Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1889-03-22
........,, ueI larooard bilse dreadful blows,
Numbered in mighty green masses over her.
CHAPTER II.


by stoh weather as was to be expected Off
Cape Horn
But there was an invetcracy in the gale
which had driven us down to this part that
.- '--,~' c'-" eNri'g 1t was limos
siblc TO trim the ballast. We dared not veer
SO as to bring the ship on the other tack.
With helm dashed and yards pointed TO the
wind, thus we lay, thus we drifted. steadily
trendng with the send of each giant surge
farther and deeper into the icy regions of the
southwest, helpless foreboding, disconsolate.
1t was the night of the fourth day of the
month. The crew were forward in the fore
castle, and knew not if any man was. on
deck saving myself.
l stood in the companion as in sentry
box, with my eyes just above the cover.
Nothing was TO be seen but sheets of ghostly
white water, sweeping up the blackness on
the vessels lee, or breaking and boiling to
wndward.
After a long and eager loct round into the
obscurity, semiluccnt with froth, | went
below for a mouthful of spirits and a bite of
supper, the hour being eight bells in the
second dog watch, as we say-that is, eight
o'clock in the evening The captain and car
penter were in the cabin. Upon the swing
tray over the table were piece of corned
"Were in an ugly part of the globe"
says Capt. Rosy. "When bad sailors die
they're sent here, reckon. The worst nau-
teal sinner can't be hove to long off the Horn
without coming out of it with purged soul.
He must start afresh to deserve further pun
ishmentn
"Well, here's a breeze that can't go on
blowing much longer" cries the carpenter
''The place it comes from must give out soon,
onless a new trade winds got fixed into
whole gale for this here ocean,
'What southing do you allow our drift
will be giving us, captains" asked, MUNICH
ing piece OF beef
"All of four mile an hour" he answered. "If
this goes on 1 shall look to make some discov-
cries. The antarctic circle won't be far of
presently, and since you're a scholar, Rod
ney, Ill leave you to describe what's inside
of it-though boil me if l don't have the
naming of the tallest land; for, dye see, I've
mind to be known after I'm dead, and
there's nothing like your signature on q
mountain to be remembered by"
At this instant We were startled by a wild
and fearful shout on deck. 1t sounded high
above the sweeping and seething of the wind
and the kissing of the dashed waters, and it
penetrated the planks with a note that gave
it an inexpressible character of anguish.
"a man washed overboard!" bawled the
carpenter, springing to his feet
''No!' cried !, for my younger and shrewder
I ear had caught note in the cry that per-
suaded me it was not as the carpenter said
and in an instant the three of us jumped up
the ladder and gained tho deck.
The moment | was in the gale the same
affrighted cry rang down along the wind
ri. ,ol' coli
tumble up before we are upon itn
''What do you seel' l roared, sending my
voice, trumpet fashion, through my hands;
for as to my own and the sight of Capt. Rosy
and the carpenter, why, it was like being
struck blind to come on a sudden out of the
! lighted cabin into tho black night
Any reply that might have been attempted
was choked out by the dive of the briggs
head into the sea, which furiously flooded
her forecastlc, and came washing aft like
milk in the darkness, till it was up to our
! knees.
"See therc!" suddenly roared the carpenter.
"Whero, man-whereW bawled the captain.
! But in this brief time my sight had grown
used to the night, and | saw tho object before
1 the carpenter could answer. 1t lay on our
lee beam, but how far off no man could have
/ told in that black thickness. 1t stood against
/ the darkness and hung out dim complexion
| of light, or rather of palldness that was not
! lght-not to be described by the pen. 1t
was like small hill of snow, and looked as
| snow does, or the foam of the sea in darkness
and it came and went with our soaring and
| sinking.
"lce' / shouted to the captain.
81 see it, he answered 1--WE must drive
her clear at all risks"
There was no need to call tho men. To the
second cry that had been raised by one
among them, WHO had come out of the fore
castle and seen tho berg, they had tumbled
up as sailors will when they jump for theiI
lives: and now they came staggering, splash
ing, crawling aft to us, for the lamp in the
cabin made sheen in the companion hatch
and they could see us as we stood there.
"Men," cried Capt. Rosy, 'yonder's q
| gravestone for our carcasses if we are not
lively Cast tho helm adrftr 1--WE stecred
by tillor. 1.-TWO hands stand by it. For
ward, some of yc, and loose the forestaysail
and show the head of it!'
Tho fellows hung in the wind could moi
wonder The bowsprit had been sprung wher
the jibboom was wTenched from the cap by
the fall of the topgaliantmast; it still had
to bear tho weight of the heavy sprtsa
yard, and the drag of the stAysal might
carry the spar overheard with the men upon
it. Yet it was our best chance; the one sal
most speedily released and hoisted-the one
that would pay the briggs head of quickest
and the only fragment that promised to stand
"Junp!" roarcd the captain, in passion
of hurry. Great thundcr It's close aboard
Youn leave me no sec room for veering il
you delay an instant"
"Folow mo who willr' I cried ont; "anC
others stand by ready to hoist away"
Thus speaking-for there seemed to my
mind surcr promise of death i'll hesitation
at this supreme moment, than in twenty
such risks as laying out on the howsprit sig
nified-I made for the lee of the weather
bulwarks and blindly hauled myself forward
by such pins and gear as came to my hands
A man might spend his life on the ocean ant
never have to deal with such passage a
this.
got on to the bowsprit, nearly sthed BY
the showering of the seas, holding an opeI
knife between my teeth half dazed by TIL
prodigious motion of the light brig, which n
this extreme end OF her was to be felt to tn
full height of its extravaganza. At every
pI,,noa | aypectaI IN ba hurried md aN,or,