Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1884-06-18
FLEEING FROM THE TEMPEST.

f- ---(dr0it PERM IN christ on Union,
-s-- . -
NJ, FLEEING FROM THE TEMPEST.
The Swallow by all odds was the
luGkiest old craft for her inches that
ever sailed the seas. She was built OF
the cleanest North Carolinap pine, hailed
from Edenton. and her skipper, on
whom be peace, came rom behind the
sand dunes OF old Carritlck beach.
sailed with him away back in tho liities,
rousing times, too, when chap might
find berth along the shore. In those
days onr coast line swarmed with craft,
mostly schooners, To which class the
Swallow belonged. With the exception
of myself. officers and crew were South
ern-born. the mate, Il stalwart, clean
limbed Charlestonian, Anthony James
by namo, and splendid specimen OF
I the American sailor of those day.
Generous and as free rs water, ne
would share his last dollar with ship
mate He was six feet Two inches,
road-shouldcrcd. bearded aud bronzod,
and, wtial. IA gentle as woman
though rs brave as lion. lie was the
power behind the throne in the Swa low.
The skipper too, was a Jolly old soal,
regular walking ency clopedia, having
the depth of all the waters on all the
bars and in all the inlcts along the
coast at the ends of his fingers Both
he and the mate would boldly take
chances with the Swallow through any
inlcton the Virginia or Carolnas coast
from daylight to dark. But though
A g
schooner was able TO take care Of herself,
for she was one of those crafts which
possess splendid weather qualities.
All one summer she piled between
Charleston and New York, and was
earning money hand over hand
Business was booming eoastwisc. One
pleasant summer evening she cleared
from Charleston packed TO the bitches
with cotton. The wind blew fresh
from the South ard with n slight drizzle
of rain. The skipper seemed TO be in
q hurry, for he kept cracking it to her
all the night. by morning she was up
the coast and out of sight of the shore;
but there was stiilish breeze which
was shifting about. II came on
sitter and sitter, and In tho
just before dark we made her
snug 'and laid her TO, with head of
shore. Before daylight tho Swallow
WIS wrestling with the great September
gale in which the Central American
foundercd, the like of which has not
been experienced on the coast of the
Caro!inas since twenty-scvcn years ago.
During the night the wind went clear
around TIE compass. but after sunrise il
was steadily bio wing from the eastward,
and in the top hamper il sounded like
the roar of huge organ.
The daylight revealed n sublime spec.
taelc. In eyory direction hurrying surges
were sweeping past on the wings of the
wind, immense h; lis of waves piled III
TO wind'ard in stately array. The little
craft, stripped to storm sails, gallantly
struggled amid the blows, while over
her, low down, sped the lleecy rack OF
the tempest in fast flying sluadrons.
An oil clad sailor stood beside the
wheel, turning it down few spokes
whenever she pitched heavily
thing size took especial pride in, for she
was apparently trying TO dive clean
through tho waves, which were contin
ually pounding her bows. Her skipper,
also in an oil suit, was crouching under
the weather railing, keen,y alive to the
actions of the vessel. The mate stood
by the companion-way nagging the
helmsman, and the crew were hitchine
on to secure holding places. Everything
was battcned down fast, the galley fire
was out, and the crew had breakfasteC
on an extra reef i'm their waist belts.
[ As the day advanced without any
/ abatement in the fury Of the tempest
the skipper became anxious. His crit
ical eyes began TO measure the on-com
ing pillows, which, when the craft rolled
to thc wind ard, seemed from their bast
| like the steep sides of mountains. Aud il
became manifest TO him that if his Graf
tripped and was caught in the clutch o
any of the huge waves she would bt
thrown of into the trough and be swal
lowed up in the fearful CULTS between
| the pillows.
| Shortly after noon there came an ON
nous lull. Its effect was startling
Suddenly there was new motion. In
Jtead of the regular pitch and roll, tn,
schooner would be lifted up to tn,
crests of the pillows, CULVER moment
and then settle down into shelter, wher'
she was encompassed with hills of hur
rying surges.
A seafaring life is one which train
the faculties 10 a keen quality of per
ception. 1t develops promptncss and
rcsolute reliance which becomes n sec
ond nature in the trained mariner. III
never will hesitate in great crisis. III
promptly singles out the best and safes
line OF action, and boldly executes il
Il was this quality in the skipper whicl
caused him TO spring TO the wheel, TAX
the spokes in his own hands ant
thunder:
/" Spring forward into the wcathe
ioro-rigging. all of you! Mr.. James
stand by to ease off the main sheet
Lively, men, lively! So! Now, MI
James, ease of handsomely" and th
skipper with a keen glance to windwar
sent the whirling wheel hard up. A
ber head began to fall away, sh
mounted up on the top of n great wave
and was greeted with the swelling roa
Of tho tempest. which came as suddenl
rs the lull. The main-sail gave On
vicious Stat and was instantly torn int
ribbons, and then she sank away unde
the lee of tremendous sea. Every ey
IN the little craft was now rivcted on II
towering crest. Each hand instructive
y sought for secure holding and elutche
{ fast. The mate sprang for the mai
rigging and the skipper braccd himscl
, still eagerly watching the Swallow
Without break or n curl of its greer
tinted top IL settled down and takin
he little vessel in its resistless en-
brace il bore her aloft into the tempcs
Keeling and quyering in every limb,
,he rapidly paid OIL, and as she ono
more went down into the deep vale {
he surgos she was stern on and w'
gathering way.
|. As the Swallow reelcd away befoI
y he tempest, the skipper guiding h
pyor the troubled waters, his vol,