The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1872-05-10

naVlng serFeu Will polH Ill loFHcr
cruise, the old skipper selected me to
take charge of the boat in the night
search.
1t was much like looking for nee
die in a hay.stack; but selected n
good crew from the best ut hand, and
in an incredibly short time, as it might
have appeared to a landsman, we were
off and pulling vigorously over the
recent track of the ship.
IL 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" scudded in chase of
each other across the heavens, shut.
ting 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 Provi-
dence might direct our course to him;
but, nevertheless, we started away
from the ship full of hoTe.
The top.light of the trigate, burn
ing clear aud bright, served as our
beacon in measure, and we kept it
astsrn on the right bearing, while it
had been arranged, before we left,
that those on board the ship should
send up rockets every half hour, as a
guide To us in case we lost sight of
the ships lights. while, to keep her
relative position rs nearly as possible,
the friga.e was TO "wcar" every four
hours.
All, well / remember that dismal
December night. 1t availed nothing
for me to give the command, "Row
dry, boys. row dry!" for rs our boat
rose on the crest of the huge seas, the
wind swept the spray from the white
caps in binding sheets over us, chill
ing us to the m&rrow, and drenchinG
US TO the skin.
Our men pulled manfally, and every
now and then would lay on the oars,
give rousing cheer, aud then listen.
No sound came back to our ears but
the moaning of the wind. aud the dull
swash of the huge combining seas as
they rolled past US. We burned blue
lights and pcered eagerly into the
black night; but naught was seen save
once, when piece OF driftwood, Gov
cred with sea-weed and barnacles,
tloated BY, few Carey-chickens how
ering ominously over it.
Not sight or a sound. except this
all that long, weary night, during
which our men pulled steadily and
cheerfulIyl By four O'Clock We bad
lost sight of the rockets, and, when
day dawned, there was nothing to be
seen over the broad expanse OF ocean
the frigate was out of sight.
Nevertheless. not n thought occur
red TO man in that boat save the one
thought of finding poor Bill, il hap
PLY we might find him. Perhaps, as
officer of the cutter, felt the critical
condition, IN case We lost the ship,
more than the boats crew, for alone
knew the folly it would be to attempt
to gain the Cape Verde Islands six
hundred miles TO windward of us, III
the teeth of 4 ''trade gale" while !,
also, alone knew that we had but
three days provisions for the longer
run of fourteen hundred miles to the
Barbados, the next nearest land
Yet We continued to pull in zigzag
course, across what we deemed must
have been the track Of the ship the
evening before, and nothing rewarded
our efforts. So 4 brief respite was
given to the crew. aud a glass of
grog served out all round.
Il think as how Bills gone, SIR"
said an old forecastleman, 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 Despart, the quartergunner, off
Madeiry, and he told some on us as
how he thought his turn 'ud come
neKtm
Nonsense, MAUI said I; show can
you think that Don't you remember
the old song about
"Tbe little cherub, that sits up aloft,
Lo. king out for tie life OF poor Jackn'
Well find him yet my man, never
fearl"
But my words belied the feeling of
my heart, though | didn't care that
the men should know IL; so | broke in
with gruff "give way. again, men,
give way togetherl7
Suddenly cry came from one. OF
the bow oarsmen, who had laid in
their oars and were standing up for
ward ON the lookout. There's some
thin in the water, sir, two p'ints on
the port bow; looks like a gratin', sir. y
"Give way, my lads!' said /, get
ting excited myself, as a faint hope
took possession of me.
We pulled toward the floating OBJ
ject, and saw it was the grating DIR.
Lancet had thrown to Bill! and on it
was sailors black neck handker-
chief tied through one of the holes OF
the grating. SO as to form sort oi
beckett to hold on byl But where was
poor Bill! Nothing in sight but sol
itary sea-bird, which had lowered
about us with its peculiar note as we
dppToacneu inc STattlS. OouDltess
the poor fellow held on from hour to
hour, hope gradually sinking within
him, until, exhausted with fatigue and
benumbed with cold, his grasp had
given way, and he had sunk to rise nc
more, until that day when the sea
shall give up its dead.
THAT ere birds Bills speerit," said
old Maui. II told you, sir, | knowed
he'd gone, for the parson said the
other day as how we did sometimes
have presentations, or such like"
/ snnnnsa the old fellow mnanf that