The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1863-10-16
A Fofiions Night AT Sen.

The air was filed with q mist, so that
wc could see but short distance from
the ship. Conversation was out Of the
question. The mate, In the commence
nicnt OF the gale, wanting to direct me to
do something, came and put his mouth TO
my ear and screamed at the top Of bic
voice. could hut just hear him. The
gale hummed through the cordugo like
one continuous note Of an organ. Night
came down upon US and the darkness
was very thick.
els that a star rising TO the wind
ward 7" shouted one OF the frat mates in
my car.
1 looked as we'll as | could in the di.
rection he pointed, aud did, indeed, dis
cern something through the misty dark
ness--a bright yellowish body. But ]
knew that i was no star, unless one OF
the orbs Of space, approaching nearer
than usual to our earth, had assumed lar
ger proportions. In a few minutes lper-
ceived the attention Of the captain and
first mate was directed to this object
| could hear nothing, but could see the
captain whiriag about and putting his
mouth to the ear Of the mate, while the
latter moved also like person In great
fright. The helmsman, being relieved,
came forward, clinging to ropes aud
stnys, aud shouted in my ear that ship
was coming down upon US from the
windwnrd. could see nothing partlcu-
lariy amusing in that intelligence, for II
she came down upon US we must Of course
burn also the flames would be blown
right scros, our deck. right into our top
hlmpcr. The cook was preparing mess
Of 6sh-chowder Tor the crew, and hoped
no would hurry il up, for IL ho delayed it
much longer il would prove dead loss.
The bright spot over the weather bea m
grew larger aud larger, aud now anoth.
er roar, different from that Of the blast,
smote our ears. saw the captain run
ming from man to man and shouting in
their cars. They LOOKED aloit. Several
of them asccnded the rigging, slowly to
be sure, but they got up after a fashion
and looscd the ioresail. The mate or.
dercd Us to haul at the foresheet, taking
hold of il himself, and making US under.
stand his meaning more by gestures than
words. The men aloft had cut the cask-
cts from the sail with their with their
sheath knives, but in the same moment
the wind streamed IL out to leeward aud
tore II bodily from the yard. We saw il
I in a moment, like u white cloud, flying
away, and il was gone from our sight
On came the roaring body Of fire, reach
ing out It's red arms toward like some de-
mon, resolved to compel US to embrace,
though he knew that embrace would be
death /! Smoke and sparks were already
rolling over us, and soon our cordage
would be in blI
"Lower AWAY the boats |" sfrieked the
captain in despair.
Every man felt that such q course
could be OF no earthly use, for no boat
could live in that gale, and IL they could
there was nothing in them to sustain
| life, and we were more than thousand
I miles from the nearest land. Not a mar
stirred TO oboy the order, bu, several OF
them fell on their knees, while one or
two cried out with terror. Already had
we begun to feel the heat from that i'm.
mense flame, and enc or two of tho men
covered beneath the bulwarks. BY the
! light Of the fire could see the counter.
ances of all. Every face was as pale as
death. In that dread moment one word
dispelIed all fear, and restored confidence
TO every heart. The cabin steward, a
long, lank, awkward fellow, from Kenne-
bunk, came up, and having looked awhile
at the FIRE, and witnessed terror in every
face, erept up 10 windwsrj, and said To
tho FIRST man he reached, "whnt are you
siraid of you darned fool you'll Don't you
know that a ship half burned cart trav.