The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1860-01-05
WOLTGAN NG;
OR
THE WRECkER'S BEACON.
c IIAPTER I.

lHe S"u sup ATHf NDEN, vi NV"
York, and bound TO Copenhagen had en-
tered the North Sea, having left the Strait
Of Dover two days behind.
The commander Of the ship was q
young man, not over cight.and twenty
and his namo was Maurice Lester, lie
stood by the tatfrail; gazing off upon the
horizon TO the eastward, ever and anon
raising his hand above his head to feel il
there ives any Mind stirring, and as often
casting his eye aloft to see how the canvas
hung. AS he stood thus his mate ap
preached and spoke to him:
"What dye think Of this Cnpt'n?'
81 think we're In for storm. sir" the
replied. "And l tell you what it is,
Griffin" lie added, after sweeping the
horizon again with his eye. "whcn i,
comes it will be an earnest one. None s
your broad Ocean pufis, with nothing but
water to hatch wind from; but We have
il right fresh from some Of these places
where they know how to make things
blow"
"Thcn you think well have hard
cne?" said Griffin.
"Aye," answered the captain, with
almost shudder. Il feel it in my
bones"
In the meantime. Captain Lester had
been watching the sea and sky as before.
and he lancied that the signs Of storm
were growing more and palpable every
moment. The sun was going down in a
thick bank. giving to the whole western
horizon a dul, purplish red. bloody hue,
with here h there spots Of darker tinge,
like openings, through the fiery cloud
looking upon a fearful blackness be-
hind.
do you see how strangely it looks off
there?' said the captain, raising his EN-
ger towards the point whcre the sun was
setting.
"Aye," returned Griffin, Il 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 60 below" said the captain as
the men Of the last doy.watch left ther
stations. This calm can't last great
while. You had better batten down the
halches now, while there is nothing else
to do: for | am sure there will BE- need Of
having them close before tie coming OF
another day"
The men had no thoughts Of going be
low, for they could see and feel; and they
were not wholly ignorant Of what WAS
coming; so they went at work and srcur
ed the hatches with thick tarpeuling; and
when this was dohe those who had no
particular station collected about the
wheel. Another hour passed away-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, ratlling and tapping as
she was swayed to and fro by the lazy
swclls Of the sea.
"What does it mean?" cried Griffin. as
the boy struck five bells.
"Hark!'' said the captain, almost in
stantly. II guess you'll soon see. Did
you feel that?-lla!-a that?"
1t was puff Of Wind, and a light fly
ing Of spray. or. perhaps it was spit Of
rain. AT all events. the puff was felt; and
the drops Of water fell upon other cheeks
than Maurice Testers; and other ears
than Ills heard 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 stormgiant when he came in his
might.
Aye-the storm had come. It came
with wind aad rain, and with an angry
heaving Of the sea. 1t came with a
darkness like Erebus, and with the voice
Of thunder. The gale continued to in.
crease in fury as the long night passed
away. When the morning came the
scsne was one of awful grandeur. The
wind was bowling with terrific fury; and
the broad sea was lasbed into huge noun
tains. that fonmed. and tumbled, and
leaped along over the bosom Of the deep.
seeming evey moment ready to whelm
and engulf the irail bark that struggled
with the demon grasp.
When Captain Lester had observed the
signs Of the morning, he feared that the
storm would continue through the dayand
SO he told bis men. The sky wore a hue
Of horror, and rain was now driven down,
mingled with the lashing sea. AT noon
it was still worse.
At length night shut in again, End not
a'sign yet Of the passing away of the
storm. The frighlful bowling Of the
tempest seemed rather to have increased
than aba.ed. The men gathered upon
the quarterback, cliuging for support to
the racks and rails-for the life lines
swayed so much tha, they were afraid Of
thsm--gathered as near the light Of the
biunaele lamp ms theJ could. a. though
.vnr fr,v,, e,,cL coahi. h>~n.. sln- III.