The true northerner. [volume] (Paw Paw, Mich.) 1855-1920, 1886-10-14
THE PERILS OF CAPE HATTERAS.

The night was setting in cold and buster
ing, with every appearance of a storm.
The day had been raw, even for November,
and riffs of ragged, gusty clouds, driving
before bleak northerly wind, had chased
each other across the ornament, now hid
ing the sun in their thick folds, aud now.
as they rolled apart, disclosing his cold
disk to our eyes. The wind had kept up
constant moaning, such as can only be
heard in the more wintry months, when the
seas are roughened with continuous foam,
and the icy breez4s of Labrador sweep down
the stormy American coasts. AS night drew
on, the clouds grew gloomier in the north
ern horizon-the gale sang shriller than
ever through our rigging, whistling wildly
along over the last blackening waters, and
making us SILVER involuntarily. The
breeze, too, was perceptibly damper Snow
fakes began to fall.
Its going to be wild night" said the
Captain, land | fear Hatteras is under our
lee. We must close reef and get an offing."
He spoke anxiously, so that all thoughts
of sleep were dismissed from my mind;
and going below for my nor'wester, pre-
pared TO spend the night on deck. AS the
hours wore on the storm increased, the
wind howled wilder through our hamper,
the rain drove fierce across our decks. The
cold was intense, and the rain became at
length sleet. Out to windward only the
white caps of the pillows could be seen;
to leeward nothing but waste of driving
foam met the eye. Oh! how we longed for
morning.
At last the dawn came, but slowly and
heavily, as if unwilling to supplant the
night. To eastward the dusky clouds were
seen heaving like misty curtain. Gradu-
L., Itch 10 to,,
parted; but a misty veil still hung over all.
The schooner moaned as she struggled on,
now striking into the trough, then rising,
buoyant as duck, and shaking the spray
CALAMITY from her sides. Suddenly | was
startled by the voice of the lookout shout
ing, Breakers aheadi"
looked to leeward. There, hardly two
cables length distant, they were just dis
cernible through the dim light-a whirlpool
of white, angry foam. A tremendous cur
rent combined with the wind to drive us
toward them with frightful velocity.
"Hatteras, heaven help u.s." cried the
Captain at my side.
How often had heard that name as a
name of terror; but with only vague idea
of it, after all; for had never expected to
be brought face TO face with it and death.
But now was In the very presence of the
devoured thousands, whose bowels were
full of countless victims. l could al
most throw biscuit into the breakers. In
less than five minutes l would be in their
midst.
These reflections rushed across me swift
as lightning during the pause which the
Captain made 10 take breath. Then his
stentor voice shouted, "Down with the
helml Haul in the sheetsl Harder!
harderp
The wheel whirled around; the huge sail
came heavily in; and then n moment of
awful suspense followed. Would the
schooner lie any Closer? She quivered,
and seemed TO drift boldly toward the surf.
! l grasped rope instnctively. A moan
rose from the little crew.
"Cut loose reefi" Numbered the Cap
tain. Never mind untying, but out with
your knives. Stand by, some of you, to
haul and Delay"
The expedient was little short OF m d.
ness. But il was our only hope. 1t seemed
rs ii all was over. AS the sheet flew out.
| IL gave jerk d Mt nearly heeled rs on our
beam ends; then, CATCHING the full fufy OF
The gale, it ragged us wildly along; plung-
ing us headlong through the giant pillows
while the water folmed around, rolling in