St. Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1845-1863, 1861-01-31

4 ."'e HsN, SsS t'S aeshfh tofAcu uukcS W
dexn.
/ But the sun. which was now low in II
heavens. had become obscured BY 4 ma,
Of dull, vapory clouds. and We could pei
ceivs that mist Was beginning to gathe
apsn the waters. 1t had already shroude
tho ship from our sight, md was rollin
slowly toward US.
A few moments later, and we eoul
scsrcely discern the sail Of the larboar
boat. while those astcrn were entirely sltu
out from our view. Nevertheless, wit
the game so near him, the mate was nc
disposed to give up the chase. and it wa
rot long ere The Intervening mist curtaine
tIis craft entirely from oir vision, as
coztinued 10 speed upon its way. Sudden
ly the well-known cry Of Give it to him!
followed By wild rushing of waters, an.
the order TO Stern all r. with the succeed
Ing hum of the whale-line. as it ral
around the logger-head. and the cxultan
shouts Of the crew, announced to Us tina
he had got fast With the qu;ckncss o
lightning. our sails were rolled up. Will
each Elan bent to his ear, exerting all tn,
strength, will and energy of which h,
was master.
In the thick mist which now prevailed
W could "nly direct our course By tn,
sound of the running line. and the blast.
Of the mates horn as he blew at interval.
upon the instrument.
But these noises grew fainter and fain
rer each moment. antil at length the,
dsed away in the distance, aud We coulc
hear them no more.
The shadows of nj ght we're now begin.
hing to aid their gloom to that of ths
mist, and remarking that it was usclcs.
to search for the mate any longer. who
had probably. ere how, cut from hi.
whale. our officer decided to return tt
the ship This however, VIC found TO be
u pretty difficult. task. bu, as We had Ia ker
the bearings of the vessel before the misl
set in, We succeeded in reaching her at last
We found the othsr two boats. who had
retarued to the ship about half an houl
previously, safely h"i.ted upon their
cranes; but that of the mate was still alb.
sent.
Lights were accordingly hung up ia Ia.
rigging, and the ships horns kept sound
ing almost continually, the main -topsail
was hauled attack. the halyards of the fore
and mizzen let 60. and the wheel put hard
down; for, fearful of increasing the dis
tance betweeH the vessel and the boat il
he proceeded. the captain thought it bes,
20 bring bis ship up into the wind, aud re-
main stationary until morning. provided
;he absent Ones did not return before tha,
time.
But the vessel waited, the horns sound.
ed, and the signal lights burned in vain
The long dark night wore drearily away
and the feeble dawn began to creep into
the mist. Presently the latter cleared
rolling back to the horizon where it re-
mained rising up against the sky like a
bank, and the sun flashed down upon the
cold blue waves, and upon the iccbergs
around US.
The captain mounted aloft with his
spyglass and remained there some time.
But wh.'n he descended he brought no
favorable report. Sky, water aud ice
were inc oDlectS To be seen.
The inain yard was thcn bracei forward
and the fore and ;uizcn topsai! hoistcd t.
their proper levels The wind increased
the sails swelled, and the Eyangus forged
ahead, with the coll white spray flying
around her bows.
The men at The mast-heads. were now
ordered 20 keep good lookout for the
missing boat, and for this purpose the best
hands and the sharpcst eyes in the shin
had Leen stationed upon the crosstrees.
In this way the hours wore on. and pacing
the deck with sad hearts and gloomy
brows, the men composing the watches
would every now and then glance up
aloft to see whether there was aught in
the behavior Of the lookouts to show that
they beheld anything which bore resem-
blance to the missing craft. At length it
struck eight bells and We were ordered to
get our dinners, but there were some of
US who could scarcely eat norsel as we
reflected upon the probable sufferings OF
the absent boats crew and vainly looked
to the opposite sides Of our chests, for the
faces Of chums who we're wont to take
their meals with US. But their customa-
ry shares OF meat and duff were carefully
cut out and preserved. for we still clung
to the belief that We would again have
them alive and we'll on beard the ship--so
hard it is to realize the loss Of those
friends who have been linked to our heart.
by habit. association, and peril.
The day passed without bringing the
boat, or anything which resembled it, to
our view. and another nigh,-thc ccldes,
that se had yet experienced. even in this
freezing 'lafituie-darkcned around us.
And al! through this night-the same as
during the processing one-the ships
horns were kept sounding. and the lighted
lanterns hung up iL tho rigging with no
better result
Another morning dawned upon us, and
the men were again stationed at the mast
heads. The yards Of the Zyangus had
been squared, and she was now running
before the wind at the rate of about eight