,
and he f;lncicd that the signs of the storm
were growing more and more paipalle-
every moment. The sun was going down
in al thick bank, giving to the whole wost-.
crn horizon dull, purplish-red, bloody
hue, with here and there spots of darker
tinge, like openings. through the fiery
cloud, looking upon fearful blackuess
behind
"Do you sec how strangely it looks Oft
there?" said the captain, raising his finger
towards the point where the sun WAS set
ting.
aye" returned Griffin, 81 have been
watching. those dark places
And others noticed the same thing, and
spoke of it, too.
Seven o'clock came ard went. Eight
o'clock came, and the first watch was set
Don't so below, said the captain, as
the men Of the last dog-watch left their
stations. This calm can't last great
while. You had better batten down the
matches now, while there is nothing else
to do; iOr am sure there will be need of
having them close before the coming CT
another day"
The men had had no thoughts of going
below, for they could see and feel; ana
they were net wholly ignorant of what
was coming; so they went to work and
and when this was done those who had no
particular station collected about tho
wheel. Another hour passed Gway-and
another. Ten o'clock CAME, and still not
breath. The ship lay upon the water
like dead thing, with the ropes, and
blocks, and sails. rattling and tapping as
she swaycd 10 and fro by the lazy swclls
of the sea-
'What does it menn?" cried Griffin, as
the boy struck five bells
"Hark!' said the captain, almost Instant
ly. ~ guess you'll soon see. Did YOU
Feel that? Hu!-and that?n
1t was puff of wind, and a light flying
OF spray; or, perhaps, il WAS spit of rain.
AT all events, the puff was felt; and the
drops of water fell upon other cheeks than
beard the dull moaning which came over
the dark waters. So other. ears heard the,
roar which followed, and other bodies
! quivered beneath the shock of the storm.
! giant when he came in his might.
Ayc-thG storm lad come 1t came
| with, wind and rain. and with an angry
heaving ofthe sea. II came with q dark
ness like Erebus, and with the voice of
thunder. The gale continued. to increase
in fury as the long night passedrawaY.-
| when the morning came the scene was
one of awful, grandeur. The. wind was
bowling with terrific fury; and the broad
sea was lnshed into huge mountains, that
foamed, and tumbled, and leaped along
over the bosom of the deep, seeming every
moment ready to whelm and engulf the
frail bark that struggled within the demon
grasp.
When Captain Lester had observed the
signs of the morning. he feared that the
storm would continue through the day, and
so he told his men. The sky wore hue
OF horror, and rain was now driving down,
mingling with the rushing sea. At noon
it was still worse.
AT length night shut in again, and not a
sign yet of tho passing away of the storm.
The frightful bowling of the tempest SEEM
ed rather to have increased than abated-
The men gathered upon the quarterback,
clinging for support to theracks and rails
| for the life-lines swayed so much that
they were afraid of fthem-gathered as near
to the light of the binnacle-lamp rs they
could, as though even from such feeble
beams, they might find some conifort-
But not all were there, No-not all -
| -Four stout, true-hearted men had been
swept away by the storm. Near score
were left but how many shall see the
light OF. another day?
Al nine o'clock Captain Lester went be-
! low. He took down chart of the North
Sea, and having spread it upon the table.
he sat down to examine it. He was thus
engaged when Mr.. Griffin came down; but
4 lie did not look uDsIlntiI he had . 6n;sl,s,J