Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-03-02
OUT OF THE DEEP.

Ned didn't like the idea of leaving his
studies, but was finally talked around to it,
His father placed his pretty little yacht, the
Swift, at our disposal, insisting upon my
accompanying his son upon the forthcoming
vacation. | accepted the invitation, and We
spent very busy week in getting ready,
after which we cruised along the coast OF
France and Portugal for a while, until Ned
declared himself tired of amateur yachting,
and expressed a desire to get out Of sight OF
land again. He named the Azores as our
destination, and accordingly the bow of our
boat was pointed westward one fine morning
in February
We sailed along before spanking breeze
for some leagues, enjoying the bracing sea
air, until the sky gradually became overcast,
a haze shutting out the sun, and, at last, be-
coming impcnetrably black and thick, max
ing everything dark about US, while the
wind died out, leaving our vessel motionless.
Capt Jack said it looked NASTY" and
ordered his men to take in sail While they
were at work the lightning began to fash
with great vividneSs and rapidity, accom-
panied by thunder of a most terrific descrip-
ton, so deatening and long drawn that the
peals seemed never ending. The sea about lis
WIS as smooth as glass-hardly a ripple dis
turbed its surface, while the air seemed heavy
and close, as if with an ominous foreboding.
"When she comes" said Capt Jack, shell
be ripper, an no mistake. | never seen it
like this unless il blew great guns after" and
be leaned forward, ito listen to the wind, - lie
said but no wind came The deadly, unnatural
calm upon the water undiSturbed by the
slightest breath of air, while the flash and
boom of heavens heaviest artillery reflected
upon and reverberated over its surface.
Suddenly, without the slightest warning,
either by sound of wind or splash of water, a
gigantic wave, as high, L verify believe, as
Mount Blanc, emerged from the gloom before
us rushing onward with Incredible rapidly
and force.
For the moment, l thought we Were lost.
1t seemed as if the mighty mass of water
must inevitably swamp us, but in the excite
ment OF the moment we failed to notice what
we afterward clearly saw was our salvation
The wave was not one of those foam capped
monsters formed by the shrieking winds as
they diSport themselves upon the angry
waters; on the contrary, it was perfectly
smooth: no white fToth formed crown upon
its crest. but in its stead was q film of mud
and debris.
1t rolled along smoothly, rs if some giant
had formed it by casting a huge rock into
the ocean We were lifted bodily upon its
broad shoulders, rising up, up, up, until it
seemed as if we had but to reach out over our
heads to touch the sullen clouds that lowered
above us, darling flashes of lightning at each
other.
Then it passed along beneath u.s. and we
went down. 1t is impossible to describe that
awful sensation of sinking deeper and deeper
INTO what seemed a bottomcsS pit of black
water, unable to see a dozen yards before us
ksve when lightning fash gave us mo.
mentary glimpse of our surroundings.
After what appeared to US an endless time,
We once more reached the sea level, which
was almost as smooth as before the great
wave had passed, but we were no longer mo
tionlesS, the impetus of the wave had been
communicated to the whole sea, and We
found ourselves rushing eastward with it,
stern foremost.
We could do nothing but cling to the bull
warks and gaze helplessly into each others
blanched faces. In few moments we We're
pvertaken by & second wave, not so large as
the first, perhaps but causing us to go
through the same sensations.
A third and still smaller one followed, bu:
while we were dancing upon ITS crest, ready
to take that awful downward plunge again,
another and larger wave from the opposite di
rection met and combined with it, The
swirl of waters caused by their meeting
turned and twisted our Little boat about like
a straw.
Sometimes we were spun rapidly around
like a teetotunl, then we were carried about
in n spiral until thought we We're to 90 down
in a vortex at the center, hut after these
antics had thoroughly frightened us, to say
nothing of making every one mlserably sea
sick, the westward wave conquered, and we
found ourselves headed once more in that
direction, and moving along at the rate of
about mile minute, as nearly rs was able
90 judge.
On. on we went with the giant wave over
miles of monotonouS and ghaStly sea. upon
the surface of which we could see innuIner.
able fish floating, dead.
Dimlv the idea dawned upon our minds,
benumbed as they were by terror and Eiddi-
ness, that some terrible convulsion of nature
was taking place, but we had not energy
enough remaining to speculate upon it. W
merely held on to our posts and waited, willis
we were whirled along over the deathly quiet
of tho sea.
| heard Capt Jack mutter, Not a capfui
O wind. and listleSsly observed that the at
rnoSphere was perfectly still and intensely
oppressive After we had been hurried along
for-I cannot say how many minutes, or
hours, it seemed n century-we felt the wave
beneath us rising TO a still higher altitude,
until suddenly we were shot downward into
the darkness Then we could hear the roar
and splash Of water before US; the first sound
that fell upon our ears during that awful
C2lrs, except the thunder and the tapping of
the water under our bow.
Breakers" roared Capt Jack, and we
waited, breathlesS, for cur doom.
But we did not reach the breakers. Our
little craft gradually and gently slowed up
and finally stood still, anchored fast in a mass
of tangled sea weed.
After examining our position we decided
that there was nothing for US TO do but wait.
The thunder and lightning had ceased. and
the gentle rocking motion impaired to the
vessel by the waves affected our rather
severely taxed nerves as a narcotic, and
welded myself unquestioningly TO II and fell
asleep
Just how long slept / cannot tell, but
was awakened by the voice OF Capt Jack,
giving some order to his men.
1t was night, and the clouds that ohscured
the sky had vanished. The atmosphere was
in its normal condition once more. and high
above US looking down unmoved upon the
sleeping world, SCARED the radiant moon
Her soft light fell upon the waters, making
glittering silver pathway across the ocear..
while the stars twinkled nerrilv about their
radiant queen 1t was a glorious night anG
not sound broke upon the silent air. Even
thn hrealers Mern silnrnaS nor could w