New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1874-06-07
CAPE HORN POSTOFFICE.
From the Overland Eonthly.I

castle, preparing to take things eazily. Eigl
bells had struck, our watch was over, thel
was no special work to be done, and
seemed that at last we should be able
smoke our pipes IN c0ntentment: Suddeni.
however, from the quarter deck came th
order to heave to. We started up, and, 9
we took our stations, gazed inquiringly g
each other. To our minds 1t was the piac
of all others where we should not tarry.
open sea, indeed, it might be safely done
but here, with the land lying low and daI
gerous only two miles away, it seemed
greater risk than any present emergenc
would warrant. The air was warm an
balmy, for it was the commencement of tn
Antarctic summer; but the wind wa
light and battling; the sails at time
scarcely drawing, at other moment
idly Tapping against the masts, and
with our best exertions, we could ge
out Of the brig not more than three or fOu
knots. Beneath the surface OF the water
40 smooth and CLASSY, were unknown cur
rents that might drift us into destruction al
any hour, and far off into the south was 8
long low bank Of dark clouds that might
stand for sudden squalls or for three days
gale, but, at the least, portended rough
weather. Therefore, it was not without
apprehension that We gazed askant into
each others faces, wondering whether the
captain had gone suddenly mad, or. on the
nanship beyond the best of us.
"Cape Horn postOffice, Ireckon," growled
forth Bill Gallard, as he wound the line
around the Delaying Pin jerking his head
q young wife, has the old man, and, as is
natural, suppose he wants to send her q
billy doo."
others, seeming satisfied with the explana-
ton. As for myself, was at first little
puzzled about the matter, bnt in moment
] recollected having been once told of the
chained cask upon the Patagonian coast, in
which outward bound vessels would deposit
their letters. There was, of course, very
great chance that the letters would never
reach their destination; but still, o posi-
bility that h0meward bound vessels, run
ming near the coast, might visit the cask
and carry away the precious contents, thus
at times enabling anxious wives and moth
ers to hear news in advance of the more
regular yet more distant mails from China
and the Sand wich Islands. To vessels from
California or the South American ports,
this extemporized postofice was of little
value; but for whalers, with no especial
ports marked out for them at which to stop,
it often proved of very timely service.
"See here" said the second mate, approach
ing me as soon as all things were made fast,
and the old brig was lying with her main
topsail fiat to the mast, riding easily on the
long swell, ''get into the starboard quarter
boat, and be ready to 60 ashore And you,
Bill Askins, go with him."
Bill Askins was the oldest man on the yes
sci, and bent and wrinkled as it would seem
only long course of life before the mast
cahRake man. He was silent sort Of
fellow, seldom breaking out in the least ap-
pearance Of sOuiability, and caring little tor
enjoyment OF any kind, excepting his drink.
This was his failing, and several times al
ready he had been brought up with ropes
end for drunkenness. Apart from that, he
was frst-class seaman, never Sinking
duty. SO that it was with surprise saw
him turn away, as though he had not heard
the order
"Do you mind, Bill Askins 7" said the
second mate, eyeing him sharply, and with
no good will. For the two were not exact
ly friends, and moreover the second mate
was a rigid disciplinarian, and would not
have stood much hesitation from even his
twin brother. do you mind, there :"
''Seeing that my hand is sore for pulling
beat, Mr.. Skippy, couldn't some one else
90 in my place --W
Upon that, without waiting 10 hear the
end, Mr.. Skippy jumped thrice straight up
and down the deck and opened upon Bill
Askins incontinently, consigning him to the
lowest possible regions OF Woe; sending
thither, also, to keep HIM company, his
father and his mother, his brothers and his
sisters, and, incidentally, all the rest of his
relations, with q running commentary of
uncomplimentary suggestions about the orr
gin, habits, general career and expectations
of each, and all because Bill Askins had
limited that some other person who had not
q sore hand might prove good substitute
for him at the oar. There was nothing
further to be said. consequently. and Bill,
10 FIN iva hon dnr
sion, and, as it seemed TO me, glance of
apprehension toward the shore, repaired
with me aft and took his place at the quar-
ter boat.
Here the captain-or, as we called him,
the "old man'-handed me some letters for
the post. and babe us be speedy, as the yes.
eel could not wait long. He was not an old
man, by the way, being scarcely thirty
five, and good looking enough to have a
handsome wife ut kome, anxious to hear
from him at every opportunity. His own
correspondence was doubtless the real rea-
son for delaying the vessel, though with
his letters were those of three cabin pas
seugers for the Sandwich islands, and hence
he could easily make of desire to accom-.
mOdate them pretense for serving him
self Taking these letters, dropped into
the boat, and in Q moment more we were
lowered and on our way to the shore.
1t was not an easy matter. Tranquil as
seemed the sea, there was a long rolling
swell which greatly embarrassed our et-
forts, while at first we failed to pull in |
proper unison. But after awhile, by my
watching Bills stroke, We did better; and |
as the afternoon was warm for that lati-
tude, ard the situation q novel one, / soon
got into the spirit of it, though regretting |
my interrupted smoke on the forecastle. |
1t was queer thing indeed, this slipping
over the CLASSY rollers toward an unknown |
and rOck-bOund coast, the cape pigeons |
circliDg round our heads with piping |
screams of dismay ut the intrusion, and |
here and there great white albatross |
asleep. with his head under his wing, so
close that We could almost have touched /
him with the 0utstretched oars.
Gradually We left the brig farther be- |
hind, and soon the rugged shore doomed up |
close before us. A fiattened coast, running
back in an irregular series of undulati0ne,
covered ut that time of year with long
tough moss, and an occasional scraggy
bush-not green. but yet, at the distance
and in contrast with the far off background
of peaked mountains with their perpetual
coating of glittering ice and snow, giving
lhe scene o semblance of freshness. In
front the shore line slOped almost to the
level of the water, but the outline was
aotched and irregular, and bordered with |
setting of black outlying rocks, so that
wen the smooth sea was there broken into
joam and swept alternately in and out with
he noise of great guns.
All the while Bill Askins had been rowing
With head bent down, morbid and uns0cial, |
,ut muttering to himself in . half crazy
ray detached and ftagmentary sentences.
he purpOrt Of which could not gather.
low, as we approached the shore, he turned
is face to mark Our bearings, and scanned
be situation with sort Of dazed, half