Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1889-03-22

TO Ire sure, he had got many times its value
out of the schooner and party of men were
forthwith told Off TO get tho boat hoisted and
slowed
The captain then shook me by the hand.
and, calling u farewell to Wilkinson and the
negroes, scrambled into tho chains and
dropped into his boat, very highly satisfied, I
mako no doubt, with the business he had done
that day.
A boats crew were left behind TO help rs
to make sail But Che weather looking some
what wild in the west, with the red light Of
the sun among the clouds there, and the dark
heave of the swell running into a siclly
crimson under the sun, and then flowing out
dusky again, got them to treble reef the
mainsal and hoist it, and then thanking
them, advised them to lie off. We gave them
a cheer when they started, which they re-
turned, and then, putting Cromwell to tho
tiler, went forward with the others and
set tho topsail and forestaysal the spritsail
lying furlcd), Which would be show enough
of canvas till I saw what the weather was
like. l kept the topsal aback, waiting for q
boat to arrive with my chart, and in a few
minutes the boat we had cheered returned
with what wanted.
Meanwhile they were shortening sail on
the whaler; and, though she was no beauty,
yet tell you found her rs picturesque as
any ship had ever behold as she lay with
her mantopgalantsail clewed up, her top
sail yards on the caps, and the heads of men
knotting the reef points showing black over
the white cloths, her hull floating up out of
the hollow and flinciug wet orange CLEAN
to the west, "a tumble Of creamy foam about
her to her rolling--shadows like tho passage
of phantom hands hurryng over her sails to
-
sea darkling from her into the east
followed my hands, and hailing the cap
tain, who was on the quarter deck, asked
him for the time by his chronomcter He
fourished his arm and disappeared, and
presently returning shouted TO know if l was
ready. Iput the key in my watch and an
swered yes, and then he gave me the time.
Ny watch, though antique, was a noble
piece of mechanism, and, have little doubt,
as trustworthy Us bis chrononeter But
was carefgl to let it lie snug in my hand. |
did not want the negro at the tiller nor tho
others 30 see it. They would wonder that so
fine jowalod piece as this should he in the
possession of the second mate OF little brig,
and it was my business to manage that they
never should have cause to wonder at any
thing in that way.
of the east, and the wind freshcned with
long cry in our rigging, as if the eastern
darkness was foe il was rushing ont of the
west to meet | brought the schooner north
northeast by my compass and watched her
behavior anxiously. The swell was on the
quarter, and the wind and sea trihe abaft
the larboard beam; she leaned a little to the
weight of her clothes but was surprisingly
stiff considering how light she was. Wilkin-
son and the negro came and stood by my
side. The sen broke heavily from the weather
bow, and the water roared white under the
lee bends and spread astern in a broad wake
of foam. The whaler did not brace his yards
up till after we had started. and now hung a
pale, faint mass in the windy darkness on the
quarter. a tncturc of rusty red hovcrcd.
like smoke colored by the furnace that pro-
duces it, in the west, but the night had drawn
down quick and dark; the washing noise Of
the water was sharp, the wind piercingly
cold; each sweep of the schOoner's masts to
! windward was followed Ivy a dull roaring of
/ the blast rushing out Of the LOllOws Of the
canvas, and she swung to the seas with wild
| yaws, but with regularity Sufficient to prove
/ the strict government of the helm.
But it was being at sea, homeward bound,
too! There was no wish OF mine, engendered
abhorred association with the Frenchman,
that could not refer TO as, down to this mo-
ment, gratifed Ny heart bounded; my spirits
could not have been higher had this ocean
been the Thames, and yonder dark flowing
hills of water the banks OF Firth and the
! Gravesend shore.
turned to the three men. "My lads said
{, "you prove yourselves fine bold fellows
by thus volunteering. Do not fear; if God
guides us home-to my home, l mean-you
shall find handsome account in this bust
ueSs'
"Six more chaps would have jined had tn
ole man bin willin',n said Wilkinson. But
best as it is, master, though she's trnle
short handed"
"Why, yes" said I, "but being fore and
aft, you knowl 1t isn't as if we'd got courses
to hand and topsails to reef
az ay, OATS do troof," cried Billy Pitt,
I tort o. dat. Fore an aft makes de differ
ence Don't guess l should hab volunteer
had she been brig"
"There are four of u.s." said I. YOU'RE
my chief mate, Wilkinson. Choose your
watch"
~ choose CROMWELL said he; che was in
my watch aboard tho whalcr."
Every we'll" exclaimed; and this being
settled, and both negroes declaring them
selves good cooks, we arranged that they
should alternately have the dressing of our
victuals; that Wilkinson should have the
cabin next mine, and the negroes the one in
which tho Frenchman had slept, one taking
the others place as he was relieved.
| asked Wilkinson what he thought of the
schooner. He answered that he was watch
ing her
"There's nothin' to find fault with yet,''
said he; "shos whale at rolling, sartiuly.
l guess she walks, though. l reckon she's
had enough of the sea, like me, and's got the
scent o the land in her nose. | guess old
Noah wasn't far off when her lines was laid.
Mebbe his sons had the building of her.
There's something scriptural in her cut, How
ODDS she, nasterN
FIFTY years and more said l.
"Dere5 nuiin partickler in dat" cried
Cromwell. II knows a vessel dat am l0i
years old, s'elp me as l stand.
y don't know how the whalers heading
said l. "but this schooners canoe if we
aren't dropping her!'
Indeed she was scarce visible astern-mere
windy flicker, lowering upon tho pale flash