Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-10-28
NO. 256.

| credlDly short time, as it might have ap-
peared to landsman, we were off and
pulling vigorously over the recent track of
the ship.
1t was wild night, for the trade wind
blew in strong and fitful gusts, half
gale, and the sea was so rough that we
made comparatively slow progress, while
the heavy masses of '.trade clouds" scud-
ded in chase Of each other across the
heavens, shutting out even the feeble light
OF the stars. We had no guide to poor
Bill that night but our compass and the
faint chance that a merciful Providence
might direct our course to him but,
nevertheless, we started away from the
ship full of hope.
| The top-light of the frigate, burning
| clear and bright, served as our beacon, in
measure, and we kept it astern on the
right bearing, while it had been arranged,
before we left, that those on board the
ship should send up rocket every half
hour, as guide to US in case we lost
sight of the ships lights, while to keep
her regular position as nearly as possible,
the frigate was to "wearn every four
hours.
All, well | remember that dismal Dec
ember night 1t availed nothing for me
to give the command, ''Row dry, boys,
row dry ~ for as our boat rose on the
crest of the huge seas, the wind swept the
spray from the whitel caps in binding
sheets over US, chilling US to the marrow,
and drenching us to the skin.
Our men pulled manfully. and every
now and then would lay on the oars, give
rousing cheer, and then listen. No
sound came back to our ears but the moan
ing of the wind, and the dull swash of the
huge seas as they rolled past us. We
burned blue lights and peered eagerly in
to the black night; but naught was seen
save once, when piece of driftwood,
covered with seaweed and barnacles, float
ed by, few Carey chickens lowering ON
inously over it.
Not sight or sound except this all
that long, weary night, during which our
men pulled steadily and cheerfully. By
four o'clock we had lost sight of the rock
cts, and when day dawned there was
nothing to be seen over the broad expanse
OF ocean-the frigate was out of sight.
Nevertheless, not a thought occurred to
a man in that boat save the one thought of
finding poor Bill, if happily we might
find him. Perhaps, as officer of the cut
ter, felt the critical condition in case we
lost the ship more than the boats crew,
attempt to gain the Cape Verde Islands,
six hundred miles to the windward of us,
in the teeth of trade gale, while l, also,
alone knew that we had but three days
provisions for the longer run of fourteen
hundred miles to Barbados, the next
nearest land. Yet we continued to pull in
a zigzag course, across what we deemed
must have been the track of the ship the
evening before, and nothing rewarded
our efforts. So brief respite was given
to the crew, and glass of grog served all
round.
| 81 think as how Bills gone, sir" said an
old focastleman, who pulled the stroke
oar, during pause in our search. "YOu
see, sir" he added, "Bill seemed kinder
cut up and queer like sence we buried his
chum, old Dispart, the quarter gunner, off
Madeiry, and he told some of lis how he
thought his turn 'ud come next!n
Nonsense, Manu." said /, chow can
you think that9 Don't you remember the
old song about
mgossw sa s 4 ,sa safsss % that sts .s
Wen find him yet, my man, never fear !"
But my words belied the feeling at my
heart, though didn't care that the men
should know it; so broke out with
gruff 'Give way, men, give way to-
getherr'
Suddenly cry came from one of the
bow oarsmen. who had laid in their oars
and were standing up forward ON the
lookout.
''There's something in the water, sir,
two pints on the port bow; looks like a
gratin', SIR"
"Give way. my lads r' said l, getting
excited myself, as faint hope took pos
session of me.
We pulled toward the floating object
and it was the grating DR.. Lancet had
thrown to Bill, and on it was sailors
black neck-handkerchief tied through one
of the holds of the grating, SO as to form
a sort of beckett to hold on by But where
was poor Bill ? Nothing in sight but soli-
tary sea-bird, which had lowered about rs
with its peculiar note as we approached
the grating. Doubtless the poor fellow
held on from hour to hour, hope gradual
ly sinking within him, until, exhausted
with fatigue and benumbed with cold, his
grasp had given way, and he had sunk to
rise no more, until that dread day when
the sea shall give up its dead, and we shall
all stand trembling before the great judg-
ment seat!
THAT ERE birds Bills sperrit,n said old
Maui. II told you sir, l knowed he'd
gone, for the parson said the other day as
how we did sometimes have presentations,
or such like" q
| suppose the old fellow meant that poor
Bill had had presentiments but / said
nothing, my heart being too full of his sad
fate.
Itwas now eight o'clock, and we serv-
ed out trihe of "grub" from our scanty
supply of provisions. The air seemed
much warmer, and the sea had gone down
somewhat; but the trade still grew fresh.
My great anxiety was now to find the ship
for should she have missed us by steering
the wrong course during the night, our
situation would be unpleasant, not to say
critical. Further search for Seavy SEEM
ed the merest folly and utterly unlikely to
avail anything. The grating and the neck
cloth told the story Of his fate as plainly
as though we had seen the final struggle.
In my minds eye saw the poor fellow
as the ship moved rapidly from him; the
first bewilderment of his fall then his