The weekly Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1861, 1860-01-04
W0LTGANG,
T he Wrecker's B eaco o n.
CHAPTER /.
BEFORE THE GALE.


and bound to Copenhagen, had entered the
North Sea, having left the Straits of Dover
two days behind.
The commander Of the ship was young
man, not over eight. twenty, and bis name
was MAURICE LISTER. He stood by the tnf.
frsil, gozing of upon the horizon to the east
ward, ever and anon raising his hand above
his head to feel If there was any wind stir
ting, and as often casting his eye aloftto see
how the canvas hung. As he stood thus his
mate approached, and spoke to him:
"Whut dye think Of this, CuIt'n!"
IL think we're in for storm, sir" the
master replied. Sand tell you what it is,
Griffin" he added, after sweeping the hori
zon sgain with bis eye, "when it comes it
will be an earnest one. None OF your broad
Ocean puffs, with nothing but water to hatch
wind from but we'll have it right fresh from
some of those places where they know how
to make things blow"
"Then you think we'll have a hard ono ;"
said Griffin.
"Aye," answered the coptaio, with almos:
o shudder, II leel it in my bones."
In the meantime, Captain Lester had tecn
watching the sea and sky as before, and he
fancied that the signs OF the storm were grow.
ing more and more palpable every moment.
The sun YVES 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 fiery clcud, looking upon fearful black
ness behind.
"Do you see how strangely it locks eff
there 7" said the captain, raising his finger
towards the point where the sun was setting.
"Aye," returned Griffin, II have been
wotchng those da ok places"
And others noticed the same thing, und
spoke Of it, too
Seven o'clock came nrd went. Eight
O'Clock came, and the first watch was set.
"Dont 60 below" said tt4 captain, as the
men Of The last dog. wBtch left their stations.
"Tbis calm can't last great while. You
had better ba:ten down the hGtches now,
while there is nothing else to do; 'or I'm
sure there will he need Of having them close
before the coming of another day."
The men had had no thoughts Of going be-
low, for they could see ard feel: and they
were not wholly ignorant OF what w@s con-
ing SO they went ut work and sec1red the
matches with thick thrpsuins and when this
was done those who had no pdrtiC1lor station
collected bout the wheel. Antthtr hour
passed away-Gnd another. Ten o'clock
came, aud still not breath. The Sip lay
upon the water like a dead thing, with tn
ropes, and blocks, end saiis, rafting and ftp
ping as she was swoyed to and ro ty The
ley swells Of the sea.
"Wha, docs it mean :" cried Griffin, as the
boy struck five bells.
"Hark - said the captain, almost instant
ly. 81 guess you'll soon see. Did you eeI
that = Fla land that ~
1t was puff Of wind, and ligh, flying o!
spray or, perhaps it was spit Of rain. At
all eveLts, the ptf was felt; and the drops
ofwater Tell upon other cheeks than Mau-
rice Testers; and other ears than his heard
the dull moaning which came over the dark
waters. So other ears heard the roar which
followed, and other bodies Suivered beneath
the shock of the storm giant when he came
in his might.
Aye-the storm had come. 1t came with
wind and rain, and with an angry heuving OF
the SEQ. 1t come with darkness like Ere
bus, and 18th the voice of thunder. The
gale continued to increase in fury as the long
night passed away. When morning came
the scene wss one of awful grandeur. The
wind was bowling with terrific fury and the
broad sea was lashed into huge mountains,
that foamed, and tumbled, and leaped along
over the bosom of the deep, seeming every
moment ready to whelm ond engulf the frail
bark that struggled within the demon grasp.
When Captain Lester hsd observed the
signs Of the morning, be feared that the storm
would continue through the doy, and so he
told his men. The sky wore hue of hor-
ror, and rain WIS now driving down, ming.
ling with the lashing sea. AT noon it was
still worse. ..
At length night shut in again, and not
sign yet Of the passing away OF the storm
The irightful bowling Of the tempest seemed
rather to have increased than sbaied. The
men gathered upon the quarter deck, cling
ing for support to the racks and rails-for the
life lines swayed SO much that they wtra
afraid of them gathered as near to the ligh
ofthe binnucle-lamp as they could, Os though
even from such feeble beams they might find
some comfort, But not all were there. Nc
mot all! Four stout, true he arted men
had been swept away by the storm. Near q
score were left +; hot how many shall see the
light Of another day!
AT nine o'clock Captain Lester went be.
low, He took down a chart of the North
Sea, end haviDg spread it upon the table, he
eat down to examine II. He was thus en-
ssped when Mr. Griffia came down but he
did not look up until he bad finished the cal
culation. a.a
uHow 10 It I" the mate asked, as he saw
his csmmander lay down the dividers.
~ have been making a reckoning, and
end that we have but little more sea room