The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-03-26

pinned him by the left, arm, and had
broken it. A second more and the huge
seal was dead, for had blown its head
half off.
"The skipper lay dead, as 1 thought,
but happily had only tainted his thick
coats had saved him from good deal +;
but he was terribly crushed, and his arm
was hanging useless by his side.
"When he came to himself he told me
to get his flask, which did, and poured
some rum down his throat, and down my
own, too, for that matter, for though |
was not of a nature to be easily fright
ened, yet was rather scared, can tell
you, to see big strong chap like our skip
per lying there as helpless as baby.
"Now, mates, must go about bit. |
would have ye know that before we left
the schooner he had, among other things,
big bottle of rum put into the boat, and
the skipper, having flask in his pocket,
had left this with me, for the kindness he
was made of wouldn't let him think bit
more of himself than he did of others.
$50 when was pulling the boat about,
| got pulling the bottle about as we'll, and
Pm sorry to say it, sir and mates, but it's
fact, that nearly emptied it before |
left the boat, and suppose it overcame
me all at once; for after had helped the
captain as best 1 could, and got him to sit
up and lean against small ridge, felt
my head going round and round, the ice
seemed to be slipping away from me,
there was two shippers, or three, instead
of one, and to make an end OF it, l was
fair and square three sheets in the wind.
The poor skipper seemed to know some
thing was wrong with me, and was not
too bad to feel ashamed of myself. So
managed to pull myself little bit to-
gether, though became very sleepy.
And after awhile the poor chap said (:
Bill, we must get aboard, for the fog is
coming on"
"And Just then we heard the ships bell
going like mad to warn us. So helped
him to his feet as well as l could, for
though l was strong young chap, he was
very heavy man, and we managed,
though it took us long time, to get to
where we imagined the boat to be; but no
boat was there. A powder.fask, which
had dropped in my haste, told us we were
at the right place, but the dingy was gone
Whether had moored it or not | couldn't
say-that vile rum had so muddled me.
"The skipper groaned and fell down in
dead faint; the fog had crept over the
sea that lay between us and tie Mary
Jane, and we we're lost men, and all
through my drunken folly.
al was dazsd for time, but something
told me that sleep meant death; so ]
reused myself, and managed to bring the
captain round again and then l hailed
and hailed for dear life, but my schooner
ahoy,' Mary Jane ahoy,' was only lost in
the dense mass of fog, and all hope seemed
gone.
"The skipper, crippled as he was, could
do nothing, and but for his great bodily
strength, and his heart of oak-for dye
see, mates, them Yankees has English
hearts after all-he would have died there
and then.
"The cold was dreadful, and the fog
got thicker and thicker. Some of you
know what fog is on the banks of New.
finland, mates, aud can easily believe we
were in pretty pickle. God help us,
said the skipper; for, Bill, calculate Eye
see he always did calculate, mates) we
shan't see the Mary Jane again tonight,
for believe the ice is drifting away from
her; however, we amt agoing to cave in
just yet, though l am hove to, Bill
"And then gave way, mates, and cried
out that it was all my fault, and that had
killed him through drinking of the rum,
which made me so onsensible that forgot
to make the boat fast.
"But he told me to stow all that, for
though had done wrong, was sorry for
it, and we'd battle the watch yet, please
God.
"Well, we moved about bit, him lean
ing on me, and l made him drink the rum
that remained in his flask, as told him l
had had enough to last me lifetime, and
that if ever we got aboard again, I'd never
taste another drop as long as lived
"And after bit he said, Bill, it can't
be more than three o'clock, l calculate
so we had better make the most of the
light, and get hold of that troublesome
seal, and get the skin off of him, for it
amt many steps to where we left him.
So helped him along, and we could see a
little better now-for the fog had either
lifted a bit, or we had got used to it 4; we
managed to get to the very spot where
the creature was, stiff as a bit of the ice
on which he lay. Well, the captain could
not help, and it was a long job, and a hard
Ouc tOOj uut l. SOt tuo Shlu Oll NJ idSt
and we put it round us, and felt bit
warmer; but the skipper he got weaker
and weaker, for he was in great pain, and
all could do for him was to roll him uI
in the skin, so as to keep him as warm as
possible. After time he fell asleep, OIL
tainted again. don't know which. And
l lost all power, too, and sank down be-
side him. And then seemed to go bach
dozen years and more, and was kneel
ing at my mothers knee, and repeating
the little prayers she had taught me--for
seemed to know them all again in minute
and then the sleep seemed to be stealing
over me and was 30 benumbed with
cold that | suppose lost consciousness.
81 was brought to, however, by kicI
from the skipper, and the poor chap made
me laugh almost by saying, / calculate
some of us were a.going to sleep, Bill
but that won't do my hearty And jus,
then thought heard bell, and started
up, stiff as l was, for it seemed as though
the fog had cleared bit; and then
fancied heard gun, and the skippe
} said he was sure he did. / told him
thought the wind was getting up, ant
J sure enough it was. Aud through the fol
fancied could see light.
"This gave us new life, and the skip
per, though he could not move, told me t
keep my heart up, as he believed the sbil
xuoo clnua 10 NO fnr ha Gri,o aaa,,a,