Saint Paul weekly Minnesotian., 1859-05-21
GALE IN THE IRISH CHANNEL.

GALE IN THE IRISH CHANNEL.
twas on a sunny day in the winter q
IL, that we dropped down the Mersey, an
took leave of Liverpool. Our vessel wa
a ship of seven hundred tons !; and as sh
spread one after another her folds of white can
vass to the breeze, l thought had never see
a more beautiful sight. The scene aroun
was lovely and inspiring Innumerable crafts
I of all sizes, covered the waters far and near
here large merchantman, moving along lik
stately swan there a light yacht, fyin
over the water with the speed of swallow
the sunlight danced and sparkled on the bill
lows; the receding coast grew more pictur
esque as we left it astern, and the expanse o
the Irish Channel stretched away in from
until lost in the dim haze of the opposite hori
ZOn
but towards nightfall went on deck again.
How started at the change 1t was yet al
hour to sunset, but the god of day was al
ready hidden in a thick bank of clouds tina
lay stretched ominously along the western
seaboard. The wind had increased to asmar
gale, and was laden with moisture. The bill
lows increased in size every minute, and Were
whitening with foam far and near. Occasionally
as roller struck the ships bows, shower O
spray would dash over the forecastle, and
sometimes shoot even into the top; and on those
occasions, melancholy, foreboding sound
like the groan of some huge animal in pain
issued from the thousand timbers of the yes
sell Already, in anticipation of the coming
tempest, sail had been taken in, and we
were now heading towards the Irish coast, un-
der closely reefed topsails, ,coursers, spanker
and jib.
"A rough night in prospect, Jack!' said,
addressing an old tar beside me.
| You may well say that, sir" he replied.
otis bad on the Norway coast in December,
and bad going into Sandy Hook in snow
Storm but both are nothing to a gale in the
channe, here" he asked, as a sudden whrl
of the tempest covered us with spray
81 wish we had more sea room," said l.
"Ah ! I'd give the wages of the voyage
if we had How happy you all seemed in
the cabin, sir, the ladies especially, an hour
or two ago | suppose it was because we are
going home. All little did we any of us
think" he added, with seriousness in alan
guage uncommon fora sailor, "that we might
be bound to another and last home, which
We should behold first ~
At this moment the Captain shouted to
shorten sail, and our conversation was of
necessity cut short. The ship, l ought to
have said, had been laid close to the wind, in
order to claw ON the English coast, to which
We were III dangerous proximity. AS the gale
increased, the heavy press of canvass forced
her down into the water, and she struggled
and groaned frightfully. While the crew were
at work, | walked forward. The pillows,
now increased to gigantic size, come rolling
down upon us, one after another, with such
rapidity that our good craft could scarcely re-
cover from one before another was upon her.
Each time she struck head-sea, she would
stagger an instant, quivering in every timber,
while the crest of the shattered wave would
shoot to the foretop like the jet of fountain !;
then, the vast surge sinking away beneath
her, she would sink groaning into the trough
of the sea, until another billow lifted her, an
other surge thundered against her bows, and
another shower of spray flew over her. Now
and then when larger wave than usual was
seen approaching, they cry "Hold on all ~
rang warningly across the decks. At such
times the vast billow would approach, its
head towering in the gathering twilight, until
it threatened to engulf us !; but, just when all
seemed over, our gallant ship would spring
forward to meet it, like horse started by the
spur, and the mountain of water would break
over and around us, kissing, roaring and flash
ing by, and then sinking into the apparently
bottomless gulf beneath us Meanwhile the
decks were resounding with the tread of sail
ors, as they hurried to and fro, in obedience
to the captains orders while the rafting of
blocks, the shouts of command, and the
quick replies Of the seaman rose above the
bowling of the storm.
Let so the bow lines" cried the stentori-
an voice of the captain, lease off the tack
haul on the weather-braces"
Away went the huge sail, in obedience to
the order
"Ease off the sheet-haul up to the lee
ward! y!
The crew worked with redoubled energy
and soon the immense courses were slowed
away. In few moments the ships canvass
was reduced to reefed topsails, spanker, and
fore topmast staysail. by this time evening
had set in, though the long twilight Of that
latitude produced a sickly radiance.
But even this contraction of sail was not
sufficient. The thick duck tugged at the yards
as if it would snap in two. Every moment
expected to see the span, l,er go.'
"We must take III the sail" said the cap
tain, cor she will tear herself to places"
All hands in with the spanker -
In an instant the men were struggling with
the huge sheet, and never before had been
so forcibly impressed with the power and use
of discipline. Inan incredibly short time, the
gigantic sail, notwithstanding its struggling,
was got under control and safety slowed.
The ship now labored less for while, but,
as the storm increased, she groancd and strug-
gled as before
The captain did not appear satisfied with
taking in the spanker irdoed, all feared that
the ship could not carry what was left I Ac-
cordingly, he ordered the ,opsails to the close
reefed; yet even after tl-is the yessel. tore
through the waters like q race-horse. The
wind had Iiow increased to a perfect hurri-
cane. 1t shrieked, roared, and howlrd around,
as if ten thousand fiends were aboard on the
blast.
In moments of extreme peril, strong ma
lures gather together, as if by some secret
instinct 1t was from this reason that the
captain suddenly found himself near the old
top man, with whom L had been coriversing in
the early part of the evening, and who, it ap-
peared, was one of the oldest and best sea-
men on board.
The captain stood by the mans side full
minute without speaking, looking at the wild
waves that like hungry wolves, came troop
ing down towards u.s.
" How far are we from the coast - he said
at last. = FL" -.
Perhaps five miles, sir" quietly replied
the man.
And we have long run to make before
we get sea-rOom," said the captain.
w shall be in eternity before morning"
answered the man solemnly.
The captain paused moment when he re-
piled:
Our only hope is in the topsail clews =
if they give way, we are indeed lost. God
help'us p ''''' - - ''''' -. .
Amen! ~ /! answered involuntarily.
| Silence now enS,led fhou1h homo. of nc