Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1891-06-29
THE LAST PLANK.

was hrrf mate OF the ship Triumph,
bound from Boston 20 New Orleans, with
an assorted cargo Of great value The
captain, Babbt by name, was an oddly
IN every WY. He always struck for new
courses, took all tracks but those pro
scribcd BY custom. and thought nobody
know anything but himself
For instance, he insisted TINT n counter
current ran southwark inside the Gulf
a,rcam. and that the only way 10 make a
Quick voyage 10 New Orleans was 10 hns
close 10 Oh the shore side Of II AL the way
out. dsaplte the danger q capcs. rocks and
reefs, the whereabouts Of which he said he
knew too we'll not 10 avoid them.
Who could gnlnsay hint lie was cap.
tain Of his oen ship-moparch Of 10 and
az aboard. go. sailing with a SUI nor
vesier on our quarter, We sped swiftly on,
passlng all tho dangers Of tho coast sue
cs-sivcly. such a. Darncgat, Hatteraa, etc,
aud found ourselves on = morning sud
denly becalrncd on Cape Florida, close In
with the land, bot soon drifting northwnd
despite the captains "southoriy current"
II was very cicar-not cloud In sight
warm and close, though II was September
and tho time for an equlnoctial gnlo 70 b
upon ua.
"IIeaye tho deep ssa lead, Mr.. H., said
the captain 10 me, "and acc II u 10 shoal
enough 10 get an anchor 10 hoh."
sounded and forty fathoms wero given.
"Dcrd your hawseu together and drop
our heaviest kedRo." wsa hia next order.
Then clos iurl every sAll but the forc
storm stay~ail aud balance recf,d apanker.
send down all the Night spau from aloft,
and get ready 10 house topma,ts and 20
cure lower yards, get up prc,cnter braces,
aud soo all secure below aud aloit,"
-Ay. ay, siri' AMI II was done.
We were now ready for q storm. but /.
old ~ am In ssa maiten. could seo no
token 81 II anywhere.
We're goiag 10 have tough timo Of II,
Mr.. II" snid Captain Rabbit 10 me.
"why. IA. = sald I. "the Hky Ia a. clear a.
my loves dear eve, aud tho water IA as
smooth ne mill pond. ree no pign Of
wind.n
"wlif about two hours, and you'll sing
snothnf ture." DO replied. "rse b,cn In
these latitudos boior. Tho wont VI this
will 10 that twill como dead on shorr.
and n wc mat scnd, Cuba aud her reefs
will b under our Ice. n wo bump our
hcsds there. II will 10 thu last Of theold
Triumph. and US too"
made no rply. for I thought Il only
ono Of his fAbetos, and loaving III. second
mate In charge Of tho dnck, went brlow 10
take a nap. for I'd had the mid watch asd
felt rather sBoonish. Invent to my state
room and threw myself on my bunk, and
soon was draining Of blue eyed angel
ashore. whom hoped totr spheed 10 at .
not far dstant time. A heavy tramping
overhead and the shout u all hands
nhoyI" twoarht me out Of sle.p and 10 my
feet In an Instant hurried on dcok
Mover can forget the change Of scene, oi
sky and ssa, from Tho calm h-auty In
which l had leu ID when I went below.
Now. BLACK clouds wcro rolling pp To the
northward. coming on In great blo,ehy
waves, like cragr u ebon mountains over,
hanging aud about 20 TALL upon us The
hea was blArs under the shadowy wing oi
the storm, and tho roar Of tho tempest,
Ike hoar., angry voice. came To our
ears from distance.
up with tho forrstorm staysAll-neyer
mind tho apanker." shouted tho captain.
"fou two mates take tho helm. men. lash
yourselves 10 the rigging, "a viii wash ~
fore and aft before We We, hesiwAy." And
seiEing an az from the bsokeg- he bounded
forward and cut away the hawSor which
held IA Al anchor.
A he did this looked on on our star
board beam. and saw tho water apparently
rolling la huso whita brakor toward us
Tho next instant the wind struck us. and
for moment thought all was over. 70,
the ahip beeled until her lower yArdArml
were In tho water.
Hard up-hard up tho hslml" shouted
the captain In my ear.
! could but Just hear him. and pointing
70 the wheel ne law that his order had beer
anticipated.
Just then away went our mlzzsnmasi
close by the deck, and that alone saved US
for now her head paid OIL before the wind
and the ship righted. Then tho ntay.al
filled and away the old craft shot. like al
arrow sIsd from we'll strung bow. AZ
We got out into the gulf the ksa roso liter
ally 70 hard that the foam was scattered IA
cloudy mists through the air.
slow does she heAdF asked the captain
who stood forward Of tho whsel.
ou'sou'weni, sir," replied In a shout
for the gale drowned all common tones.
III ahe goes at this rats and holds that
course We will strike Cuban rock inside Of
ten hounr hs cried.
"why not Try TO heAye her toi" asked.
"In such a sea and gale We would 10 bot
tom NJ In minute were We 10 Try IL. Al
our hope n In a change Of wind or a lul
which will let NJ put the uiAinsail on her. d
This looks rough. but what is 10 bc will
b.. There IA no rubbing that out" 10
piled. aud then did my best To steer a.
nicely ~ | could. no that no bFoaehlng &c
should hasten our fate.
On, on-onee passing a hAploss vessel
drilling bottom up. with her sails aud
spars alongside Of htr-we swept until thu
night was upon us. Then tho captain and
good seaman relieved rs from tho helm,
and I had time 70 think. went below
and looked at the chart. made an ssti
mate OF our speed, aud 10 my horror saw
We could not DO over twenty or, ut th,
most, thirty nilca to windwArd OF III,
roekieAt part OF the Cuban coast
Invent on deck aieS at heart, for sea aud
gale seemed higher than ever l told the
captain how nsar the last peril was but ho
did not seem TO hecd me. Hoo stood with
his shoulder TO tho wheel, aud the ship
new mAdly on. Never had she sailed with
such speed before,
went forward, aud while looked at
the phosphorie flame flashing from he
meath the bow thought " home, OF iny
own loved Ella-'and | sroaned In bitter
agony never beiaro had feared death
but now-now 40 near, II was terriblei
An hour, maybe moro, and then heard
MI too PLAN, even above the wild roar oI
Tie storm, the sound 40 sullen and deer
OF the snrging breakers. Irusled aft aud
shouted the fearful tldlngs In the cap
tain's ear.
God help usl God help usr' was all he
said
An instant after we were in white, seeth