The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1876-04-27
IVA CLEAN SWEEP.


Plymouth before daylight, on a murky
November morning, with full cargo
and 4S0 emigrants for Christchurch. The
gray afternoon had ended in a dark and
dirty evening The sea increased the
wind, which now and then swept up in
angry gusts, brought with il cold and
drissly rain. The gallant ship. under
reefed mainsail foresail. and top-sails
danced before the wind in the Joy OF
strength and beauty-her taper masts
and white sails bending gently to the
breeze. and her graceful hull skipping
over the white-topped waves like some
living leviathan sporting in the water.
\ The emigrants had gone below, most Of
them overcome by the weather, and only
two or three in shining water.proofs re-
mained on deck, clinging to the bul.
warks on the lee side Two of these
I were talking to the look out on the fore
deck, who, clad in oil-skin from head to
Y foot, stood peering through the darken-
\ ing scurry OF the elements, as the bow of
/ the noble vessel went up and down to
/ the roll and following Of the waves,
which ever and anon flung their crests
over the bulwarks with a mighty splash,
/ followed by the Kissing swirl of water to
and fro as it rolled into the waterways
and out at the scuppers.
81 am the second mate he had said,
in answer to one OF the emigrgnts
Are you the only look-outT
"Yes."
"ls it not very bad night?
Dirty enough, Sir"
why, there's no one on deck but you
and the man at the wheel
"Oh yes" replied the mate. There's
the first mate in his cabin; and the cap
tam too. for that matter"
Are you short-handed 2
"Well, we are and we aren't, said the
officer, laughing I'VE have a full crew
aboard. but they're not in working trim
yet. They don't muster well the first
day, anyhow; but ] never sailed with
such lot Of drunken dogs as these
DO you mean to say they are all
dunk
Drunk as tiddlers.
am unable to state what degree Of in
toXication is implied by this standard Of
measurement-though presume it
means that they had waxed very drunk
but il certainly was a long way beyond
capacity to stand and act.
And do you mean to say, said the
elder of the emigrants, who spoke in
cultivated, authoritative tone, which the
mate noticed particularly, chat the cap
tain has gone TO sea with only four able
seamen on board, and that you four are
all there are TO handle the ship through
such night as this 2
There aren't four" replied the other,
sententiously. Captains not quite
straight yet
Good heavens! cried the emigrant.
Here's a pretty lookout, Laycocki'
The two consulted together for a mo-
ment.
1--WE shall remain on deck all night,
Sir, said the man to the mate. You
can command US for any aid we can rem
I der. | have taken my turn at the ropes
/ on q yacht now and then. How do you
dare TO leave port under such condi-
/ tions 2 he continued, warmly. Il shall
| inquire into this matter personally
/ He checked himself
"Well, Sir" replied the mate, lodging
/ sprinkle Of brine that came kissing
over the weather bow, IL don't know
/ who you may be- but how are we to help
I IL? We were ready TO sail at four
I o'clock yesterday afternoon, but our fell
! lows were all ashore, spending the last Of
. the credit they had on their advance
notes. There was no one aboard but
/ Jim Rousby there at the wheel, aud we
mates The captain was terribly put out
how, and he likes his glass of gTog when
he's going to sea- though he doesn't take
any on the voyage. Six bells struck-an
hour before midnight-and he would
stand IL no longer. Merton, he said
you take Jim Rousby and 20 ashore and
get a couple OF policemen, and bring
those fellows off, or lock EN- up one or
the other ! can assure you. Sir, it's no
fun going ashore to look up such a crew
as this in Plymouth hells Low, dirty
places they are, where the crimps get
hold of poor Jack, and pray on him as II
he was a pig or a sheep. And III tell
you what does tits those advance
notes. The owners think they bind the
sailors by them, and they do; but don {
like such security. IL plays the devil
with the shipping We had to 90 and
drag those fellows out one by one; some
dead drunk. some mad drunk, and we
got the whole lot oil by early morning
and my belief is they haven't done yet
They have some slowed away in the
70 ksle, or my names not Merton
On went the noble ship. the gale in
creasing every minute. With great diff.
Guilty at four bells, aided by one or two
stewards from the stern cabin, the chief
mate, who had charge Of her while the
captain was sleeping of his annoyance
and his grog managed to take in the
main and fore sails, and she went plung.
ing forward under a jib and reefed fore
topsail. The sea began To sweep the
deck from end to end, but the two emf
grants still clung to the rigging by the
bulwarks on the lee side.
Wilder and wilder grew the night.
Angry scream OF furious wind through
strand and rigging; fierce plash and
boom OF biliows breaking over the bow
roar Of the great waves far and near
wrestling with the gale rattle Of rolling
blocks, s0uirm and creak OF stay and
girder and beam and planking, and on
the decks below, amoag the crowded en-
igrants, noises and groaning and WON
ems shrieks and the cries OF children.
Still calamity onward went the ship
straining TO her work, shaking Oft the
storm, and swiftly winning her way
And well and warily did mates and
stcersman handle her till eight bell.
struck for the noon OF night. Then the
storm seemed to be moderating, and De
lamarre-for it was hc-turned 10 his
companion aud said:
IL think we may 20 down now ! am
fearfully cold and get Everything
seems safe Yes; everything is safe, a,
far as foresight Of generous owners could
. make it. 4 good ship, picked captain
sufficient crew: with these they could
face old ocean, and laugh at the bolster
Gus elements But there is one e!emen,
no care can out, no forecast guard
against. able at al times TO cheat eau
, ton and probability, to DEFY skill an,
, regulation-and that element was ahoart
p the ship that night
e The two men had reached the forward
b companion, leading to tbs emigrants
s quarter for they were travelling IN dis
e guise Laycock opened the door, pui
a Of smoke. fash OF lurid light athwar
a the lower deck and shriek Of Fire
[ came at the instant from the forecGstl
! a "a