The post. [volume] (Middleburg, Snyder County, Pa.) 1864-1883, 1879-04-24

al will tell you of an adventure
had once in the South Pacific. when
l was first put in charge of the old
Panther. 1t was ira ling trip a.
inong the natives inhabitny the nu.
inerous islands, anl the entire pro-
ceedings are fresh and vivid in my
memory, although many long year
has been spun of the reel Of time
siuce then
The speaker was en- old retired
shipmaster, whose chief delight in
life was to gather number of his
neighbors around his hospitable
hearth Of a winters evening, and,
while they slipped the old sailor
p1nch, ho would entertain them nith
some episode connec.e with his
past career.
Clearing his throat with n goner.
ous allowance of hot punch OF his
own brewing, ani listenin,a
msnt to the bowling of the gale
which dashel the snow vi ,leutly a.
gainst the window panes, he began
~ follows
ave hai b,en hove 70 for three
days in the South Pacific, dnriug
which time the oil Panther Ia
pitched aud rolled until all thoughts
OF comfort had departed from my
mind.
II had smart young fellow for
mate. young New Yorker, Gregory
by name-Isck Gregory i'm,
aSine I can SEQ him now standing
with his feet we'll apart bis ta'l,tha
tic form cased in oil clothes his
handsome sun burnt face shade |
by the broad flaps of his soul wester
as he pseped at times into the bin
nsele He's under matches now, poor
fellow. Went down in a ship which
he commanded during terrible ty.
phoou
1T was close upon midnight when
came on deck aud noticed lull in
the gale. rubbed my hands with
satisfaction at the prospect Told
Gregory that the gale was breaking,
aud that by morning the sun would
he shining merrily.
"Give mo call at daylight, ex-
claimed. as I dove down below, fol-
lowed by the opinion of Gregory that
the worst OF the storm was yet to
come aud that it was only lnll for
relief with fresh hand to the bel
lows. But l thonght the mate for
once was mistaken, and turning in
slept soundly.
es'It appears that tho mate, after I
left the deck, had the pump we'll
sounded, took look at the watch,
and putting in fresh quid regained
the poop, when he proceeded to scan
the black, lowering horizon,
"a cloud darker than any he had
Noticed before had obscured the fir
p,ament, aud his eyes had been fixed
upon it but few seconds when II
vivid CLEAN Of blood-red lightning
shot across it's entire expanse. An.
other aud another followed, while
the wind lulled. then with howl it
tore through the rigging with re-
donbled force. aud amid tue roll of
tht heavy thunder the Panther was
again envsloped in mist aud spray.
x"rhs lightning now played in rap
a forks, followed instantsne neously by
he'reverbsrating thunder, which was
Nu1ioient proof that the squall was
close upon the ship. The rain do
scsndsd 10 torrents. the wind with a
lull shifted three points, the close
reofed main topsail and main spenc
or tugged and Slated with tho force
Of q giant, while the ship rocked 10
aud fro IN the trough Of the soa aud
the darkness became suddenly 10.
Then Il was thst I was 4 weakened by
tho noise aud confusion on deck. !
heard The mate roar ont Tor one man
70 jump below and call the captain.
bu) I VHs .sIssady gropiug my way
throush the M. dark cabin.
"QV(e9 ~ ~. inleeaity ofthe
e. s1':l !!