The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1882-08-19


masts and the behavior of the hull that was
rendered so uncouth by her shifted cargo
and now and then whispered a W ord to his
wife or exchanged few sentences with
the mate
THE SHIFTED CARGO.
An hour passed in this way, when on a
sudden monstrous sea struck the vessel,
and while it buried the decks as high as 4
mans waist it hove up the ship with irresis-
tible force, and as she shot into the air the
crew heard the iron in her hold rattle like
sharp reports of firearms. The huge surge
swept onward, but when the ship struggled
like brave-hearted swimmer out of the
smother of froth that had overwhelmed
her the men yelled out in frantic man
ner, one TO another, that she had recovered
her trim.
And so she had for the moment, for the
hurl of the great wave had shifted the car
go afresh and in a measure given proper
balance to the hull. But a pressing peril
had merely been replaced by sterner if q
slower danger. The iron hay loose in the
hold and every roll Of the ship discharged
the topmost bars Of meta! from side to side
shooting them against the skin of the yes
sci with velocity that babe fair TO dart
them clean through her sheathing. New
theless the action of the ship was better
and the crew, gathering heart, went for
ward to get their dinner When they
came to examine the galley, however, they
found one side of it torn out and the inte-
rior fittings in fraglnt The wind was
bitterly cold and the loss Of the tire and
the means of procuring warm food and
drink a, heavy blow But while the ship
held t,.aets.sr shey would not grumble; x
they turned L, and made ont a meal Of
ship brgz,.l ,iaa preserved meat, bu, thS
rattling of tie iron in the hold, together
with the straiuing sounds Of the hull, and
the fierce crashing Of foam and the howiine
and shrilling Of the hurricane in the rig
ging were terrifying sounds, and they could
not talk for listening.
So passed the day and the night; =
passed the next day and night. There
was never in all thai time 10 much As $
moments cessation Of the gale. As hour
after hour went by. the &onder Of the mer
was divided between the continuance Of tbs
fierce hurricane and the stubborn rcsis,ane,
of the brave ship to the cargo thkt was
striking her with giant shocks inside
Gradually and Bit hy BIT the docks bad
been stripped of their movable furniture
but this vas calamity that chiefly affected
the eye, for 50 long as the soupling-rOd
gave . dry weh the mems courage ke7s sol
erabiy steadfEst.
VAIN HOPE
On the I7th-thaf i. eleyen days Aftel
leaving Liver,ool-she gale broke, ihs
gloomy canopy Of cloud scattered, aEas th'
sun boxed down upon che tossing and rag
eei ship. The hands werc turned Up &
make sail. and To bend fresh miEzeHtop
sail. and the captain then announced hi'
intention to sEy the southern passage.
There was nothing strange al,oat the ex
pertinent, and the ship was kcpt away, and
in the meantime tbs carpenteF and some o
the hands vent 10 work 10 doctor the gai
keystone. and make such repairs a. would
enable the people 10 gct a hex meal Al
hands were hopeful gou; the horrible soand
Of The moving iron in the hold had bccaln,
familiar nolsc. and ss nothing Sscincd 50
come eli II the sfsentioa Il the sailors 10 th'
daIs and sinister grinding grew less straiacd
The nlen gus ap their vet clothes and hang
them ons 20 dry. The tHo women and tbs
Iittlc children came on deck 10 sce the sun
and take hope fron it. gioEioas sparkling
on the swelling hvid waters. The ship
under fall togssaiIs and Osarzes, and for
and nainiop-gaIIans sails, SWAMI heavily
forward. and the captain walked BIS Sly q
snd fro the aock rubbing his handa. .>as
calling 10 those about him 10 note that ~
Old hooker, in spite of her cFsel lead. was
good for many gale vet, aRd thar fes
DAYS more would see them ssfein Philsslel
phia-
There never was vaineF pFesiictioa
That very same night. in the iESt watch,
the wind haniiesii s=sGne points 60 the west
ward. and came on 10 blow in short lsHi
auickening and sharper blasts. - that be
fore tuo bells IN the inside watch the shiI
was again hove TO. plunging under as hers.
a gale as that which had only rccenis,
hiowa itself oat. and with her old rAfsiinE
ike gigantic dice-box. The mea coax
hear the sound of the lashing iron high
above the roar q the gale the horrible mott
affected them with new teFroF, and JUS
before daybreak they al came all in bod
10 the skipper. who stood beside the wheel
to ask him what was to be done. Whai
could be done
aWe must make her live il out, men
How Is your house
Net &c for US. sir. The lower part %
the door hAs been carried away, and il =
up to our knees, and the chests are wash
ing about tii to break oar legs
"Well, my lads you must take the shelte
Of the cabin here. Keep up ysur spirits
While she creaks she holds My stake il
her living Is bigger than yours. You al
know that
Yes, YES, they all knew that; man
wife and children make 4 heavy stake in
deed. And in twos and threes they wen
j into the after-deck house and sat or "a,
upon the iockers, few remaining on decl
with the captain and officers 70 watch III
ship.
Z WEARY WEEKS.
IL does seem an incredible thing 10 relat
i Of voyage acruss the Atlantic, yet it
certain thar, although the Hannah Morn
was already nearly fortnight out fron
Liverpool, her journey had only just com
menced: and had she been bound to Aus
tralia round the Cape Of Good Hope sh
would in all probability have arrived at he
port on the other side of the world in les
time than she was doomed to occupy il
fetching the near american coast. Da,
after day and week after week went B,
and found her stiil struggling with heav,
gales of wind, which, though they bley
from all quarters, yet invariably storme'
with a violence that obliged her people Z
heaye her TO- For weeks they had nothini
but dead reckoning 10 go by. The sun wa
/ blotted from the armament; the wash o
the great seas hurled them sometimes north
I sometimes south. and vet the shin lived