The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1875-12-02

1
It was In the dusk of evening, and a
dozen old sailors sat on the wharf, look
ing up and down the river and talking
of matters thirty years old.
"See that schooner, there?" said one
old gray-headed man, who has buffeted
the seas and braved the gales ever since
he was lad Of ten.
He pointed to top-sail schooner
coming up, and continued: /
s.Looks just like the Lucy, though
mayhap a little more trim, for we didn't
study lines and curves in those days like
they do now. She was called fast one
in them times, and she'd have jumped
clean over Long Pint if the old man
had given her canvas and q fair start. |
There wasn't any treachery about the
Lucy. just where you found her to-day
you'd find her tomorrow. / reckon |
you've all been off Pint Betsey in stiff
breeze? Well, you know how the foam
flies there, and how a craft dances like
a pea ON hot shovel. We'd give Lucy |
the big top-sail and let her jump while
other craft were bobbing along under a
reefed fore and main. She'd jist git up
n howl, you bet, and the whitecaps
would wet the cross-trees, almost, but
she never went back on us. !"
The. old man paused to clear his
throat, and then went on:
HOwsumever, all crafts have their
day, and the Lucy's came at last. was
mate of her then, and one wild night
she dipped her nose into Saginaw Bay.
The storm struck us sudden like, and I
tell you it was rouser! The wind
didn't blow-it just screamed! The
seas got their backs up purity quick, and
when we seed we were in for it we made
things snug and held her steady. Wild!
Why you couldn't see over the cabin
roof from the wheel for the darkness,
and the lake seemed as if old Satan was
holding grand churning match. When
her nose went down we 'spected she'd
never lift again, and when she began to
climb we thought she'd shake every
stick out in her,
He paused to deposit more tobacco in
his pipe, and after moment contin-
ued.
"She'd lived it out if any craft
could. That was the worst night l ever
saw on land or lake, and dozen good
vessels went to the bottom or left their
bones on the beach. The Lucy held out
for an hour, and then went down as if
some one had pushed her under. There
were seven of us, besides the cook, who
was in the cabin praying and grooming,
and some went down and some were
swept away. guess / must have been
almost gone, when got my head above
water and found myself tangled up with
the foremost, which rolled out of her as
she settled. I don't know how chung
to it all that long night, with the foam
churning around me like yeast, and
flying thirty feet over my head, but
when daylight came was there and
alive.''
He stopped, shivered little, as if the
bare recollection frightened him, and
went on:
The storm was still bowling, and
knew was q goner. It was IN Octo-
Der, and Lake Huron is mighty cold
water in the fall. Twas getting weaker
every minute, when, as l climbed a big
green wave, | saw brig-the Char
lotte and Jane-not half a mile away
and coming right down for me I! She
was rolling and bouncing, and I shet
my eyes and gin up all hope, for how
could she pick me up in that mad sea?
She bore right down, and when she
hung right over my head I heard
shout from the crew. They saw me,
but in another minute she was half a
mile away, running like racer.''
sssAnd she left you?' inquired one of
the group in q whisper.
Every other craft that ever sailed
would have done it," resumed the old
captain, "but Captain Gray God bless
him!-was aboard the brig. Shall
tell you what he didp He jist shook out
sail enough to handle her, and right in
the face Of that awful gale and that mad
sea he wore ship, made long tack and
by and by / saw her coming down again!
You don't hardly believe It, but amt
here to prove ftp No boat could live in
that sea, and they knew it. They
sheared right down so close to me that
her chains seemed to hang over my head,
and down came rope with . moose.
I I'd bin fixing little, and was ready for
'em. l got this right arm through the
0 moose and was jerked hundred feet
the first lick. Right here by the elbow
the moose frightened, and they drew me
aboard with my whole weight on this
arm. / was clear gone, arm out o.
socket, this cash here on my face and q
broken knee-cap, but there was life in
me.n
'And the captainp'' queried one as
the old man paused.
"Up there!" he replied, pointing
heavenward. stHe was rough, like most
of ms. lint ha had a hoarf 1ike an nv
He died at Buffalo twenty years ago.