Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1863-02-27

mate, bat he dared not demonstrate, and
the order was executed.
"Start the water out of the deck casks
Man the force-pump, and wet the sail'
down. The rest of you take two can
non balls apiece and walk fore and aft
So. Ease her when she pitches" com
manded Colby, as he saw the Sea Nymph's
crossaek flung to the breeze, and hel
main skysai hoisted.
The lee rail Of the Albicore was now
level with the water and her decks al.
most perpendicular. Her masts surged
back and forth with tho motion of The
ship, in consequence of the slackness OF
the rigging, added to her speed by giving
her an impetus when she plunged for
ward
''l thought ships were made to sail on
their bottoms instead Of on their sides
like this one growled one of her crew.
II reckon the old man means to send
her to Davy Jones's Locker all standin', y
added another.
Captain Barton had now regained what
he had lost at first, and for few min.
utes the ships remained again in line,
but the last maneuver on board the Al
bicore soon began to tell, and she slowly
drew ahead.
Beat him, by thunder" cried Colby,
when the Sea Nympb was fairly astern.
"lIa, ha, hell have to crack on the rest
of his dimity if he wants to keep us in
sight. But what's that? He is Glowing
up his main skysails,-royals too,-and
as I'm a sinner, there 90 his to'galant
halyards. What does it mean ?"
"Look to wind'ard and you'll see what
it means !. " cried the mate with startling
emphasis.
4 heavy squall was close at hand,
which had come up unobserved BY Cap
tain Colby, whose attention was entirely
absorbed in watching the ships. One
glance was enough.
"Clew up the skysais, clcw up the roy
ais. Let 20 to'gallant sails fore and aft.
Haul the cro.jack up, Cicw up, clew up,
for your lives, boys. Let 90 the topsall
halyards.
Never mind the topsall halyards.-
That'll do the ciewllnes. Square the
yalds - he shouted, as the squalI broke
upon them. "lIeave up the Wheel
Quick with the braces, men -
1t was too late With crash the
fore and main to'gaIh,ut masts went over
board, but the accident was the salvation
of the ship, for in another minute she
would have been Oh her beam ends.
The wreck was Immediately cut away,
the remaining sail reduced as speedily as
possible, aud under close rectci man
topsajl, recIed toresal aud spanker, she
drove flricusiy on before the wind, while
the Sea Nymph was lay Ing too under the
lee clew of the main topsali, and patient
y riding out the g4le.
In few hours the wind abated, and
sail was made on the Sen Nymph. Her
competitor in the race had disappeared.
\ long period OF pleasant weather follow
cd, and the Sea Nymph steadily held her
onward way. There was one circumstance
connected with her passage, however
which her commauler could IN 10 way
account for. For weeks he had noticed
that her progress, as asecftainel by daily
observations, fell short OF what it should
have been. taking into consideration the
speed of the ship and the courses She had
steercl.
At length he mentioned the fact to the
mate, who hearing the circumstances, eS-
pressed that there was foul play s)mc-
where.
depend upon it, Captain Barton,the
are traitor, in the camp.
"Do you suspect any one ?" asked his
superior.
IL DO not, but | will keep a weather
eve open, and if discover anything
wrong, will let you knoS Immediately"
That night the mate arose in his watch
below ana stepping into the forward cabin,
cast his eye upon the tell tale which
was suspended overhead.
The Ship was two points off her course,
But perhaps the wind had hauled ahead !;
he would 90 and see. So he crept 81
lently out on the main deck ami look
ed up at the dog vane. The wind WIS
Just where it had been when he lett the
deck, and the snip might have easily laid
up to her course. The weather, leach Of
the miz1en topsail was shaking, bat when
he looked closer he found 'h"t 'ha yards
irsu been braced in a couple of points
Stepping up to the second mate, he cx-
claim, d.
"Mr. Baxter, what does this mean >
Why is the ship OF her course y
"She Is not, sir. -
"Do you tell me lie ~
NO sir, but she IS healing west-nor'-
west, which is her proper course.
"IIcr course is nor'west, and you know
it as well as TO-"
Il did not know it. understood you
to say west nor vest when you went be-
low, and supposiug the wind had suddenly
hauled aft, | bracei in the yards accor,
dinghy"
"Mr. Baxter, won't say YOU lie, but
you talk just as | do when | am lying
Brace up the yards, sir. Keep her nor
west" After this was done, the mate
went below. In The morning he informed
the captain of the disco, cry he had made,
aud the man wao was at the whe'l during
the dispute between the officers, was call
ed into the cabin and questioned. Alter
considerable crcumiocution and evasion,
he confessed that the second-mato had
made practice of keeping the ship oil
her course, shortening sail, and otherwise
delaying her progress toward home, in his