Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1868-02-01

tShtu iif sA6 tiH tvt Has tVTlet. A Bc mate |
had taken the sky-saiis of before dark Yet
the ship now run oil ten knots.
AZ two o'clock tie se eond mate went to
the wheel and whispered TO the helmsmsn
20 lay the ship three points further south.
lie did SO, and Withers noticed it at once.
"What's oil this ~ he cried with an oath
HAS the wind changed ~
lie went to the pinnacle, ard saw the
trouble Ell once. The second mate had
hoped that he was too drunk TO notice the
change. but his wits were keen and quick
in that direction. 1t is . popularity of
drunkenness that the intoxicated man
seems possessed Of an intuitive perception
Of any effort to deceive him and so was
withers in this case. He ordered the man
at the wheel TO be put in irons. and then
ordered the second mate, Mr. Clingman be-
low. He had the ship put en- 70 her ori.
ginal course, and than he paced up and
down the deck raving and stormiDg like Q
mailman.
AT o'clock Mr.. Sargent came up. He
could stand Il no longer.
Capt. Withers." he said, firmly, but re-
specuully. "Ths ship must no, stand on so |
another half hour. assure you, upon my
honor, that the Island Of Milo is directly
ahead, and not over fifteen minutes distan,
al the fsrthcst.'
Get out Of this" yelled the captain.
I "Go below, sir, at once! am commander
here, II you please y
but, sir, am in earn
Out" interposed the mailman, with IN
oath.
Down below, you 60 At once! have
kept the reckoning, if you please, and We
are hundred miles from Milo"
Sargent still urged the captain TO listen,
but he could make no Impression upon him.
lie quickly found that Wthers WAS not
only determined, but madly so, and that he
, would not hesitate to resort 10 violence if
he were opposed further. This the mate
: was anxious to avoid, for the skipper was
only very powerful, but il pushed to phys
I ical siolence, there would be danger OF .
death. So Sarget went below, but he re-
solved thst in one hour he would come up,
and then. II nothing else could be done,
+ the captain should be secured BY force Of
some stratagem, and kept bound until he
got sober.
ic The hour passed away, and yet tie ship
= stood on the old speed. Mr.. Sargent came
20 on deck and looked about him. The stars
were obscured by . thick haze, but the
T. vino kept up o. fresh as ,ver The mate
n. lie made bis way forward, and fanoied he
:. could hear the roar Of breakers. 1t would
" be already daylight but fer the thick atmos
n phere. With quick step the officer walk
ed oft and asked tile captain II he would
not change the course further 10 the south
4, ward.
- .Whatf" cried Withers, starting bach
i, and clenchng his fists, "you up here again
:" I'll lie. you know
ies At this moment the captains voice wa
sst drowned by cry that came from the bows
mo- quick as thought the mate rushed forward
=, The mist had iiftcd--the first CLEAN of day
light was upon the water-and directly
u ahead, not more than three cables length
distant. loaned up foam dashed, towerin,
form of jagged racAs they looked lils,
back monsters there with the mad sea ASH
ing in fury against them.
o. "Breaksfs atse2 ]" shouted half {, ~
". voices in concert
o. braces braces ~ all hands, crieu Sar
CERT N = prompt RI gag tone wlica sound
~ "a above tAa roll OF tie breakers. lie la,
= examined the lay Of tn rocks careful =
~. aud lie knew how TO act, though hop
80 hung on thread s,l0r your lives m'
y. men, he shouted, sprnging towards tn
"a waist. "east eff the staibuard braces -
|
10 helm steady steady hnrd apor, Oh fo
~ your ives Meet her now, Right you
- helm
90 The men saw the danger, but the ste.I
H., promptness of the mate gave them strength
90 and they ohcycd ms orders quickly, arlt
~ With viii. The yards were braccd up
III aud the helm cast aport, the ship felt II
80 and came nobly TO the wind. Captain
- Withcrs had been paraly zcd by the first or,
N; OF breakers. and his power seemed gone
ipi lie stood al the taifrail ike one in a dream
c., trembling from head to foot, and watchin.
80 the working OF the men with maniac eager
- ness. As the ship came up 10 the wind
ia her stern came in towards the TO k, an,
- the eud of the spankerboom actually hit
,s, projecting point. There was sud-, I
$40 sh ,clsa bump--aud the men we're nearl,
re thrown from their feet. The keel had hit
"a sunhen rock a ,roan escaped the captain,
e4 lips, ana he clun, 20 the rail for sup ort a
VV the coll spray from the dead breakers cam,
no dashing over him.
''o A lew minutes after this shock the mcs
Ii. held Their breaths, bu. the ordeal was soon
passed. The ship stood freely on, and ia a
few moments more the danger was over
The breakers were asterD. aud we were
leaving them in the distance with our saved
ie lives and . whole ship.
a Ere long the mist was gone, and the first
y beams of the sun showed u the bleak wave
ashed coast OF Milo der cur lee. The
!" captaii was sober now, and saw shudder
}" pass through his frame as he stood and
II gazea upon the dim rocks in the distance.
:, AT the breakfast table he said not word
- tic could not eat, and he seemed sick and
. faint. Towards noon he came on deck and
y ordered all his crew aft
Z "My men, he said in firm, feeling tone.
Z II have deeply wronged you all, and nv
w officers more deeply still. But let the past
!" be forgiven me. ask you not to forget il.
- for in the memory Of the terrible fate /
~ came SO near bringing upon you, shall my
- own safety be fixed. Blu. forgive me, and
- as God is my walker, you shall never have
:. occasion to blame me sgaiu"
= The glad shout that went up from the
- deck assured Capt. Withers that he had not
! lost friend. They loved him better than
= ever from that day. aud he never bctray ed
N tue new confidence they reposed in him,
i. ana never touched it moro. for he knew too
~ we'll that his fate depended in an entire
- shutting out the thief which had stolen tho
W. best part of hin.
on Snics Of New York yRcrchants.
< The following are the returns Of sales by
ia the leading dry goods firms of this city for
IS the last eight months Of 1867:
II. r. Clafllin L Co.. $50. 700 ooo
"a. A. 7. Stewart 4 Co...... 81 800 .Ooo
M 4. .. Jafray Il Co.. 5000 00C
=. M Latirop, Ludington & Co... 5000 ooo
~, an'hony Hall. ............ 4,l0o,O0C
"a, geo. niiss d 20. -............ $500, 00l
- ueo. A Nieks Co...... -. 9,000,0ot
as ;. u. Chii;endeu L Comm 1000 oof
- ~