Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1876-04-15
,URG COUNTY, MARYLAND, SATURDAY,

look for needle in haystack now.
1t won't do for us, at the outset Of
the voyage, to throw away a chance
like that. We must run a little risk
sometimes-that's what we all ship
ped for"
This haunting language had the ef-
feet which might have been expected
! upon the young mate.
''Well, I'll bet I can run as much
risk as any live man Of my inches, II
you think it prudent to do so. But
| had charge of other mems lives, as
well as my own, and should feel
! just as responsible to you and them,
if l had erred the other way, by VEN
turing too much, and any accident
had happened. Haul up the boat
here, my crew, and jump int"
Hold on Mr.. Andrews!" said the
captain. "We can run down the best
part of the distance with the ship"
Z When we judged ourselves within q
mile or less of where the whale had
been left, the ship was then brought
to the wind again. There had, as yet,
been no increase Of wind, and though
the night was very dark, the bank or
squall appeared to have lifted a little,
and to have less heavy appearance
J than at sundown.
Il don't believe but what it'll all
pass over in a fizzle," said Captain
Gibbs. II don't see any change in
the barometer. Now, Mr.. Andrews,
] believe you can find that whale
again; I think 1 could, at any
rate"
"All right, SIR" was the reply, with
q aneryous twitching that showed how
the young man was stung by the
words. ''If y0u can do it can."
He ought to bear, now, three points
of the lee bow were the last words
thrown at us, as we cast off from the
ship, and prepared to 'out oars"
Pull right off hereway, and you must
fail into his slick, and then you can
follow it down."
Setting our light as soon as we were
we'll clear, we passed away into the
t9f kncss, leaving our floating home
ae,in4. until the dim signal at her
9 aac,i to mere speck in the dis
lua,,e. 1t was evident from the air of
MET determination about Mr.. An
.rcWa Ltlat he would cruise all night,
rather nan return to the ship without
his whale. We at the oars had nothing
to say about the matter; it Was ours
sim ,Iy to obey.
1t was long before we found any
trace of the "slick," but after pull
ing back and forth over the ground,
/ fearful of passing on one side Of it,
and getting too far to leeward, we at
last had the satisfaction to perceive
that we were in it; positive assur-
ance that we still had the weather.
| guage Of the object Of our search. At
the same time, brighter light famed
up from the ship, made by burning
| old scraps on the back arches of the
try-Works, and we made out that she
was again keeping off to be nearer
to us.
We pulled Justify now, feeling en-
couraged by the signs, and still keep
ing in the slick, followed it as our on
ly guide; for 80 dark was the night,
we could not possibly see the whale
until we should be very close upon 1t.
Old Beers stood up in the head of the
boat, looking with all the eyes in his
head, to catch glimpse, either Of the
waif, OF Of the swash or white water"
which would indicate the whales
| position.
But now there was suddenly q
change in the air, which I can only
describe as a sense of dilution or rare
faction, with signing sound that was
ominous of approaching evil. The
weather quarter Of the heavens, in
stead of darkening more, appeared to
light little, as the black pail split
in two and parted right and left. Out
of it came a few struggling drops of
rain, and then the wind followed with
Il vengeance!
The first blast struck us with such
| fury, that the mate had enough to do
to keep the boat from broaching to,
and taking the whole force of its
broalside on. We shipped in all the
oars as fast as possible, and let her
| drive to leeward, crouching down in
! our places, unable to see anything, or
to change the course Of our light craft,
and running blindiy cif into the dark
! ness. Our little taper in the boat
| lantern was cl;tinguisIsed at once and
could be of TO further service. We
| fell, iDsJ;nctiycIy, nat the ship would
/ luil to again, as tie captain would not
ran tie tisil Of naasing us; and here
+ we were, Ius.ii1 g ardy before the
gale, and every moment lessening our
chances of safety. There was very
sudden flashing up OF her light, just
as the squall struck, and then we lost
sight OF il entirely. &c faint repor,
Of a mu5ket followed, d signal Of
/ recall, Of course, but we could neither
answer nor could we obey it!
Onward we rushed before the wind,
shrinking down into the boat, and
cinging TO the Gunwalcs and tnWarts,
all OF US but the officer, who held fast
to his steering-oar to keep her head
in the only safe direction. No word
was spoken among us, but each fully
realized the peril we Were in, and
each asked himself the question Of
life or death, how long is this going
to last?
1t was answered by shock so sud-
den as to throw us all together in a
confused heap. In a crash Of every
thing movable, and a cracking Of the
boats fabric itself, we rolled into the
l. 4 r