Worcester daily spy., 1861-11-05
G00rtestGr 9aiiD Spp,
LEvIATHAN IN A TEMPEST,
John $. DwIghF- Experience ON the Great
Eastern.


LConcuded.l
Still the storm RACES There is no reducing
it to routine by whatever talk or thought Of
other subjects. When will the gale subsile
y for rain to trampie down this sea o
that the morning would come, that we might
see, at least, how it is with us, or descry per
chance some friendly sail on the horizon. In
light itself there is certain triendliness and
sense of safety. We have hours to wait yet
but they pass one wonders how, but they are
= gone. To safety of talk and fits OF rolling sue.
coed spells of musng dreamy silence, whose
length is not described by minute and hour
hands. Whole lives are mentally lived over
One is with family and friends at home. One
is counting up the chances OF a nation strug.
gle for liberty and national existence; one
pursuing art ideals, phiosophic speculations,
or musing on the great problems OF life and
eternity; one gravitating back by force of
habit to dollar and cent calculations, to the
shop routine, or bOlder enterprises grand
financial hobbies, Mostly serious thoughts
prevail, but not on that account the less sweet
and happy. Were it at all strange, should
strains of sweet and solemn music, remember.
ed from inspired masters, float through the
mind Snatches of song or harmony from
that great Birmingham Festival, the freshest
memorable experience OF the year in Europe
80 rest in the Lord" from EEjah Tie great
deep, as through Il wilderness - and much
more, that will be readily imagined out of
those sacred oratoros or deep and tender
arias from Bach or great soul lifting move.
ments, sublime as the ocean, and as deep and
infinite, hut al the same time profoundly hu.
man, from BeethOvens Symphonies. Others
find, too, no mean consolation in tile homely
hymns with which they have worshipped God
from childhood, and their fathers before them
Is it an uusubstantial feeting pleasure a mere
ticker of the sense Is it nothing to have
great thoughts, rhythmcally haunt the soul
in such an hour as this Some dull half
drowsy moments find place also during the
deusive luls, as day approaches. Even the
prisoner can sleep before the morning of his
execution. What will the morning bring for
us Too dull and weary are we all, perhaps
to ask ourselves the questonvery earnestly.
Friday 13th.-Day dawns at last. 4 dull,
grey, leaden sky. The wind has not gone
down; still less the sea- l creep away in the
early twilight, through winding passages, over
the broken furniture OF the dining saloon
cpging to what remains of rails and bannis
ters, when the rolling fit begins, down into
our little stateroom, and there get some hours
comparative rest; no sleep, for In the heavy
rolls it costs much effort to keep from being
pitched out OF ones berth. And the noise too,
ing ram continually against one spot in the
iron WALL which shuts it out from me. Right
under the bulls eye window the blow plants
itself making all quiVer and resOund again
and the white top foam leaps above the win
dow sometimes even upon deCk darkening
all within. The air S close and sitting and
damp the carpet, as in nearly all the cabins
saturated with salt water, which had beat IN
by The not too tightly fastened window in the
ftut ,f tl,a sf,r A >
into the dining saloon in search Of food, having
had rone for four and twenty hours A table
has been set in the adjoining room the door
way barricaded by large stoye--the only
place where it will "stay put" In climbing
over this, and asking news of those about,
sudden lurch comes, the glass door (mtRuS
glass; Of side-board flies open, and l receive
discharge of decanters, pitchers, tumblers
full upon me-but fortunately not on face or
hands Contrve TO reach the table, empty a
cup of the backest tea, splling the greater
half Of it, ana very nearly being split snatch
bit of meat and bread (lor it is mostly "grab
game" now) and make off with it to my den,
Bolster my head upon the corner of the sofa,
brace my feet, and try 10 read but ii is easier
thinking. "No, neither" says the bosierous
enemy without, with laundering thump: "Me
me Prepare for me =
Saturday, 14th.-Driftibg, drifting But in
Lne TIglt ufeCllOn NOW, II billl ille NlUu Keeps
in this quarter, that il, toward Ireland. Our
hope is now to drift into the highway OF steam
ers, TO sight some ships but we are far away,
out Of the common courses, in the pathess
sotudes of the ocean. And will the wind
The tickle wind continue to beiriend us The
day passes much in the same manner as the
last. There are periods OF dependency aud
periods of hope; for tie soul itself, as Hene
sings, is like the sea, and has its waves, its
storms, and calms.
Meanwhile new hope springs up. An
American passenger, a civil engineer Mr.
Hamilton E. Towle, of Exeter, N, H., mas sug-
gested very ingenious plan TO the captain for
virtually reconstructiug the rudder head
which it is for those acquainted with mechan,
les to describe. He is placed in command of
the engineer department, and devotes himself
all that day and night with admirable energy
and skill in improvising resources, to execute
his idea On that now all apparently must
turn. God further the good work Night
comes on, the watches are set, and prepara,
tions made for signals all are on the lookout
for some ship. AS | lie in bed about nine in
the evening, half doing, l hear what sounds
like the rush OF rocket, twice and then a
gun Presently my roommate bursts in with
news "too good to be true J" A ship has come
up unseen, and is about under us Z! She has
taken our watchers by surprise. 1t is the lit
tie brig "NIagnet," from Halifax for Galway,
ard she readily engages to lie by us all night,
Great Joy and excitement! who can keep be
low we rush on deck some even pack what
baggage they have left that they may be
ready to be taken of at once And into mid
night we scarce feel the rocking and the cold
air, that magnet holds us by such firm attrac-
tion. What can she do for us Yet new
thrill of hope has shot through every breast.
God bless the little brig
Sunday, 15h.-Early in the afternoon all the
chmneys give sign that they are getting up
steam. BY FIVE almost before we know il the
screw works The ship obeys the rudder!
her head is being slowly brought round to
ward the Irish Channel. JOY indescrbable
Losses and disappointments are forgotten in
pure thankfulness for life, in the sweet pros.
pect of firm land again. But fist a pretty
scene our dove is beckoned near the little
brig comes up within speaking distance; it is
proposed to take her in tow, to steer by, should
the temporary rudder fail. This dove declines,
from very natural tear for her own safety but
promises to keep US company till we are har-
bored Dangerous to let herself be tied to so
unwieldy neighbor and look even now,
while we are parleying, our huge hulk is drift
ing right upon her; she has barely time to save.
herself. A child rescuing drowning giant
dove to steer dead leviathan! Thank heaven,
there is no need Leviathan is himself again
he can wag his tail fins (the rudder) and can
steer himself again Cautiously turning, by
describing half circle ot piOht nr ten miles