The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1884-02-21

! CleWIlneS could De manned Inc IOr6IOp-
sail blew up and burst into smithereens,
! Just like one of those elastic air-balls
-lwhen filed too full.
; cit was a terrible tempest 7. who
have seen some fearful weather in my
tim. will take my affidavit that 4 worse
storm of wind never RACED than that.
1t piched the sea up and made wheels
OF the waves, that looked-I don't say
they wer,-but thew looked to be forty
or fifty feet high. The Eagle was full
OF iron very deep, and labored heavily,
taking in tons OF water forward, so that
the undertook fCrecastle was scarcely
to be come at by the men through the
scuttle. In the trOughs, during the
water rolls, the barque would Law so far
over 10 the windward that twas enough
to make the oldest seamen hold his
breath to look at the curl of the oncom-
ing sea. and speculate whether it was
possible that she could hoist herself out
clear of that terrific. white. roaring,
flashing arch, before it rolled its enor-
nous volume clear over her But the
Eagle was a good sea-boat. having a
fiaring bow that forced the head surgeS
to throw her up, and swell of the
sides that made her cOrk-like Oh the lean
of a twenty-foot hill of water. Had she
been of the ordinary tank shape, it must
have been all froth to ten feet above the
mast-cOats, with the watch on deck in
the weather-rigging, and the master and
mates keeping a lookout in the cabin,
and coming her by the tell-tale.
For three days we had terrible
weather: then it broke, the wind veered
to due east, and after blowing double
reefed topsail breeze for twenty-four
hours, settled away into the northeast
and blew along steady and bright again
into the trade wind 1t was Wednes-
day. the morning watch and | had
charge of the deck. Daybreak found
us under a foretopmast stun sail. the
sky clear, and the east as green as
moonlight with the dawn. The sea
was calm, the trade clouds rolling in
puffs Of vapor athwart the stars over
head and in the west, and the horizon a
line rs black as you could produce by
the sweep of a pair of compasses dipped
in India ink.
Il stepped over to leeward to have a
look at the sea under the foot of the
mainsail, and Just then the arch of the
sun iutted up and sent long beam of
silver light flashing across the ocean,
| the extremity of which sparkled upon
an object that appeared white and
glistening in the radiance. 1t bore
about four points on the lee bow.
fetched the glass, and took a look. She
was vessel, of what RIG [ could not
distinguish, but apparently under small
sail. | put down the glass and waited
bit, and then had another look. |
now fancied | could detect signs of con-
fusion aloft, but of this l could not yet
be sure, though the small canvas She
| showed made her appearance singular
considering the fine weather. Just
then Captain Blackett came on deck,
and | reported the sail to him. He
pointed the telescope ut her, and said:
"'It seems case Of distress. Your
sights better than mine; have you made
out anything resembling a color!?'
"'No sir replied.
"'Well, we will bear down and see
what the matter. Keep her away"
he called out to the young fellow at the
wheel; and at the same time sung out
to the watch to lay aft and brace the
yards in trife. This was done, and
the vessel brought about point on our
lee bow. 1t was not long before we
were able TO make her out very plainly
with the glass. TWAS now seen that
she was small, full-rigged ship of
about eight hundred tons: her three
lower topsails and topmast staySail had
been blown away, and her wheel and
all boats were gone. She had bulwarks,
and lay very deep, rs though full of
water In the lower mizzen rigging
the English ensign had been seized,
union down, and there it blew, flicker
ing like a flame, making as strong an
appeal for assistance as ever a man
could by waving his hands. Well, we
shortened sail and approached her,
keeping a sharp lookout for anything
! that should resemble a human being:
there was nothing in that way to be
seen. There was a lOngiSh deck-house
at. and the remains of another one for
ward. There was not much swell on,
and she lay pretty quiet, giving herself
slow slant, now and again, that hove
space of her wet side into the sun
and made her flash out like beacon.
'''She looks to be abandoned, sir
says to the Captain.
Why. yes; that's her appearance,
certainly says ne. But its fine
morning; no harm can be done by your
stepping aboard and giving her a brief
overhaul
$50 the bark's maintopsail was laid
to the mast, a boat lowered, and three
hands pulled me over to the wreck.
Two men clambered over the rail after
me, leaving one in charge of the boat.
We stood moment looking around.
Her decks were full of rattle, ropes,
slaves and casks, and the like; the main
matches were off, as if the crew had
been jettiSoning her cargo, her port
bulwarks forward of the main rigging
were smashed flush with the deck, and
altogether she had the most ship
wrecked and strained appearance that
| ever saw in a vessel afiOat. | put my
hand to my mouth and sang out:
Anybody aboard here?' but the
only answer that came was the sound
of the streaming of the wind through
the rigging, and the bubbling and wash
ing noise of the water over the side
:" No fear as to her not being aban-
doned, sir said one of the men. An
emptSScoffin couldn't be more destitute
of life I stepped to the door of the
deck house and looked in. There was
no appearance of injury here. A table
went down it. with fixed chairs ON one
side and locker on the other, and on
the port side was row of cabins. five
or six. think. The door of this deck
house swung open and the two men
and peereI in, and then SAYS L:
'"'fH just step in and see if can
come anrnsS any nannr.S nnlnnrin 70