New-York tribune., 1884-03-02

every hour would mako an entry in my notebook
Of the number of miles we had progressed duihg
that time always taking care TO have the opinions
of tho seamen before settling our speed to my own
satisfaction: but when o'clock came. what with
tho calm aud having to slow down for th9
other boats ! found that at sundOwn We were still
n full ifty-tive marine miles from the island OF 81
Pants, supposing Daniels calculation OF our DIS;
tapco 10 have been correct; so that II we increased
our speed 10 seven eight miles an hour We should
fetch the island IN the dark. before daybrcak. II
We did not miss It.
maincd abroad and the breezo was moderate ana no
sea smooth th, ro cause for unedsinrss; Dnt
felt wild KIND oi worry So";s 40 hi0 E!..a Iao
snn set with freShoning wind and growing ncd,
and when Thought of pumping into tho island IA
tho blacknoss not being able to see where to iand
with heavy surf. perhaps. roaring founG IL; amt
with surges too heavy to make It possible Tor 70
small open boat TO keep an Oihng lhe sans lower
limb was upon the water when. being within hail OF
the long-boat. tho Others nearly mile III Onr wake
Exchanged "A farewell sentence or Two with Daniel
| shouted. 81 make our distance illty-hyo miles to
ST. Paule.'
"1hat's right" he cried g our reckoning tallies."
III endcayor to keep your lights IN sight
bawcd IF we are parted. God bless you aud pre-
serve W. allw
The whole of hcr people answered with a cheer.
which we returned and as the echo of 1t d.cd -,
our throals the sun sank behind the SEA. and tho
night came ont of the east like shadow you cOnld
watch the progress of. with s'ar shining wanly
deep down IN it. Though tho wind was nortl--ha~-
ing now Veered due nOIti and should have bern
warm, 1t seemed. when the sun Was gone, 90 take
an edge as shrewd and bleak rs the sOnthcriy
breeze last night had brought with it. The bo'sun
steering the boat, and sitting on tine aitcrmtSt
thwart picked up my darlngs Jacket aud put lt
on her and wrapped up Aunt Damarls in h0r cloak;
| then secured their waterproof garments around
thcm both, leaving them To keep th,ir PAGES IN tho
sheets fo the present though ihry would AVo
to come ont of thar If the sea continued 10 RISE ~
il would need the broad shoulders uf the s"anen {"
bolster the surgcS for tue darkness dcepcned As tho
evening advanced. There was moon. and. God
nic.,ryc rIsi IN looked aloft law that We were To
have another black night. Presently the two
small ,iObular lanterns aboard the l0ng-boat were
Al. Arft. nnl
skipped like Wll-o-thc-Wlsps, a. the clumsy lttic
craft tumJled and wallnwcd as she ran The hight,
ot the other boats twinklcd tfuly astrru. the him
drnnuSt of them visible; ours was still want
ing. So told one of the men 70 get II lighted and
hoistcd but suddenly tho bo'sun said; MIR. Sey-
nluur, how Ia to steer. sir r! tn: glimmer
the white card made has gone Oh IT.
/" Is that the only lantern in the boat p | asked
"Thats all. sr. answered the nca0lan.
"Tneu" said /. We must use it for the compass
that's certain. Captain Thomp.On's bound to guess
why We don't regularly exhibit II, though nom
time 10 time ono Of yon can hold 1t mp fora low
minutes
"Will thero be any extra danger If We don't show
it, Nj Seymour" /" erred Aunt Damaris. wh0. 30 far
~ could make ont in the dark. had grabbed hold
Of tho gunwalc with one hard and was turning her
heat from side t. side in terror of the seas which
she watchc rolling after IA.
None wha ever" replied. "The solo object Of
the light is to let CAPTAIN Thompson know w. aro
keeping him company. u j. meant tO reassurc him.
80 lar a, We are concerned. But sO long ~ can
see hi light, shall know where he is. and that's
all We need mlnd
We were, sailing at about five and half mules an
hour. There WAS quite enough sca on to ohligc M
10 watch the boat with the utmost narrowho AMI
Far II. thoeJe could stretch the ocean wi,S q
great weltering shadow. kind of liquid gloom that
would look to bo thrODbing all over when IA surge
hove up and gave us view of the dark scene.
