The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1866-07-09

without speaking. Then he called
down the companion hatch for me to
bring his glass, which / did very
quickly, for, to tell the truth, [ was
standing with it in my hand at the bot
tom of the stairs, listening to what
was going on. Now | heard what
Monsell had said when he hailed from
the main-top; so when l came on
deck [ looked over the quarter
There, sure enough, | picked her out
with the naked eye, not very plain, to
be sure, but plain enough to see that
she was large ship, very deep, and
rolling heavily.
She seemed to have main-royal
or mizzen-top- gallant sail set on
| jury mast rugged forward As [ could
make out all this, you may imagine |
was much astonished by hearing the
| captain say to the first mate, : can't
see her, Mr. Gilbert; | think it must
be Monsell's fancy" @ .ag
When he said this, looked round.
and was surprised to see that he had
his glass directed to a point or so
/. abaft the beam. No wonder he didn't
see her, for the ''Dryad' 4 had not
been idle all this time, aud we were
! leaving the wreck well astern; the
| breeze, too, was freshening into
smart capfnl of wind. Upon hearing
the skipper 5 remark, our first mate
said: ..r.,.- ot- es s
lq Bring me up my night-glass, will
And get supper ready, Stedman, +"
added the captain, in "a way that
sounded like What are you dOingo on
/ deck, when you are not wanted -
!, Of course | took the hint, but what
/ with going between the cabin and the
| galley and listening at the foot of the
companion, | heard and saw all that
passed Dir. Gilbert took. the. glass.
and, walking right aft, looked over
the taffrail a little to leeward Pres
emily he said:
Is : see her quite distinctly, SRA
heavy ship from Bombay or Calcutta,
most likely; rolling very deep, sprung
a bad leak, [ should say, sir; should
not wonder if one of her masts when
| they went overheard had started
butt :"
All this Mr.. Gilbert said without
taking the glass from his eye.
She's abandoned, [ suppose, Mr..
Gilbert, said the captain, in a tone
which he tried to make unconcerned
and without looking in the direction
of the wreck.
Well, no, sir, [ should say not,
replied the mate decidedly, as he
turned around and looked at his SUI
perior with some surprise. | should
say that there were some hands
aboard of her, if not all the crew;
they have rugged that jury mast with
that rag of sail forward, and they
manage to keep her before the wind
pretty well, considering.
g All, well, well, Mr.. Gilbert, she'll
do all right enough; she has a fair
wind for St. Helena, and she can
fetch that easily, [ dare say, if the
worst comes to the worst; besides she
is in the regular track of the home
ward bounders, and some ship or
other will be sure to pick her up.
Whether or no, | can't put the ships
head round now and beat UP to wind
ward to her for three or four hours.
and then find, after all, that she does
not require our assistance. Perhaps
the Planet may fall in with her to-
morrow or next day,-ha! hal"
This he said with forced laugh,
but neither of the mates seemed dis
posed to join him in his merriment.
On the contrary, they both looked
very gloomy, and | can't say that I
thought it subject to be ioked about,
nor, dare say, did the crew. In
deed, our captain s behavior surprised
me a good deal; for though he was
generally considered taut hand. and
very strict in his notions of duty and
discipline, no one on board had ever
regarded him as cruel or bad heart
ed man. But, you understand, the
Devil was at his elbow in two or three
shapes. He was anxious to bring in
the first cargo of tea,-he was anxious
to do well for his owner,-he took a
pride in the fast passage his ship was
making, and there was his confounded
bet with Captain Sandilands, of the !
Planet.
But it is not for me to judge him.
and, what's more, no one on board. |
officers or men, presumed to express
their opinion, whatever they NAV have |
thought; only / heard Mr.. Gilbert. |
who went into his cabin shortly after
eight bells had struck. muttering some
thing to himself about a nice entry !
to make in the log book" TWAS the |
second mates watch from eight to
twelve, but Captain Harrison remain
ed walking the deck; and when | |
went up to him and announced that
supper was ready, he sent Mr.. Moasell
down, saying that he would keep the
watch in the meantime. And when !
Monsell returned on deck, there he |
still remained, silently pacing fore and
aft, and occasionally stopping to look |
over the tafrail, The moon rose at
four bells Dr. thereabouts, and soon af- |
forwards [ heard the. skipper say
" Turn the hands up, Mr. Monsell |