Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1884-05-08

Rolling and climbing and tossing wildly,
the Swallow fed from the wrath Of the
tempest. Presently another steamer Is
sighted She, too, lies head on, signal IN
her forerigging.
On the top of a big wave the mate catches
a glimpse of the steamer. The next moment
she was hid in the surges. Calling man to
take his place he goes into the main rigging
AS he mounts up his practiced eyss catch tina
outline of q lighthouse some i've or six
points on the starboard bow. In moment
he places it and reports Hatteras light on
the starboard bow. Looking again at the
steamer, dead ahead, he sees that she almost
disappears under the surges at every plunge
Her sails, boats, and all her head gear are
washed away. Well aft he sees crowd OF
people As he looks the American flag, union
down, is run up to her peak
The mate comes down and reports Hatteras
inlet is dead ahead, and that the steamer
Ella, a Charleston packet, was ahead and
break ng up fast.
"Aye, aye, the beach will be lined with
them tefore the sun is up. l tell you, Mr.
James, if it was not for thesa ugly billowsId
make a try of the inlet; let us see
"By gracious, captain, the tide" and tho
mate paused to make mental calculation,
"the tide is full Oh the bar to-day, the water
heaped away up 1t will be risky, that will
admit, but any port in storm. with
brand new main-sail on her, it is a deal bet
ter than tho beach with a surf on it at least
forty feet high"
"Well," and the skipper gave an uneasy
glance behind at the heaped-up waves. swell,
Mr. James, here goes for the inlet. 1t is the
providence OF the Almighty that it is to lee
ward. How about the steamerF
Mr.. James again mounted the rigging.
The steamer had rigged black tarpaulin be-
tween her main-rigg,ng with white spots on
it. Calling for the glass, which was handed
to him, he leveled it and read:
1--WE are breaking up. Captain and mate
lost overheard. Stand by U.s."
He shut the glass with snap and swung
himself out of the rigging.
"Caplain," spoke the mate vixen he reached
the wheel, "it is the Ella sure enough They
report captain and mate lost, probably swept
overheard, and that she is going to pieces
Now if you are going TO try the inlet, whats
to hin er the steanierl Her drafts about tie
same as the Swallows"
"But who is to pilot her overs'
"if you run by close aboard, I'll manage
to get to her. You eau spare me now; let
me try it."
"But il she should stick!'
"Then I'll force her up on the swash.
Those passengers have no choice whatever il
she goes ashore in the nighttime. There is
a chance now, slim oae, I'll allow; but
they ou ,ht to have the Eenetit Of it. Some
one on beard of her is evidently doing all ht
can to stave cF the supreme moment, but
that's only question OF time; let Inc Try it,
captain!'
well, Mr.. James there is the beach at
last. If you ale going, str yourself; we wiI
be alongside prese.tly. Good luck to you,
ny boy"
The mate presently appeared, stripped tc
his trowsers- Ho hell IN his hand light
lead attached to twenty -fathom lead iine.
He stood on the starboard quarter with tie
line held up to the view CT tie steamer just
ahead.
Riding up tie bread waves and settling
down into the cavern Of tie deep. on came
the schooner, reelng and swaying like
drunken man. Then, on tho crest Of an i'm
merse billow, she ranged past. AS she hur-
red by the steamer rolled wildly toward her,
an the mate launches the lea with unerr-
ing aim. Deity passing the line about him,
he dropped himse overheard.
Before he came to the surface another
wave passed over him and chased the
schooner half mile. But ready hands on
board the steamer had secured the line and
were hauling in. Then prolonged cheer an
nouncel to the schooner that the mate
reached the steamer
A rough pea jacket was offered him as he
picked his way to the bridge through the
,.,l o., ~,
wheel the engineer informed him that the
water was gaining fast; that in the night a
sea had swept tie deck and washed the cap
tain, mate. and some OF the hands overboard
that he had taken charge and done the best
he could; that if anything happened to the
engine she was sure To go ashore.
The mate explained that he knew the way
in over the bar and through the inlet, and
had come to help them; that if anything was
to be attempted he was to have good head
# stean and good hand in the pilot house:
that he waited to warn everybody that il
was a desperate undo rtaking, and that they
must keep quiet and prepare themselves fol
any chance. Then taking a position on the
bridge he gave the order to put the wheel
over.
1t was we'll the man warned the people be.
fore her head began to fall off, for it seemed
for a few secoHds as If she would roll oyeI
while broad or in the seaway. But she wore
around rapidly, and during the movement
was favored by several smaller waves, bat as
sine got pointed west blow curled over her
stern and deuged her fore and aft.
And now a terrible and sublime spectac.e
spreads itself in front and on either hand.
The rushing bil.ows, which had gathered au
irresistible force in a race OF thousand miles
across the ocean, followed each other like
squadrons in stately array. Crested and
curling, ana plumed with snowy foam they
reach tho shoals, tower up, up, only to topple
over and sweep shoreward III giant winrowS.
1t was an endless succession of biiluws, green
tinted rid ,es, and battaiions OF raging win
rows churnng and lashn5 in fury con-
tinually hurlying shorewald on the wings OF
the blast
On the bridge stands the mate of the
schooner, looking neither to the right nor the
left9 His glance is fxel oD the narrow open
ing ahead through which the Swallow hts
already rassed to safety. At last she ap-
proaches the bar and passes spar buoy
PAINTED red. Then she is encompasse1 by
the racing breakers.
"Starboard!"
Over went the wheel to starboard, hel
head swings to port Tnsn comes
peremptory-
"Steady"
"Steady it is" sings back tho helmaman, as
back went the wheel to meet her; but not to
stay. Slowly it went over again to starboard
as the expert steelsman hollis her under con-
troll She is now over the bar, encrcled III
turmoil and uproar, save in tue narrow chan
mel she moves in. On each side, almost along
side the winrows race with the speed Of wild
horses she is quivering in every timber
under the rapid play of her engines; then
there cama fearful crash, and tho deck is
Immediately deluged with water. The mate