The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1859-12-28
w o l. F G A NC;
Oh,
THE WRECKER'S BEACON.
CHAPTER l.
BEFORE THE GALE.

Straits OF Dover two days behind.
The commander of the ship was
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 feel if
there was any wind stirring, and as often
casting his eye aloft to see how the can
0as hung. AS he stood thus hi : mate ap-
&Dached, and spoke 20 him:
"Wnat dye think Of this, Capt'u?'
VI thin we're in for storm, sir,
y master replied. 'Aud tell you what
y -, Griffin, lie added, after sweeping
- horizon again with his eye, when it
1asues it will be an Earnest one None of
1ouf broad Ocean putfs, with nothing but
water to hatch wind from; but we'll have
i right fresh from some of those places
where they know how to make things
Nlsw."
sThen you think we'll have hard
sne?" said Griffin.
"Aye," answered the captain, with
almost shudder, ~ feel it in my bones"
in the meantime, Captain Lester had
Been watching the sea and sky AS before,
and he isuoied that the signs of the storm
were growing more and more palpable
every moment. The sun was going down
In thick bank, giving to the whole
western horizon dull, purplish-red,
bloody hue, with here and there spots Of
darker tinge like openings, through the
6ery cloud looking upon fearful black
nsss behind.
"Do you see how strangely it looks off
there q said the captain, raising his fin
ger tow ards the point where the sun was
setting.
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 and went. Eight
o'clock came, and the first watch was set.
"Don't go below" said the captain, as
the men Of the last dog-watch left their
stations. "Tnis calm can't last great
while, You had better batten down the
matches now, while there is nothing else
70 do; for am sure there will be need of
having them closed before the coming Of
another day"
The men had had no thoughts of going
bslow. for they could see and feel and
they were not wholly ignorant of what
was coming SO they went at work and
secured the matches with thick tarpau-
Inns and when this was done those who
had no particular station collected about
the wheel. Another hour passed away
and another. Ten o'clock came, and
stil not breath. The ship lay upon the
water like dead thing, with the ropes,
and blocks, and sails, rafting and flap
ping as she was swayed to and fro by the
lAsy swells of the sea.
"What does it mean p cried Griffin,
% the boy struck five bells.
SHARK |" said the captain, almost in
stantly. ~ guess you'll soon sec. Did
you feel that ?-Ha land that?'
II was puff Of wind, and light fly
ing OF spray or it was a spit OF rain.
At all events, the puff was felt ; and the
drops Of water vas felt upon other cheeks
thnn Maurice Testers: and other ears
than his heard the dull mourning which
came over the dark waters. So other boz
dies quivered beneath the shock of the
storm-giant when he came in his might.
Aye-the storm had come. It came
with wind and rain, and with an angry
heaving of the sea. 1t came with dark
mss like Erebus, and with the voice of
thunder. The gale continued to increase
In fury as the long night passed away
Wien the morning came the scene was
one of awful grandeur. The wind was
bowling with terrific furry;and the broad
sea was dashed 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 trail 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 50 he told his men. The sky wore
hue OF horror, and rain was now driv-
ing down, mingling with the lashing sea.
At noon It was still worse.
AT length night shut in again, and not
q sign yet Of the passing away of the
storm |! The frightful bowling of the tenn
nest seemed rather to have increased than |
abateI. The men gathered upon the quar-
ter deck, clinging for support to the racks
and ra,is-tr the life-lines swayed SO
much ,Aat lhey were afraid of THEM
Rathvred AS near to the light of the bin
Dacle-lamp as they could, as though even
ron, sucu feeble beams they might find
some nioft But not all were there
No--noi all! Four stout, true-hearted
men had boon swept away by the storm.
Near scur. were left; but how many
shali STE tae light OF another day?
A. nine o'clock Captain Lester went
below. Lie took down chart Of the