Little Falls transcript., 1886-07-09

udO @tu4uOAeu up aAEOm UelOW aL aL0e
hall ,.,. '-ss--s..,s T.. III. 4. II.
"But, my good man, if it was really
a light which you saw some one else
must have noticed il too.", >'r,--:,
"Don't know nothin' about that,
sir; but l can swear to it. What I
seen Were-'
IA bright light on the starboard
beam!' sang out the starboard waist
lookout at this moment, and-"I saw
lt!' echoed several voices; but before
the officer Of the watch could turn
round towards the direction indicated
it was gone, and the starboard beam
presented one uniform sheet OF i'm
penetrable blackness.
"Waist there! What was 1t like?"
"Somethin' of a, flash-light, l should
say, sir, replied the lookout. every
bright and very short-gone in a mo-
ment-like."
BY this time the captain and COM
mander were both on the bridge, and
the whole ship was alive with curiosi-
ty.
"What CAN'T be?" I asked OF the old
boatswain against whom 1 brushed
Ill the darkness as walked aft.
''Tis a boat" said he; "that's
what it must be. The ca pm he al
lows it's boat, and he's pretty sure
to be right. Some poor souls whose
vessel has houndered among the ice
whalers, most ikely-took to the
boats, they have. l saw that there
light myself--seemed very close to the
water, it did. They seen our lights,
and burnt fash-light. If they got
another, they'll show that, too, pres
entity"
And now the voice of the command
er rang out: Mr. Sights!"
"Ay. ay, SIR" replied the gunner.
"Clear away your two foremost
guns on the maindeck, and fire blank
charges at short intervals; and get
some blue lights, and show them in
the fore-rigging at once!"
"Ay, ay, SIR And away went the
gunner to see his orders carried out
Instantly.
But ere his head had disappeared
down the hatchway, "A bright light
on the starboard quarter" roared
out the marine sentry at the lifebuoy
right aft; and once more everybody
turned sharp around to find nothing
to gaze at but the universal darkness.
Glands about. ship!" was now the
order, and in quick succession came
from the bridge the we'll known COM
mands in the sharp, imperative voice
OF the lieutenant of the watch: "Ease
down the helmv'-"Helm's a lee''-
"Raise tacks and sheets!" &c. Anu
as the splendid old ship answered her
| helm like q boat and began to fill on
the other tack, "Maintopsail haul!'
for our courses were furled, Head
braces" "Of all, haul" and we were on
the other tack.
The ship was now brilliantly illu-
minated by half q dozen blue lights
burning III the fore and main rigging;
while, as we began to move ahead
once more, our bow guns blazed forth
from the maindeck one after the other
"a roar which We fondly imagined
! would be more welcome than the most
delicious music to the ears OF the poor
storm-tossed castaways in that frail
boat which we now hoped to rescue
from the wrath of the raging sea. At
intervals there appeared again the
bright but transient flash which had
first attracted our notice;and through,
the roar OF the waves and the shrek
OF the wind we at times imagined We
could hear human voices shouting NO
doubt for help, and all eyes were
strained to the uttermcst through the
blackness so try and discern the first
glimpse of the boat itself. The last
flash had told us that we were steer
ing directly for it, and ON we sped ,oul
blue lights kissing and Aaring in our
rigging, our guns ceaselessly roaring
out our sympathy and our desire tc
save.
! keep a, sharp lookout forward
there!" "Life-boat' crew, fall in aft!n -
and we prepared to lower the port
quarter-boat, which was told off as a
"]ife-boa that is, for any purposes
OF rescue, although the state ofthe sea
was anything but favorable for boat
duty; but when we thought of that
poor boat tossing about ON the storm
vexed sea with It's freight of shiverins
and half.drowned men, aye, and may
be q woman or two among them, and
then remembered the frowning ice
bergs and the fearful dangers which
they represented, no man hesltated
and had volunteers been called for tc
man the life boat, the whole ships
company would have come forward
Well can remember the almost chok
ing feeling OF thanEfulness in my owr
heart when thought OF the wild Joy
OF these poor outcasts at the prospect
OF SO speedy a rescue. and anticipated
the delight of welcoming them on the
quarterback OF so stanch and safe s
ship. But all in g. moment my antic
ipations and my sentiments OF graft
tude were scattered to the winds.
keep her away, sir! keep her away!'
came g. roar from the forecastle
"You'll be right down upon her!
large full.rigged ship right ahead o
u.s."
Up went>our helm, and the ship!
head paid of, and as we strained ou
eyes in the direction indicated W
could dimly make out, to our intens
surprise and unspeakable wonder, th,
huge, shadowy, ehostly outline of a,
unusually large vessel. No signs o
life appeared about her. The ligh
which had first attracted our notic
was now no longer to be seen. He
masts, yards and sails were only JUS
visible-not as q black, hard shadov
against the sky, but pale, spectral, al
II mere vapor-barely to be discerned
yet leaving no room tor doubt. Their,
she sailed, veritable phantom ship
Al hands gazed at her in silence. ,Th,
blue lights were allowed to burn out
and no fresh ones were lighted Th'
great guns ceased to thunder on tn
maindeck. The lifeboat's crew NUT
tered unealsly among themselves, a:
II dreading the possibility of being or
dered to board so uncanny a craft
| while the older hands once more shool