Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1891-07-28
The Story Of a Wreck.
Thrilling ana Romantic Account of
a Mutiny at Sea.
aY w. CLARK RUSSELL.

and grinding OF tine cnaln-SneeCss the
soueal of sheaves working on rusty
pins, tho Kissing and splitting of the
seething foam, and ever and anon the
sullcn thunder of sea striking the
ship, filed the ear with a wonderful
volume of sound. The captain was
cracking en- to make up for the lost
time, and he was on DECK %hen went
below at ten O clock to get some rest
before relieving Duckling at midnight.
There were then two hands at the
wheel and a couple on the lookout;
our lamps were burning bravely, but
we had long ago oUtrup all sight OF
shore and of lights ashore,
l slept soundly, and at eight bells
Duckling reused me up. had
four hours before me when L went
on dock, and / may perhaps have
wished myself ashore in quiet BED.
The captain stood near the wheel 1t
was blowing very fresh indeed, the
wind atIjcut east-south-east, with 9
strong following S "ea- The yards had
been braced farther aft, but no oEH3t
alteration had been made since L had
gone below. If had thought that the
vessel was carrying too much sail them
l certainly thought that she was carry
ing a great deal too much sail now.
The press of canvas was burying her:
Well aft as the wind was, the vessel
Law over to starboard under it, and she
was dragging her heavy channels
sluicing and foaming through the
water.
mustered the watch and couple
of them went to relieve their mates at
che forecastle. | walked aft to see how
she was steering and found she was
doing very well, though the rush OF
sone OF the seas under her counter
might have bewildered two-thousand-
con shin. She rose, too, better than
show ght she would, though she was
sluggish enough, for some of the seas
ran past her with their crests curling
above her lee bulwarks, and she had
received one souser near the galley
but her decks to windward were dry,
Coxon was smoking a big Dutch
pine, holding it with Cue hand and the
rail with the other. He had hair car
on with flaps over his ears, and sea
boots, and all that he was doing was
first to blow cloud and then look W
at the sails, and then blow anothc
| cloud and then look up again. Thi
would appear to have been going OF
since nine o'clock. l thought he mus
be pretty tired of his diversion by thi
| time.
''She bears her canvas WELL sir,
said /.
YES" he answered, grufly, II hav
| lost twenty-four hours. ought T.
have been clear of the Channel b.
this"
''She is fast vessel, sir, We ar
doing a good twelve, should say"
He cast his eyes over the stern, thel
looked up aloft, but made no answer
1 was moving away when he ex
claimed;
go forward and tell the men t
keep bright lookout. And keep you
weather-eye hitting yourself, sir"
l did as he bade me, and got upo
the fore-castle, l found the two mer
who were indistinguishable from tn
poop, wrapped in oil-skins leanin
AGAINST the fore-castle rail. 1t ble'
harder here than it did aft, for powe
of wind rushed slanting from the fol-
top-mast staysail and whirled up frol
under the foot of the for sail.
l had been on deck three-quarters
an hour when, feeling the wind vel
cold, dived into my cabin for q shaw
to wrap round my neck.
l had hardly left the cuddy door
return, when heard loud cry fro
the fore-castle, and both hands roare
out simultaneously: "a sail rig
aheadr'
Coxon walked quickly forward
the pooprail to try to see the vessel
windward; then he went over to tt
other side and peered under the mai
sail; after which he said: Il see not
ing. Where is sheP'
l shouted through my hands; &C
: which bow Is sheP"
Fright aheadn' came the reply.
There was short pause, and tho
one of the men roared out: cha
over! we're upon her" Shes cutt'
= rugged. She's q smack"
:" Hard a-port! hard a-port!' baWl
Coxon,
l saw the spokes of the wheel
round, but almost at the same mono
t. 1 felt sudden shock-an odd kind
lg thud, the effect of which upon l
1T senses was to produce the impressi
of a sudden lull in the wind,
Great Heavensr' beloved vol
"we've run her down."
In a second l had bounded to
weather-side of the poop and lool
over, ana WnaC SAW SllulhS AoPh
past was a mast and a dark-colol
sail, which in the daylight would pr
If ably be red, stretched fiat upon
rs Wilderness of foam which our ship
so sweeping off her sides. Upon
r. ghastly white ground sail and m
were distinctly outlined-for a b.
moment only; they vanished even
watched, swallowed up in the seeth
water. And then overhead the sail
the ship began to thunder, and
rigging quivered and jerked as tho'
. it must snap.
Hard over! hard over!' belloN
CoxOn.
,0I 1 saw him rush to the wheel, thu
away one of the men and pull
spokes over with all his force.
vessel answered splendidly, swer
nobly round like creature of insti
}. and was again rushing headlong
full sail over the sea,
This was a close shave. AT
70 speed at which she was travelling
had obeyed the rudder in the first