But near at hand the foam ran white and broad:
every wave that chased us carried itS burden oI
SHOW for Il space through the dusk and would Secm
to ling ii after II, IN spite " hen tle 9laning. rccnS
rush of tine gig left the ebony hlOck to sink ex-
uaIIstrd IN her wake. There WAS not a clear space
of Sky to bo seen not star now and again at that
the long boat but IT hard job to make sure Of
them as tncy shO we'd above or vanished bchlnd tho
black ridges whose hOows would SINK ~ several
feet below thu sca-cyC for the water was full OF
phosphorus all around Us; sometimes wave would
ARCH over and break into "A stTcam OF fire the foam
of It resembling boiling water; there were hnHhe' OF
the wild green light in every running shadow; u
drove away III revolving clouds astern of is an 1t
spark ed against tho SKY in the west of the snrges
when our low boat stepped into II trough. These
sharp CLEANS coufOundcd the eye. and over and oyer
again | would mista them for tho lights of tho
sight of tnem to be had at all willing tn sup
pose they were USED BY the people to steer Ry. 4s
mine was: but III any case. wherever the poat'
dafkucss had passed. that we had left them far
ustcrn: and the last VIC saw Of the longboat was
the feeble glimmer of her lamps long. long stretch
away down upon our port quarter.
But there was stopping now tho freshenng
wind had raised "a sea that was as dangerous to ui
~ If II had been twice as hea'y; AMI wO should
inch of the sheet or reduced our pace To let the
Others come up. caus Auut Damars aud Flor
euc to st in the bottom of the boat toi ward Of tho
aftormnst thwart, " hero their bodies would find
some shelter wuile the weight of them beng low
WAS the better for all and made TWO of tue sea-
men come aft and sit one on either edo the bosun,
who was still at the helm telling them 10 keep
bright lookout stern for the seas. ana II they
saw coming that vas likely to tumble DOWN
upon us to put their shoulders agan-; the bO'suns
and make Drrakwater of their backs, The other
man | ordered TO keep cr0uCh"l down forward, a..
to trim the boat properly wo did not want al thp
weight aft. Meanwhile posted myself close 10 tuo
compass. which kept my eye, holding my daii-
ings hand for tie endrarment ot II, and that she
might find encouragement III the grasp, and nc"ss-
antly reissuring bOth her and her aunt ~ heartily
As could Sonnet mes Id pipe out a scrap of sea-
song especially when the swing of 0b extra heavy
sea would send rushing Ike an arrow upward
and forward and then leave Us III the cal N of q hoi-
low, full of the noise ot hIs.iIg ana cracking
spnmc with the vail Of the wind over our hends;
for these would be terrifying moments to Florence
and her aunt aud alarming enough TO the others or
u.s. lot tell you. my lads. so that 1t was knd CT
relief to myself. however 1t might hodrteh te resi-;
to shout out: Cease, rude BOrcas or, Loud
roarcd tho dreadful thunder" or Dublin Bay" or
SOME old song Of that kind. The bo'sun invariably
Joined in when thus let fy, and wou!d toll low, ON
| with such ordinations ~; . Hnrrah, boys she's
| got the scent. GO IT, old bucket! snohe ana
dewitt juno HurTab. boys this Is = proper sail.
! mg," Well, it Was by Gods blessing that the wind
! WAS following one for it not only qnalimd III To
steer with IL true course. but II enabled us, by run
! ming to take half tho weight out OF At. We could
| have done nothing with il had il drawn ahead the
utmost wO cOuid have attempted would be- 10 ride tO
our oars and take our chacuc of beng rolled over
but with single reef IN our Ing, and the fresh wIhd
! blowing dead on the stcrn tho long, slender sllal-
low boat swept along Ike little comet, topping tho
SEAS a, If the hil that dragged at ,r mast
lifted her keel ont of II for every Jump tlr Dosuh
holding her tr1lc rs hair IL her course The edge
of tur sense ot danger WAS II trtc turned by the
deep feeling of excitement hat was put INTO one.
our speed was never more than SIX Knots INT she
ookc, to bo going twelve. for the nearer you are Ia
the water the faster yOnr motion through 1t viii APP
pear; and the toani swept by IN manner 10 keep
one thrii.rd. The water bld7cd up aruund us; the
black ridge astcrn brOkO into shining: then,
" Look out lads, now Id shout; aud tine boats
stern would be up. and the whole iitle fabric
hurled forward till she'd feel 10 Ice standing end
ON; them rs the incline of the sea square lis SUM-
nit under her, she'd hing far ON a lcv, keel with
the whole weight of the blast in her sail au,l tho