Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1861-03-14

Il
man sir"
and not resent it 2"
Il will defend myself iu case of dan ger, but
| will not so abuse myself as to engage in a
brutal fight when it can be possibly avoided
| have as yet done wrong to no man; but were
| to fight one of my Shipmates, | should wrong
him and myself BOTH"
Then you will have yourself looked upon
as one who may be struck with mpunity"
A quick flush passed over the young mans
face as the captain thus spoke, but ne was soon
calm.
g mean, sir" he returned, "to give no one
occasion to strike me; yet BuGkton struck me
and you can see that he already suffers more
from the effects of it than | do"
Bunkton gave Caleb the lie, and again tried
to urge him into a fight, but the captain in-
terfered, and quiet was restored.
From that time Caleb Baker was looked
upon by the crew as a coward.
At first they taunted him, but his uniform
| kindness soon put a stop TO these outward
manifestations. and the feelings of the crew
were expressed by their looks Bunkton took
every occasion he could fud TO annoy the
young man, for he had taken his oath that he
| would "haVe fight out of the coward YETI
The rest Of the crew might have let the matter
pass, had not Bunkton'S continued behavior
kept alive the idea of Bakers cowardce
None, save himself, knew the great Strug-
gle that went on in the young mans bosom;
but he had resolved that he would not fight ex-
cept in actual and necessary selfdefence, and
he adhered to his principle. He performed his
duties faithfully, and Captain jacobs was fore
ed to admit that tho Baker was q coward, he
was good sailor
Thus matters passed until the ship had
doubled the Cape of Good Hope and entered
the Indian Ocean. 1t was toward the close of
day that had been sultry and oppressive,
that htful breeze sprung up from the south
ward. 1t came in quiet, cool gusts, and the
canvas only tapped before it.
:" We are likely to have blow" remarked
the mate
Not much, think" returned the captain,
as he took a survey of the horizon. This
splitting will soon die away, and | think the
wind will then come from the west ard. How
ever, it may be well enough to shorten sail
You may take iu the t'gallants'Is and close
reef the tops'IS."
The order was quickly obeyed, and, as the
captain had predicted, the splitting gusts died
away, but there was no wind came out from
the west'ard. 1t grew dark, but no wind had
come. About ten o'clock those on deck were
startled by q sudden darkening Of the stars,
and they saw q great black cloud rolling up
from the southwark. 1t soon hung DER the
ship like black pail, aud the men began to
be frightened. The captain was called, but
before he came on deck there came o crash as
though the very heavens had been rent asun-
der The old ship trembled in every joint, and
a huge ball of fire rolled down the mainmaSt
Another and another crashing of the light
ming came, and at length the electric light be-
gan to play about the ship in wild fantastic
streams.
"T'he manmast is struck" shouted one Of
the men. See where its head is shvered !"
All eyes were turned to the spot, and by
the next wild fash the men could see that
dangerous havoc had been made with the
manmast. The cap was shivered, the star0oard
cheek was nearly stripped of, aud the trestle
trees was quiycring. OF course, the heavy
topmaSt was only held in its place by the dub
ious trestletrees, and the maintop threatened
every instant to come laundering to the deck,
with the long topmast and top gallant mast in
company Such catastrophe would prove
fatal to the ship, and all were aware of it.
But while all hands were gazing at this,
another danger arose The low rnmbIing sound
that had been muttering in the southwark had
escaped the notice of the crew, and ere they
knew it the rushing, bowling wind was upon
them The ship eaped like frightened stag
before the gale The mate cut the maintOp-
sail sheets, and the sail was snapped into rib
bOnS. The foretopsa was Clewed up, and the
ship got before the wind
The lightning cloud was swept away, and it
was dark as Erebus The wind howled fear
fully but there was sound more fearful than
that. 1t was the creakng o. the shattered
trestletrees, as the fd Of the topmast bore
down upon them.
80 God p calculated Captain Jacobs, if
the trestetrees give way we are lost Hark
hear them labor y
Away up alott, in the impenetrabIe dark
ness, stood the giant topmast, and all felt that
it could not stand there long. The men
crowded aft, and with painfully beating hearts
they heard the mast labor.
" If we could bring the ship broadside to"
said the mate, the weather rigging might be
cut, and the mast would 90 overheard"
True, true" returned the Captain {" but
who'll go aloit and do the job? There
will be no foot-hold in the top for that will
90 with a crash The trestletrees are already
shattered"
"If you will port the helm l will make the
trial, ," cried clear, strong voice, which was
at once recognized as Caleb Bakers.
"It will be sure DEATH" said Jacobs.
"Then let it be So" returned Caleb. "If
| succeed, the rest of you may he saved but
In hn1p RI
| will go"
CaIab took tbo ora from the mizzermast