The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1871-05-05

\ OOoCl bSo SouICtuluS WuiCn tOiu Alic
that she too, perhaps, might have had
J her feathers scorched from huttering
too near the flame. There was no mis-.
taking it; she was profoundly agitated;
her distress was real and very great,
though she strove to hide it.
The boat was returning. Had they
found him? "Yes," said one. II can
count six. No-stop bit. It's only
} five. Armstrong; lost"
Il "No; ne is saved" said the captain,
"for ] see him. Thank God" And
with the good words there arose a sud-
!, den commotion and fiutter.
"Wbat's the matter with Miss Bella
my? Oh dear! Miss Bellamy has
faintedr'
1t was true. They had to catch her
as she was falling. The strain on the
nervous system had been too great.
i Nothing was thought of it; she soon
revived, laughed it off, and called her.
self stupid for fainting "at such a
trifle."
The boat came alongside, and Aim.
strong scrambled up the side-ladder,
grinning. His appearance, to say the
least of it, was not elegant. Having
divested himself of boots, coat and vest
while in the water, he now appeared
on the scene in wet shirt and panta-
looms that clung about him in folds
and pleats.
Down he dived to his cabin; had a
stiff glass of brandy and a heavy rub
down. Meanwhile the boat was hoist
ed up, the sails were trimmed, and the
| ship kept on her course.
Il Tho thar ao,- finnaI onI IN, n
few days we entered the Mozambique
Channel. Here we got fine southeast
wind, which sent us bowling along
nine or ten knots, with stunsails set
slow and aloft.
All this time Mr.. Armstrong and
Miss Bellamy seemed to gOOn as usual.
He was constant and demOIstrative
in his attention. In fact, it was plain
to every one on board how matters
were with him. She, ON the contrary,
appeared as Indifferent as ever, and
teased him like child. Sometimes /
fancied this difference was only assum-
ed; but, if so, it was cleverly done,
Events, however, were bringing on a
crisis.
! We had left the Cape about ten days.
One evening, just at eight O'Clock, l
was relieved from watch. The stewards
had placed the usual grog and wine on
the table, and went into the cuddy.
The captain was seated in his state
room (the after one), a chart spread out
before him. He called me in.
"You have the middle watch, i
think ?"
"Yes, sir"
"NVeIl, at midnight, when you come
on deck, take all the stuns'ils in, and
haul her up couple of points. Keep
good look out for the island. It's
very low, so the chances are that
you'll not see anything of it"
Very good, sir"
And Ihad just began game at chess
in the cuddy, when the captain called
me back again.
| ooh, look here, Mr.. W, l think
you need no. mind about the stuns'ils.
III alter the course a point at once;
that ought 10 take us well clear. How
ever, you can keep sharp look out
Just the same. We were hundred and
twenty miles or so off at noon; and
according to the rate we've been going
at since, She ought to be up with the
island between l and o'clock"
"Very good, sir" L repeated; "Til
keep a good look out" Aud 1 returned
to my game of chess. 1t did not last
long, and | SOON turned in.
At midnight, when 1 relieved the
second mate, the night was fine, and
tolerably clear--clear enough over head.
But ON the water there was sort of
light mist, and the rays of the moon,
which was now about two hours high,
| rrIn l,ol 4,
ened, and we had quite enough of it
for the small stuns'iis. 1 took up usual
turn round the decks, cautioned the
lookout man, and returned to thepoop.
About Ealf-past one l reckOned up,
mentally, that we must have run the
exact distance. "Davis," said to the
third mate, just go forward and see if
the lookout is nodding; if so, give him
trifle to remember you by. Stop on
the forecastle yourself till call you OFF,
and keep sharp look out"
Away went Davis. had my night
glasses with me; and knowing that if
we saw the land at all we should be
very close to it, walked from side to
side of the poop, looking anXiously
around. Suddenly couple of gulls
shrieked overhead. "By heavens !"
thought /, "that's warning, and I'll
accept it." l hurried forward, deter
mined to remain on the lookout my
self. AS ascended the forecastle lad
der, Davis was in the act of coming
down, and met me.
rs that you, sir? There's something
ahead can't quite make out. was
coming aft to tell you, 1t looks like q
sort of cloud"
i Pushing past him, 1 took one look.
For a second of time my heart seemed
to turn quite cold and stand STILL 1
felt half sick. The next moment |
was all right; the shock had been too
heavy. We were right bang Oh the top
of the island. There it was, scarcely u
mile Oft. l could see the surf distinct Y
with the glasses, and the ship was tear
ing along straight for it, about ten
knots an hour. We ought TO have seen
it sooner, but the glare of the moon
rendered the horizOl all round quite
black looking, while at the same time
its rays on the water made the surf inn
possible to be distinguished at q dis
, tance.
+ For moment I thought nothing
|, could save the ship. Fortunately
have Always been very cOol-quite self
possessed in sudden emergencies, as in
. moments of greatest peril. 1t is my
nature to be SO; and wish all sailors
could say the same. There was but one
! thing that could save us, and | tried it.
''Hard up. hard up" | shouted to
the helmsman, "Call all hands to save
ship. Let go the royal halyards and
stuns'il tacks fore and aft. Brace the
crossjack yards round" By this time
,, had got down Oft the forecastle and
hurried aft. ''Let go the lee main
) braces, one of you; main tack and
/ sheet, too, somebody" All this had
. occupied less than half minute and
, ] now met the third mate with his
startled and anxious face.
"Davis, call tfA captain. Tell him
y we are right on the top of it,"
Two minutes more and We were i'm q
' pretty pickle. The helm had been put
f hard up, and the ship spun round OH
her heel like top. She was now flat
f aback by the ice, and going stern first
toward the island. The men had peen
!. too slow in their movements, and be-
, fore the yards could be braced round
they had taken aback. The state OF
confusion was frightful. 1 got up Oh
: the poop. All the crew were on the
{ deck, some pulling on one rope, some
;, on another, and all of them talking,
= many frightened and bewildered. This
would never answer. "Silence, fore
:, and aft What the deuce are you all
3 doing? Attend to the word of COM
= mand. Nj. Green, bring your watch
into the poop, and turn this mainyard
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