Little Falls transcript., 1886-07-09


tumult. Then followed the grave and
searching investigation into the mys-
terry. Who had seen him last? Where
was he then? In what state? Howlong
ago was it? and so on, and so on; un-
til at last the whole ships company
knew that one of their number had
gone over board-presumably in the
morning watch; probably swept offby
q peculiarly heavy sea, we'll remem-
bered in that watch: But unknow wn,
unheard, unseen-his cry for help, if
such a cry he gave, utterly drowned
and smothered in the ceaseless roar
OF the sea, the shrek OF the wind
And so the men were dismissed, each
to his special duty; and the paymas-
ter was directed to see that the fatal
letters d. D. discharged dead) were
placed against the unhappy man s
name in the ships books.
And now occurred a. circumst ance
which took the whole ship by storm,
as 1t were, and which, mere accident
and coincidence as it was, made all
the old seadogs nod their heads and
eye the younger men meaninely, as
who would say, "What did / tell
you?"while they, on their part, were
firmly impressed with the lesson in
cause and effect thus so pointedly
placed before them. 1t was clearly
established; and ere the afternoon
watch was over the sky had cleared,
the storm had dropped, the wind had
shifted right round AMI was now blow.
ing dead fair. There was no room
for more argument-the oldsters had
1T all their own way-the scoffers were
silenced.
The ship now in afew hours rounded
the cape, which before had seemed an
impossible obstruction to her, and
made her way unhindered to the
north; but the feelings engendered by
the events immediately preceding this
change had taken too strong O. hold
upon the men to pass lightly away,
and in many a long first or middle
watch the subject of the disappear.
ance ofthe lost shipnate and its inn
mediate effect upon the elements was
discussed with bated breath, and ma
ny an onlinous shake of the head was
given as the opinion was moodily ex.
pressed that "we'd not done with
him yet And when a few days after.
wards, on q Sunday morning during
divine service, the quartermaster Of
the watch came creeping and tiptoeing
down the ladder to report something
to the commander, who at once fol:
lowed him silently up the after hatch
way, but few minutes afterwards re-
turned and whispered mysteriously
to the captain, who in his turn mount
ed on deck and did not come down
again, we all felt that perhaps some.
thing more might be in store for us, and
was even now perchance at hand. How
lmpatiently we sat as the sermon
dragged ont Its seemingly interminable
length, and then when at last the hi ess
ing had been given and the quick, sharp
voice of the first lieutenant had issued
the order, "boatswain' mate, pipe
down.: we literally tumbled up on deck
to learn what it was that had disturb.
ed the calm OF that SABBATH forenoon.
It needed but a glance. "Icebergs!'
There they were, along array OF cold
filmy, shadowy giants, looming huge
in the mist with which each surround.
ed himself-ghostly, ghastly, clammy
spectres from the very land OF death
itself. Not that we thought of then
as such; no, we were glad, we young.
sters; we liked them, thought they
were "jo;ly, Though any object less
gifted with an aspect OF joviality one
can hardly imagine. Each, as w
neared it, wrapped us in its clammy
shroud OF death-cold fog and chilled
us to the very marrow, and towering
far above our mainroyal mast head
seemed to threathen us with instant
and appalling destruction.
So we sped on, iceberg after iceber{
rising above the horizon as we helt
our course; and ii sources OF anxiety
and alarm, by day, how much more sc
by night! Often we entered vast
bank ofimpenetrable. fog conciou:
that somewhere in it's ,inmosr recess
es lay concealed, as if waiting for it.
prey, gigantic berg, but never know
ing from moment to moineut when o.
where exactly to expect it. This wa:
a splendid chance for the croakers
Many q great solemn head was shaker
and many a jaw wagged with gloomy
forebodings over that unusual ant
unexpected appearance OF ice in tn
Southern seas. By and by the wine
began to freshen and signs OF anothe
gale appeared, though this time from
another quarter fairly favorable tt
us; and with her canvas snugged dow,
and a bright lookout forward, the OLE
ship began to shake her sides as sh
hurried away from those inhospitabl
seas with their spectral occupants
towards the inviting warmth OF tn
tropics and the steady blasts of tn
trade winds.
Anxious for a breath of fresh al
before turning in to my llalf-soddel
hammock, went on deck to take
turn with a chum, and enjoy, as W.
often did together, a few anticipation
OF the delights OF home once more
| It was q vida very wil<
| night. There was a small moon; bu
the clouds were hurrying over her fac
in ragged steamers, and in such con
stant succession, that her light va
seldom visible; and when she did shov
it for q feeting moment, it fell upon 1
black, tossing, angry sea, whose wave
broke into clouds OF icy foam as the,
baff1ed off the bow of the great ship
or tried to leap savagely over he
quarter. 1t was q hard steady gale
the wind shrieking and hummin
through the rigging, and the old shi]
herself pounding ponderously but ir
resistibly at the great mountains O
water before her, and creaking, groan
ing and complaining as she did SO
masts, yards, hull, all in one striden
concert together, as if demonstrating
at the labor which she was forced tt
! undergo. In spite Of the moon tn
night WAS as black as Erebus, an<
from the quarter deck on which W
paced the bow of the. ship was barrel,
visible. We were Just turning ou
| faces aft, my chunl* and /, IN OH