The Albany register. [volume] (Albany, Or.) 1868-18??, 1872-10-25

Inc nope OF HieetinH any NeSSti iil tidC
quarter was very faint. but hung up
a lantern, and saw that the two six
Founders which the brig carried were
loalled aud could be fired off at q mo-
ment'S notice.
The breeze kept growing sitter as
the evening advanced. aud the brig
soon had a good sea to wallow through.
Had the upper sails been left drawing.
| should have had my hands more
than full. AS it was, could hold her
quite into the wind and yet feel that
she was dashing along after her old
style. The breeze held good until
midnight, and then began to die away.
1t changed somewhat us it weakened,
so that had to ease the ship off n
couple Of points, giving me a more
direct course toward the coast. In
one hour | lost all that | had gained
in the last five, and was swept clear
beyond the influence of the trades.
BY two o'clock the sails hung idle,
and might as well have been at an
chor.
So long as had had something to
occupy my attention, had been free
of superstition; but now, the ship
having no Roadway, and everything
grooming as she rose and fell, began
to feel afraid. We had plenty of Ian
terms aboard. and lit four or five
more and hung them about the deck,
so as to diSpel the gloon, and spent
the time until daylight in walking up
and down. The sun brought up fine
breeze from the northeast. and my
spirits rose. Such breeze, if lasting
ten or twelve hours, would carry me
back into the trades, and then would
be all right again. lhad just trimmed
the sails and got under way, when Il
cloud Of canvass rose ont OF the ocean
to the north. 1t was 4 large bark,
coming down with fine breeze, and
was heading directly across my course.
Running to the guns, | discharged
them. one after another, and then ran
mp the Union Jack, upside down, as 4
signal of distress. The stranger did
not answer me, either by flag or gun,
but kept on her course. In an hour
| could make out her hull, and in less
than another hour she was running
alongside me, not hundred feetaway.
"What brig is that?" hailed voice.
"The King George of London,
homeward bound" replied.
"What do you want?" came the
voice again.
"I'hc captain and all the men but
me ale dead. | want you to come on
board.r
The stranger seemedat first inclined
to accept my story. but after consulta-
tion with his officers, he hauled about
and went off on the new course,
as if Davy Jones was at his heels. |
have always believed that he was n
SLAYER. and that catching sight of my
guns, aud thinking my story an i'm
probable one, he gave me his heels as
soon as possible.
| was much cast down by the inci@
dent, having liopcs that all trouble was
passed, and laltered my course with
the intention OF overhaulng and con-
vincing him. | had no sooner showed
the helm over. than his shronds were
covered with men, and his upper
yards were whitened with canvass.
Seeing that he suspected a ruse, put
the brig back on her course. and held
herthere until sunset. when lost the
breeze from the north and felt the
trade winds. They were only mo(ler-
ate, and after ! had altered the course
Of the brig. | had nothing to do but
give the wheel a halfturn now and
then. to keep to the compass point.
| had taken such run toward the
coast that st. Helena Ind been left to
the west, and | had no chance to reach
it. The night passed without Incl
dent. The wind held as steadily as if
the work of some machine, and every
sail felt it. could catch little ''cat-
maps" as | sat on 4 stool and minded
the wheel. and. having. as it were,
ran away from the dead crew. was
no longer afraid. wondered greatly
that alone had been spared ont of
that sturdy crew. hut the fact was be-
fore me, and came TO the belief that
the vile liquor and tainted fruits had
been the clusc Of every death.
The next seven days were without
incident ofany kind. The wind blew
a fine breeze day and night, and | did
not so much as touch rope. BY
lashing the wheel, could leave it for
ten minutes at a time without the brig
losing a point. and so | had time to
eat and drink. When the cooked food
was gone boiled more beet, and there
was 10 lack of hearty eatables. During
the week saw no sail, though | many
times went aloft with tile captains
glass. As lieared the equator. had
great hopes Of falling in with an out
ward hound craft, as homeward bound
and outward bound generally strike
for the same point, 50 as to change
trade winds.
| was not seaman enough to tell
when had crossed the line. but it was
certain that three more days went by,
and / caught no sail. Then. one night;