New-York tribune., 1884-02-24

1
head But tho waters not likely to come in IN such
hurry rs TO drown rs out Of hand AT least hopt
not"
For man 10 hone that dreadful thing will not
happen does not encourage one much.
@Can / say y word TO you, ThompsonT oK.
claimed. He drew away from the mate, Daniel.
said |, " don't think must put any faith IN thai
bulkhead"
No,1 he replied. Swe must not trust it, though
while IL holds it's good Ii it'll stand tl daylight
fed"
a Daniel wish to ask ycu. an old friend and
shpmate. should it 10 our taking TO the boats
70 allow me and my sweetheart ana her aunt 10 oo
together"
. see no difficulty" he replied @yOu can have
when the time comes. Thornton and must talk
over that business of leaving the ship IL the ladies'
are willing to accompany Won. they're welcome
enough. But. Jack-tbis is a tOarful blow, fear
grasped his hand. +" Of course it Is. Daniel A
worse could hardly befall shipmaster. But You
have met IL as man-yOu are carrying II through
as man-and If God spares our lives you'll have a
hundred witnesses at your back TO prove how tho
thing happened. Professionally 1t will leave yOu
unharmed. and In what other way can 1t nJure
youT
i" Heaven grant we all come safe ont of it he OK
claimed, with slight faltcr in his voice. 4" Hayo
you anything more to say tO me- Jack y -
According to your reckoning to-day st; ram 5
Island VIII be about a hundred odd miles distant,
away out 10 windward yOnder|
"ies-yes-I know what's in your mind be an,
swered. We have discussed tdt question ana
head and the pumps, with such gangs as we can put
to them, than put for that island with the hkeli-
hood of the ship going to pieces before we cn land
the few stores which remain. by holding on we
may fall in with vessel to keep company, and
pull through the accursed job after ALL But to
fetch that island wOuld b. 10 cast the ship away.
There's damage yonder that's not 60 be repaired ont
of dry-dOck. and you've got to realize what one
hundred OF US men; women and children, throWn
upon that rock would signify, lingering there maybe
for weeks. ultimately to rot away. No, no! let us
push On-let us shove on
Well IN the maine calling there Is more difference
of opinion than IN any other. Had had charge OF
that ship, with her starbOard bow torn cut, ana
nothing to trust to but bulkhead- should have
tried TOR 1T. Pauls anyway, seeing 1t was the only
spot of land amid thousands OF mIlcs OF water ana
having landed the passengers and what stores |
could have saved, trusted tO PrOvldence-tOr much
must be lett to God IN all things. Danltls heart
was in his ship and cargo; he would wish 10 save
her at all hazards and fOriorn az her hope was. aS
he had himself implied still he would cling TO even
the ghost of chance, knowing well what the
aIying of the vessel and her freight would mean to
him. who bad not n State, but private hrin ol
money ma kers to serve.
He left me with kind of impatlence. to reIOin
Mr. Thornton. if he was afraid should begin to
argue with him. was now so used TO the darkness
that could begin TO with tOleraDle dIstnctneSs.
The main-tack had been boarded ana the ma n
topgallant-sail set. went to the weather rail to
see past the mainsai and could inst make 0ut the
foremast with the fOresa pulling at IT, IL looked n
big lnutilated shadow There being no more head
sail accounted for the mizzen-topsal being fnrled
and I wondered that even with the mainsau she
should steer easily; bat apparently, as the wInd
then was. the canvas upon her lett her wei undor
command of the helm. There were men at work ia
the gloom forward; you heard their voices but
cOuld not them. Light cleaned on the main
and quarter decks aand looking over the rail
epied groups Of tweendeCk and steerage passengers
below restlessy fitting 10 and fro or covering III
dark blOtches under the buiwarks ana near the
Cuddy front. The hOarse murmur o' theH voices
rose along with the crying OF babies ana llLJle
children. But the panic among them appe9 red TO
have passed aud 1t was likely enough tnat tne
-sftf rfrp
that the danger over, though they would not
trust themselves below yet. Cold enough IL must
have been for the women and children. Terror
makes people cold, and when the wind Is raw TOO.
