Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1884-05-08
BEFORE THE WIND.
RI. T. Goldrick in Boston Times. ]

The swallow ny all OuuS was tio iucAiuss
old craft for her inches that ever sailed tsS
SEAS She was built of the clcanest North
Carolina pine, hailed from Edenton, and nor
skipper, on whom be peace, came from b.
hind the sand dunes of old Carrituck beach.
sailed with him way back in the fifties,
rousing times, too, when a chap night IND
berth all along shore In those days our
coast line swarmed with craft, mostly
schooners, to which class the Swallow be-
longed. With the exception OF myself,
officers and crew were southern-born, the
mate, stalwart, clean-lmbed Charleston.
ian, Anthony James by nane aud splendid
specimen Of the American sailor OF those
days. Generous and free as water, he would
share his last dollar with shipmate. He
was six feet two inches, broad shouldered,
bearded and bronzed, and, withal, as gentle
as a woman though as brave as u lion. he
was the power behind the throne in tae
Swallow. The skipper, too, was a jolly old
soul, a regular walking encyclopedia, having
tre depth of water on oil the bars and in all
inlets along the coast at the ends of his
fingers. Both he and ths mate would boldly
take chances with the Swallow through any
inlet on the Virginia or Carolinas coast from
daylight dark. But though they took care
care of herself for she was one of those
crafts which possess splendid weather quail
tics
All one summer she Piled between Charles
ton and New York, and was earning money
hand over hand. Business was booming
cOastwise. One pleasant summer evening
she cleared from Charleston packed to the
matches with cotton. The wind blew fresh
from the southard with slight drizzle Of
rain. The skipper seemed to be in hurry,
for he kept cracking it to her all the night.
BY morning he was up the coast and out OF
sight OF the shore; but there was stiftish
breeze, which was shifting about. It came on
sitter and sitter, and IN the afternoon we
reefed her down. Just before dark we made
her snug and laid her to, with her head otf
shore Before daylight the Swallow was
wrestling with the great September gale in
which the Central America foundered, the
like of which has not been experienced on
the coast of the Carolnas sincs twenty-seven
years ago.
During the night the wind went clear
around the compass but after sunrise it was
steadily blowing from the eastward and In
The top hamper it sounded like the roar OF
huge organ.
The daylight revealed sublime spectacle.
In every direction hurrying surges were
sweeping past on the wings Of the wind; i'm
mense hills of waves piled up to wind'ard in
stately array. The little craft strippei to
storm sails, gallantly strug slei amid the bill
lows, while over her. low down. sped the
feecy rack of the tempest in fast flying
squadrons. The crew clustered AFT about the
wheel. An oil-c,ad sailor stood beside the
Wheel turning it down t W spokes when
ever she pitched vily--somo thing she took
especial pride in, for she was apparently try
ing to dive clean through tie waves, which
wore continually pounding her bows Her
skipper, also i'll an oil suit was crouchins un-
der he weather raii.ng, ke, My alive TO the
ections Of the vessel Iro mate stool by tle
coEpanionway nagging tue helmsman, and
tie crew were htchiag On to secure holuing
places. Everything was battened down fast,
the galley fire was out and the crew had
bYeakfasted on an extra reef in their waist
seilS.
AS the Cay advanced without any abate-
Ment in the fury of the tempest, the skipper
ht anne anxious. lis critical eyes began to
Treasure tho on-coin ng pillows, which, when
.ce craft rolled to tie wind'ard, seemed from
Il eir ase like the steep II les of mountains.
and il became manifest to lin that if his
rt Aft trippei and was caught in tho c.utce
RI any Of the huge waves she would be
drown off into the trough and be swallowed
up in the fearful CULTS between the pillows.
Shortly after noon there came an ominous
lull. It's effect was startllny. Sud eny
there was a new motion. Instead of the
regular pitch and roll, the schooner would be
lifted up to the crests of the bilows, Guiyer
a moment, and then settle down into shelter,
where she was encompass1d with hills Of
luriying surges.
A seafaring lie is one which trains the
faculties to u keen quality of perception. 1t
develops prorlptness ald resolute reliance
which be comes "a second nature i'll the trainel
mariner He never will hesitate in a great
crisis. He promptly singles out the best and
safest line of action, aud boldly executes it.
IL was this quality in the Ski per which
caused him to spring to the wneel take the
spokes in his own hands and thunaer:
"Spriug forward into the weather foce-rig-
gng, all of you! Mr.. James, stand by to
ease off the main sheet. Lively, men, lively
So! Now, Mr. James, ease off handsomely"
and the skipper with keen glance to wind
ward sent the whirlng wheel herd up. AS
her Lead began to fall away, she mounted up
Oh the top of great wave, AMI was greeted
with the swelling roar of the tempest, which
came as suddenly as tho lull The main-sail
gave one vicious slat and was instantly torn
into ribbons, and then she sank away under
the lee of tremendous sea- Every eye in
the little craft was now riveted on its tower
ing crest. Each hand instirctively sought
for secure holding and clutched it fast. The
ms atls fpr ripOtny
skipper braced himself, still eagerly watch
ing the Swallow. Without a break or curl
of its green-;inted top it settled down and
.aIing the lit,le vessel in its resistless em-
brace it bore her aloft into the tempest.
Keeling anl quivermS in every timber she
ral ily paid off, and as she once more went
down into the deep vale of tie surges she
was stern Oh and was gathering way.
As the Swallow ieeled away before the
t'npest, the skipper. guiding hor over the
troubled waters, his voice once more sang out
sharply. directing his little crew to lay aft
and stand by to bend on c'ose-reefel main
sail. Under the lend of the mate the new
sail was broken out, reefed and bent On.
The work was pushed forward with energy,
and, in spite of every difficulty, it was
hoisted in safety.
And now here began the real struggle, q
fight for life, the elutching of drowning
man at a straw. The mate, taking the leo
wheel and assisting the skipper to turn it, in
quired what the skpper's intentions were.
"Well, Mr.. James, we are going for the
beach, and / expect that this is the last Of
the old Swallow. Ugh! there is tremeni-
Gus big billow racing after u.s. How she does
twist--and turn. it is as much as | can do to
keep her before them. Thele just see that
surge spin by us. AS live, there is good
mile from crest to crest"
"But, captain, you surely don't mean to
beach us in this seaway, there will not be
fragment left Of the Swallow in three mini
utes after she takes the sand"