Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1891-01-29


and the light breeze which famed the
surface Of the Indian ocean.
About O'Clock in the afternoon the
sky to windward showed signs of a
gathering storm Professional pride
told me to crowd on all sail so long as
the wind continued fair, but experience
whispered that the lives of the
ships crew, my wife and Miss Burlin-
game depended to a great extent upon
my seamanship and good judgment. |
considered the matter a lew minutes,
and then, summoning the chief mate,
said:
"Mr. Everson, call all hands, take in
the light sail, send down the studding-
saiI-yards and booms, skysail, royal and
top-galIant yards fore and ait, and close
reef the top-sails and courses"
The mate, whose hair and beard were
whitened by the ocean blast of 40 years,
regarded me in surprise for moment,
then touched his cap and returned to
the waist. | could see that the old salt
doubted the ACCESSIBILITY Of the course
was pursuing.
The orders for shortening sail were
rapidly executed, and in less than TWEEN
ty minutes the NOrSeman was all snug
fore and aft. In the meantime the
horizon had become overcast with a
heavy bank Of cOpper-cOlOred clouds
in the thirty years / have followed the
sea | have never seen the elements ar
rayed in more terrific line of battle
than they were at 800 of the afternoon
of Sept. -, 1869.
The matches were carefully battened
down and the watch sent below TO secure
what rest they might, while | paced the
quarter deck, restless and uneasy.
The breeze gradually died out and a
dead calm ensued.
The ladies came on deck and chaffed
me for shortening sail.
The barometer continued falling, and
| AGAIN ordered all hands called. A line
of foam was approaching on the star
board beam.
"Hard port !"
"Hard q port. STRIP responded the
helmsman.
| seized the trumpet and gave nv
orders
HTIaul nm thn courses -
The command was prom ntlv executed
and the men started alott to furl They
we're foo late
"Down for vour lives Down y,
The tidal wave struck us ON onr mort
quarter hreakino over the noon deck
ACCOMMODATED bv a fearful oust of wind
AWAY went orr courses. and the tom
sails were literally blown from the bolt
ropes.
looked for tbe ladies who had been
standino on thp quarter derx Mnyci-
fri hnovnne : thnv Lad boon waobod
faces half shin's Ienoht to leeward
With a veil to lower awav the STAR
board boat ! minced into the sea AS
| rose TO the surface T heard a COO,
voice beside me:
"Cbonr mn Gan ,vn,u sava tbam
sure"
| glanced over nv shoulder and saw
the Carpenters mate
It seemed as though Providence had
intervnnod IN o,, hoboIf for oftor TIA
frst terrihla oI1et tbe Wind suhsidnd
We reached the ladies' and I1oked
around tor tbe boat # was comino
the crew nu]lino like demons while IN
the sheets sat Fverson. nroino them to
greater eyertion.
Nv the time we returned +o the shin
the cyclone had broken upon MS in ali
its fury, and for three DAYS we driIted
at the mercy of the storm.
On the morning of the fourth dav the
wind and sea went down, the damage
to the Norseman was quickly repaired
ana stood tor Melbourne
Tnon our arrival Kenneth Gardener
asked for his discharges. which I could
NOT we'll refuse him. tier the naners
had been filed ont / took occasion TO
thank the vounp man warmly in
behalf of Mr.. BurIingame. and infimat-
ed that if would be to his ADVANTAGE to
return to Tivernool as soon AS possible
giving him st the same time a letter Of
intr0ductior, 10 NV emnlOvnr which
contained a detailed description Of the
gallant conduct of Gardener in saving
Miss EveIvn's life.
The ladies were ashore stonnino Of
this verv hotel, and I was to iofn them
later in the dav. | appeared about 5
O'clock. Mrs, Thornton was suffering
from n headache and Mis-, BurIiooame
had gone for drive.
The vo no lady came in half an hour
ner. After exchanoinu GREETINGS the