then yOu get the most grieyOuS element Ct shpWfeck
degree OF physical suffering which. i protracted,
makes drowning welcome. The backneSs on the
sea was rendered startling by the sparkle Of the
p1een fires in IL and by the ghaStly coming and
fading of froth The breeze was fresh, hnt the ship
sailed sIuggishly, with new note IN the slrges
which She threw from her, and sickening dip OF
thu head IN every plunge that gave ynu the t"ea OF
her beng giddy, and rec ling ID iaintlhg manner rs
she rolled along oyer the ebony iOlas Ncll came
swelling M against her lee bow. The sky looked
10 be slow procession OF ponderous shadows, THU
ming here and there, then thickenng up again. 40
that sometimes vOu could the MAN -tOpgallant-
sail floating and swavng black IN the airer gloom,
then melting ont as the darkness drove over with
iercer sweep of the mist-ike ram IN IT..
Ised to bring Won with me to the cuddy when re-
turned. Nobody can hearten passengers Ike the
oh. I'll 20 to them. said he though, God
knows | have little enough to tell then
We walked to the companion m silence IRE
Slowing round 10 drop below / took notice of thc
naked mizZeumast. the dim blotoh ot the man a.
the " heel behind the binnacle the liquid ebony OF
the sea making one with the black heavens the
waing of the wind al0ft. the rushing and seethlng
sound of foam. and above all. the sluggish slcken-
ing slnpe of the stern when the swell drove under
the forrfoot and lifted the horrible ad-wcight Of
water that filled the fore compartment Only
"a ilor perhaps would have felt this; but never. 10
me was an yyhIng palmer IN all my life.
There was passionate expectation IA the looks OF
many ,f the tsseugcrs a. Daniel entered the cuddy.
followed bv me- They were all seated Just ~ ! had
left Them and at once resumed my place betWXt
:. What Is The news Mr. Seymour ?" instantly ex-
claimed the Old lady. giving me my name very
.Whv. that we are still heading for Australia,
and that the ship's hold IS free of water | replied
- Are we still in rciy great danger = asked my
darling. # she wished to think! dear heart. thai
our peril was not 50 Formidable - At hid Deeh.
q" Be- easy. sweet pet" / whispered. - " df6 IN
danger. but it Is not of KIND thar need triSheh
MS"
Meanwhile Thompson was mixing himself sup
If brand y-and water al the table The old familiar
crimson Of his face had faded away INTO pale.
dinrv red care and grief were expressed IN every
line of ms hearty con teGance; nevertheless he
had fixed cheerful look as he entered tie cuddY.
and preserved It a. he stood barcheaded near
swinging lamp. the light ot which gittered IN the
wet upon his cloth coat.
tralia IN this ship, cape IA asked MIS-, . brleil;
he answered smiling: ii she fails, ii viii nos be
my fault. ., A.,
Thompson Tucker, breaking a long silence and
snrakln IN an extraordinary hollow note.
U" Whv. sir" replied Daniel. We have six good
boats one of them the long. .boaC. d. pretty near ~
bi,, a. the ship that Christopher Columbus dlscoy-
.rrd America IN: two of the othcr- are lfr-hoatS
the eigs clipper and the others ut TO sail round
the world in. /.
boat at sea - dreadful ~ cried Mrs. Marnaduke
Mortimer " Ever since was n child have always
Thought that the most frghrtul part of shpWrcck'
Her husband wrapped ms arm around her
- H.. not 80 bad as drowning. maMn.' said
Daniel. but then. tho boats are our ast resource
Wr'r. not driven 10 them gf.' And. giving her
.1iis h, sw igqe on the contents of hi- tumblcT.
How many souls are there altogether iu this
shin p inquired Captain Jackson, asking the cues
tiou with his arms tightly folded. his head down.
ii ~ 100. n.-nrLua N mmInr LIS hrmM.