The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1891-12-05
THE LAST PLANK.

was first mate of the ship Triumph,
bound from Boston TO New Orleans, with
AN assorted cargo of great value The
captain, Rabbit by name, was an oddity |
in every way. He always struck for new |
courses, took all tracks but those pre-
scribed by custom, and thought nobody
knew anything but himself.
For instance he insisted that a counter
current ran southwark inside the Gulf
stream, and that the only way to make
quick voyage to New Orleans was to hug
close in on the shore side of it all the way
ont, despite the danger of capes, rocks and
reefs, the whereabouts of which he said he
knew too we'll not to avoid them.
Who could gainsay himS He was cap
tain of his own ship-monarch of it and
E2N aboard. So, sailing with stiff nor'-
rwester on our quarter, we sped swiftly ON,
passing all the dangers of the coast sue
cessively, such as Barnegat, Hatteras, ETC.,
and found ourselves on morning sud
denly becalmed off Cape Florida, close in
with the land, but soon drifting northward
despite the captains ''southerly current
IL was very clear-not a cloud in sight
warm and close, though it was September
and the time for an equinoctial gale to be
upon us
f1fdNG IOt NcCp std Atdui D1ls w. pdlN
the captain to me, land see if it is shoal
enough to get an anchor to hold"
| sounded and forty fathoms were given.
Bend your hawsers together and drop
our heaviest Hedge" was his next order.
''Then close furl every sail but the fore
storm staysail and balance reefed spanker,
send down all the light spars from aloft,
and get ready to house tOpmasts and Sc
cure lower yards; get up preventer braces,
and see all secure below and aloft."
GAY, ay, sirT' And it was done.
We were now ready for a storm, but |.
ola as 1 am in sea matters, could see no
token of it anywhere,
Were going to have a tough time of it,
Mr.. r." SAID Captain Rabbit to me.
ri "Why, sirr said l. ''the sky is as clear as
my loves dear eyes, and the water is as
smooth as a mill pond. | see no sign OF
wind"
"Wait about two hours, and you'll sing
another tuue," he replied "Ive been in
these ATTITUDES before The worst of this
will be that it will come dead off shore,
and if we must scud, Cuta and her reefs
will be under our lee. Il we bump our
heads there, it will be the last of the old
Triumph, and us too"
l made no reply, for thought it only
one of his fancies, aud leaving the second
mate in charge of the deck, went below to
take nap for I'd had the mid watch and
felt rather snoozish. went to my state
room and threw myself OF my bunk, and
soon was dreaming of blue eyed ange
ashore, whom hoped to lie spliced to at
not far distant time. Aheavy trampine
overhead and the shout of ''all hands
ahoyr' brought me ont Ofsleep and to my
feet in an instant | hurried on deck
Never can forget the change of scene, o
sky and sea, from the calm beauty il
which / had left it when | went below
Now, black clouds were rolling up to thu
northward, coming on in great botch!
waves, like crags of ebon mountains over
hanging and about to fall upon us. Thu
sea was black under the shadowy wing 0
the storm, and the roar of the tempest
like a hoarse, angry voice, came to on
ears from distance.
up with the forestorm staYsail-neve
mind the spanker," shouted the captain
You Two mates take the helm; men. las
yourselves to the rigging it will wash u
fore and aft before we get Roadway" An
SEWING an ak from the beckett he bounds
forward and cut away the hawser whic
acid as at anchor.
AS he did this looked off on our stal
BOARD beam, and saw the water apparentl
rolling i'll huge white breaker toward u:
The next instant the wind struck us, an
for a moment thought all was over, fo
the ship heeed until her lower yardarm
were in the water,
lizard up-hard up the helm" shoute
the captain in my ear.
could but just hear him, and pointin
to the wheel he saw that his order had bee
anticipated
Just then away went our mizzenma'
close by the deck and that alone saved u
for now her head paid off before the win
and the ship righted. Then the staysa
filled and away the old craft shot, like a
arrow sped from well strung bow. A
we got out into the gulf the sea rose lite
ally so hard that the foam was scattered j
cloudy mists through the air.
How does she head?' asked the captain
who stood forward of the wheel.
Sou sou west, sir, !" | replied in a shou
for the gale drowned all common tones.
''If she goes at this rate and holds th'
course we will strike Cuban rock inside {
ten hoursl' he cried.
why not try To heave her tor" asked
In such sea and gale we would be DO
tom up in a minute we're we to try it. A