Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1876-09-06
A MGRINE SKETCH.

Captain Beck's voice was particular
ly harsh. There lay before him truly
q David's choice in that turbulent,
dark winters night. The strong
southern current, together with the
wind to leeward, pressed hard toward
the coast, while he, on the other hand,
by forced cruising, risked striking
against the ice-hoes. Neither was he
sure of their whereabouts, and walked
restlessly back and forth On the poop.
Now and then he addressed word
down to the helmsman, whose figure
was sharply defined by the light from
the pinnacle.
Chow do We lie now. Jens?"
"Sharp southwest, Captain; does
she not go higher
"H'm, q little more leeward," he
muttered.
His brow became moist under his
sealskin cap, which he, In the midst of
the driving rain, felt the need of throw
ing off his face to get air. Life and
ship were at stake.
What says the watch mate?" he
said, turning toward the latter, who
was JlIS1 COullu s up SCODS dI tCI
taking turn forward.
ozark as pitch. For that matter
one might put lantern out on the fly
ing jib. boom, that we might be able to
see that far. But the lead shows deep
sea-"
ooh, it.shows that!" said Beck in a
tone at which the mate was somewhat
disconnected, for it sounded scornful.
The darkness prevented his seeing the
Captain face, otherwise he would have
read therein an opinion not very fiat
tering to himself.
"The blockhead knows not yet"
growled Captain Beck after him, g that
the lead may indicate deep water till
the ship strikes her nose against the
rock x"
The sea, growing more chopping and
heavy, made it only too certain that
there was danger ahead. Captain Beck
had no longer any option; it was neces-
sary to carry sail to keep off the coast.
A pilot was not to be thought of on such
a night, but he let them fire off some
shots from the signal gun, in hopes that
the wind might carry the sound
ashore.
Old Juno must now be tried in a
struggle which her joints would scarce
ly have been capable Of in her younger
days. This was soon observed about
the pumps, which had to be worked in
cessantly; it was like many ships that
had formerly been good sailors, some
what back-broken by the weight Of
their burden amidships. In the fore
hatchway the ladder which stood down
in the hold, sawed up and down as the
ship gradually gave way, whilst the
leafy boW-planks sucked water.
The day dawned and passed into an
lmpenetrable atmosphere, on account
of the fog. A nom ent wen it cleared,
they thought certainly they had seen
Hamburg Sounds Point, mountain
up in the country above Arendal; and
by its low appearance on the horizon,
hope was taken that they had, during
the last eighteen hours, gained good
stretch out at sea. They passed about
midday, close to an English orig, whose
rigging lay across the deck; she ev-
identity was ready to sink, for she lay
half On her side, and the sea was break
ing over her. The crew had sought
the ratlines and the mizzen mast, and
were signaling desperately for help,
without, however, there seeming to be
any possibility of aiding them. In the
midst of the fog they had heard some
of their distress signals, weakened by
the wind. This vessel had tried the
same experiment the juno was about
to make.
Ready about! Hard to leeward
Bow and midships Brace up fore and
of T Of L.
the monotonous commands, whenever
they took new tack, and at the same
time they generally shipped huge seas,
SO that the whole vessel shivered and
staggered. The deck cargo, consisting
of ponderous beams, was lifted by the
shock and force of the water, so that
many Of them stood cast on end UP
against the bulwarks, the racks and
the capstan. The crew had here and
there dashed themselves with rope-ends
to the lower parts of the rigging, for or
the deck, where every hatchway was
battened down, it was not possible to
stay.
Salve Kristiansen and two others had
their turn at the rudder the second
night, when a huge sea, by the setting
of the current, suddenly lightened forth
from the darkness to leeward by the
tore-rigging, and then broke with a ter
rlble crash down upon the deck. With
irresistible force it crushed everything
Ia Its way, tearing away large portions
OF the bulwarks, the yawl-boat, the bin
nacie, and at the same time damaging
the wheel. In the midst of the confu-
sion the drenched sailors, half smother
ed, struggled to retain their positions,
and a few of them afterwards found
themselves slowed in thesmost unlock
ed-for places.
"Look out for a sea on the leeward
bow~ was again heard from the stern.
and suddenly the ocean had q whitish