The Palatka daily news. (Palatka, Fla.) 1884-1888, 1886-10-12

When left the bar Joe pressed me to visit
him again next year.
After my return to Norfolk sent him a box
full of pipes, tobacco and fishing and hunting
stuff had found out he would like, adding
large can of whisky, a beverage he used when
a storm had wet him to the skin and chilled
his blood, and only at that time; and shortly
after my arrival home received a simple, but
whole-souled letter of thanks
The first day Of the next December found
me in Norfolk on my way to Currituck, and
/ reached Joe's hut one evening just as the
sun sunk in a glory of amber and pink that
made the sound look like vast sheet of dor
mant fame.
Joe was away, but the door was open, and
having slowed my traps and some boxes
had brought for him, 1 threw a lot of drift
wood on the smouldering embers, and soon
had a glowing fire, lighting the rudely fur
nishcd room, in whose corners the gathering
twilight had made deep shadows.
Joe came in shortly after the fire had got
well under way and gave me a cordial greet
ing, and n very favorable report to the
prospects for good two weeks sport We
were out early the next morning, and for
five days had excellent weather and fine
shooting, but the morning of the sixth day
brought a change. The sky was covered
with thin gray vapor, and the sun shone i'll
this like great red ball. Gradually the gray
ness grew deeper, and the vapor thickcned to
vast masses of cloud.
Then the sun changed its hue to dull yell
low, and slowly faded out from sight, and as
it disappeared the low moaning in the air
grew wonderfully intense.
"Ther'n be n hard blow" Joe had said in
the early morning, and after eating our break
fast we strolled over toward the seaward
beach.
Tpxafc hrf bolt Nv. Of
sand dunes, among which its low roof rose like
a sharper point 1t stood midway between
the ocean and the sound, and a short walk
was all that was needed to reach either.
When we came to the beach the waves were
rolling up its changing sands with a regular
monotony that seemed utterly devoid of
ferceneSs, but soon a wild, sobbing murInur
sounded across the wide eastern expanse,
and they grew more restless, and began to
toss little foam-crowned crests against each
other. The day during its first part was
changing dreariness. The somber hue of the
sky, and the storm sounds in the air, deep
ened, and the great waves darkened, as the
gloom above them assumed a density that
soon was sadly oppressive. Occasional putfs
ruffied the water, and these quickly grew
heavier and more frequent.
Then Joe, who had clambered to the top
of a sand dune, cried: There she comes"
and fastening to his side, saw what seemed
a huge wall of white foam rushing shore
ward.
Then some sharply driven rain drops struck
hard on our faces, and, with a roar, the first
great gust of the gale surged past us, and the
foam-crowned waves rolled laundering up
the beach
We found shelter in low shed made of
wreck drift, and there watched the sea- 1t
was grand and a wild sight, that tumult of
water with the wind surging over it, and
there a fascination in it that must be
felt to be known. As we stood watching this
tempest-paintcd picture, a man came swiftly
down the beach, the wind driving him before
it. He made for our shelter, and, as soon as
he could regain the speech that the gale had
deprived him of, said:
"There's schooner trying to draw off
shore above us, but 1 don't think she can
weather the point yonder."
Joe sprang toward the beach.
1--WE must have the boat ready" he said.
There were several men in the shed, and
one asked:
do you know the vessel,n
"Yes, it is Mark Wards schooner know
her by the yellow square on her quarter"
noticed that the men turned their glanccs
toward Joe, and that his face grew peculiarly
hard and white; but it was only for a mo-
a strength and firmneSs came to the eyes that
made them burn with n strange brilliancy.
He seemed more erect, too, as he grasped
line that hung against the wall of the shed,
and there tone of command in his
voice, as he said:
"Come boys, we have no time to lose" and
went out, and down the beach, battling with
tho wind that almost took him off his feet
We followed, and soon reached n low build
~ l.. H..
panions, and he, kept small but serviceable
lifeboat. Itwas where a short point juttcd
out just inside of a large headland, and
formed shallow, partially protected bay.
The wind was from the northeast, and as this
point reached out toward the southwark, it
had a narrow belt of comparatively smooth
water bordering its leeward face. The boat
was run close to this, and the men, lying
down under the lee of the sand dunes,
watched the vessel to the northward, she
made desperate fight for ofIing.
'She can't reach out beyond the point"
said one, ''for she cant carry sail enough"
The schooner under short canvas,
having close reefs in all her sails and still the
wind seemed to bury her in spray, as it drove
her down toward the sand. To spread moro
sail was impossible, as that already set
was strained to its utmost capacity, and q
larger surface would bring upon it moro
power than it could bear.
mo, sir, she can't reach out beyond the
point" said the eldest man of the group, "and
it shoals fearfully there l don't think there
is much chance for either vessel or crew."
Again the men turned toward Joe with the
strange look l had before noticed, but he
made no sign.
All this time the schooner had been draw
ing nearer, driven ON by the cruel gale, and
signals for help were now flung out, showing
that her crew had given up all hope of reach
irG the open water beyond the point.
Joe, seeing this, removed his waterproof
suit and stepped into the boat a coil of
small line lay in the stern, its end run through
n fair-leader. This end he passed to the men
on shore, and then sat down and grasped
an oar. As he did so his companions seized
the boat and gave her n shove clear into the
water, three of them springing in with Joe.
Then, with strong, steady strokes, they bent
IL their work and the boat shot forward just