Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1891-03-18

soon az she had backed clear Of the
danger, she was put upon the star
board tack, and stood of to the north
ward.
The pilot had turned very pale,
and though his frame shook with agi-
tation, yet he made no movement to-
ward the captain. We all knew that
he was not to blame, for the ship had
not been kept upon the the course
which the captain had promised, but
the helmsman testified that part of
the time her head had been as far out
of the way as east-half-soutb, instead
Of east by north, and upon looking at
the chart we found that we must have
struck on the extreme northern part
of the bar. Yet Capt. Napton could
not be made to see his error nor would
he abate one whit of his wrath. He
sent the old pilot below and told him
not to show his face on deck again.
Midas obeyed without word, though
we could see that his hands were
clinched nervously together and could
also hear the low grating of his teeth.
The captain studied over his chart
for some time, and at length made up
his mind that he would pass between
the two Serphos, and then up through
the strait of Silota. The wind haul
ed little to the southwark and blew
fresher. AT dark the little island of
Kalipoli was upon the larboard beam.
but in half an hour afterward the
wind died away to dead calm. This
state of things lasted for about half
an hour longer, and then the stars
began to disappear from the southern
heavens and the atmosphere began to
grow dull and oppressive.
II smell a blow" said the mate,
walking aft to where the captain and
myself stood.
II hope it may not be such one
as we had in the Egina gulf year
ago." said l, shuddering as my mind
ran back to the gale l rode out in the
old sloop-of.war Fairfield at that time.
"This is a hard place for storms"
said the captain, half interrogatively,
and at the same time, as l thought,
exhibiting a little trepidation.
"You had better believe it," said l.
Hadn't we better call the pilot ?"
suggested the mate.
me" Numbered Napton.
Ere long the heavens were black as
ink, save little streak in the south,
where it seemed as if a dull fire were
moldering and dying. 1t was so
dark that we could hardly distinguish
the outlines of man half the length
of the ship. All haste was made to
get the sail off, and the ship was soon
left under close reefed maintopsail,
fore stormstaysail and storm mizzen.
Hardly had this been done when we
heard a low, rumbling sound from the
southwark, accompanied at short inter-
walls by a sort of kissing, screeching
noise.
In few moments the gale burst
upon us. 1t came at first in low puffs
and splits of spray, and the full
armed monster leaped upon us. For
a while the captain let the ship dash
on before it. He knew exactly where
he was when he started, but he dared
not run too long. and at length he
brought the ship to on the larboard
tack, with her head nearly west. At
10 o'clock the sea ran so high that the
staysail and mizzen became Of no use,
and they were taken in, and the ship
now lay to under nothing but the
close reefed maintopsail. The wind
howled through the rigging with
frightful power, and the sea broke
over the ship in drenching floods.
The matches were battened down fore
and aft and life lines rove.
At midnight the gale seemed to
have increased, and the ship was sur
rounded by rustling mountains of
white crested seas. The crew we're all
upon deck, and they held on upon the
life lines without speaking. Some
times the captain moved about the
deck, and when he stood by the bin
nacle l could see that he was pale and
excited. For three hours the ship
had now been lying to, and it was
evident that she must have made con-
siderable leeway. Beneath the fear.
full power of the driving gale she must
have swept swiftly off-but how swift
ly none could tell. There was no use
in heaving the log, for the seas would
"bring it home"
At length-it was near three o'clock
the sea had risen to such height
that it threatened every moment to
engulf the ship in its deep, cold grave
but yet the strained and grooming
craft stood nobly up. But could she
stand so much longer? The men
could see the face of the captain as
the rays of the pinnacle light fell
"a