, 1884-05-11

furicusly revolving, and then she would bury
herself with a fearful pitch.
Rolling and climbing and tossing wildly.
tine Swallow He'd from the wrath of the
tempest. Presently another steamer is
sighted. She, too, lies head on, a signal in
her f~oreriGging.
On the top OF u big wave the mate catches
a glimpse of the steamer. The next moment
she WINS hid in the sarges. Calling 4 man to
take his place he goes into the main rigging.
As he mounts up his practiced eyes catch the
outline of a lighthouse some five or six
points on the starboard bow. In a m7men
he places it and reports Hatteras light on
the starbcard bow. Looking again Mt tho
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 a crowd OF
people. As he looks the American flag, union
down, is run up to her peak.
The mate comes down and reports Hattsras
inlet is dead ahead, and that the steamer
Ella, a Charleston packet, YVES ahead and
breaking up fast.
"Aye, aye, the beach will be lined with
them before the sun is up. l tell you, MIR.
James, if it was not for these ugly pillows I'd
make a try VI the inlet; let us see
~By gracious, captain, the tide" and the
mate paused to make q mental calculation,
Nthe tide Is full on the bar to-day, the water
heaped away up. 1t will be risky, that will
admit, but any port in q storm. With a
brand new main-sail on her, it is a deal bet
Ter than the beach with a surf on it at least
forty feet high
Wen, and the skipper gave an uneasy
| glance behind Mt 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 steamerg"
| hr. James again mounted tho rirging
The steamer had rugged a black tarpaulin be-
tween Der Rlain-rigging with white spots on
1t Calling for tho glass, which was handed
| to him, he leveled it and read:
we are breaking up. Captain and mate
lost overheard. Stand by us"
He shut the glass with a snap and swung
himself out OF the rigging.
Captain" spoke the mate when he reached
the wheel, lit is tho 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, what's
to hinder the steamers Her drafts about the
same as the Swallows"
But who is to pilot her ovcri'
"lf you run by close aboard, I'll manage
to get to her. You can spare me now; lot
me try it,
Bat if she should stickf7
Then Til force her up on tho swash.
| Ahpoc pdastLlbGIo nhNt no cuOlcB Whatever II
she goes ashore in the nighttime. There is
a chance low, a slim one, I'll allow; but
they ought to have the benefit of it, Some
one on board Of her is evidently doing all he
| can to staye off the supreme moment, but
that's only a question OF time; let me Try it,
captain!'
well, Mr.. James, there is the beach at
last. If you are going, stir yourself; we will
be alongside presently. Good luck to you,
my boy"
Tho mate presently appeared, stripped to
ais trowsers. He held in his hand a light
lead attached to a twenty-fathom lead line.
He stood on the starboard quarter with the
line held up to the view of the steamer just
| uhead.
Riding up the broad waves and settling
down into the cavern of the deep, on came
the schooner, reeling and swaying like a
drunken man. Then, on the crest of an i'm
mense billow, she ranged pdst. AS she lur-
ried by the steamer rolled wildly toward her,
and the mate launches the lead with unerr-
ing aim. Deity passing the line about him,
he dropped himself overheard.
Before he came to the surface another
wave passed over him and chased the
schooner half a mile. But ready hands on
board the steamer had secured the line and
were hauling in. Then a prolonged cheer an
nounced to the schooner that the mate
reached the steamer.
A rough pea-jacket was offered hintpas he
picked his way to the bridge through the
frightened and pale-faced passengers. AT the
wheel the engineer informed him that the
water was gaining fast; that in the night q
sea had swept the deck and washed the cap,
tain, mate, and some Of the hands overheard;
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
10 be attempted he was to have a good head
of steam and a good hand in the pilot house.
that he wanted TO warn everybody that il
was a desperate undertaking, and that they
must keep quiet and prepare themselves for
any chance. Then taking u position on the
bridge he gave the order to put the wheel
over.
1t was well the man warned the people be-
fore her head began to fall off, for it seemed
for a few seconds as if she would roll over
while broad off in the seaway. But she wore
around rapidly, and during the movement
was favored by several smaller waves, but as
she got pointed west a billow curled over her
stern and deluged her fore and aft.
Aud now a terrible and sublime spectacle
spreads itself in front and on either hand.
Inc rushing pillows, which had gathered an
irresistible force in a race of a thousand miles
across the ocean, followed each other like
squadrons in stately array. Crested and
curling, and plumed with snowy foam they
reach the shoals, tower up, up, only to tSpple
over and sweep shoreward in giant winrows.
1t WINS an endless succession of pillows, green
tinted ridges, and battalions of raging win
rows churning and llshing in fury, con-
tinuully hurrying shoreward on the wings of
the blast.
On the bridge stands the mate OF the
schooner, looking neither Co the right nor the
leftf His glance is fixed on the narrow open
ing ahead, through which the Swallow has
already passed to safety. At last she APP
proaches the bar and passes a spar buoy
painted red. Then she is encompassed by
the racing breakers.
"Starboardlp
lmnr wont tEn ,vlnnl To stnrLnnrl Lnr