Evening journal., 1891-08-06
THE LAST PLANK.

was first mate of the ship Triumph.
bound from Boston to New Orleans, with
an assorted cargo of great value. III,
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 Gull
stream, and that the only way to make Q
quick voyage to New Orleans was to hug
close in on the shore side Of it all the way
out, despite the danger of capes, rocks and
reefs, the whereabouts of which he said he
| knew too well not to avoid them.
Who could gainsay himp He was cap
tain Of his own ship-monarch of it ana
all aboard. So, sailing with a stiff nor
wester on our quarter, we sped swiftly on
Z passing all the dangers Of the coast sue
f. cessively, such as Barnegat, Hatteras, etc.
! and found ourselves on morning sud
denly becalmed of Cape Florida, close in
with the land, but soon drifting northwaro
despite the captains "southerly current"
/ 1t was very clear-not q cloud in sight
warm and close, though it was September
and the time for an equinoctial gale to bt
upon u.s.
"Heave the deep sea lend, Mr.. r., saio
! the captain to me, land see if it is shoaI
enough to get an anchor TO hold"
sounded and forty fathoms were given
"Bend your hawsers together and drOL
our heaviest kedge," was his next order
"Then close furl every sail but the fort
storm staysail and balance reefed spanker.
send down all the light spars from aloft
and get ready to house topmasts and SO
cure lower yards; get up preventer braces
aud see all secure below and aloft."
cay, ny, siri" And it was done.
We were now ready for a storm, but |
ola as / am in sea matters, could see nc
token Of it anywhere.
Were going to have tough time Of it
Mr. r., ," said Captain Babbit to me.
"Why, sir said !, "the sky is as clear as
my loves dear eyes and the water is as
smooth as mill pond. I see no sign oi
wind"
"Wait about two hours, and you'll sing
another tune,n he replied. I've been in
these ATTITUDES before. The worst of this
will be that it will come dead OFF shore
and if we must scud, Cuba and her reefs
will be under our lee If we bump oui
heads there, it will be the last of the old
Triumph, and us too"
made no reply for l thought it only
one of his fancies and leaving the second
mate in charge of the deck, went below to
take a nap, for I'd had the mid watch and
Z felt rather snoozish. went to my state
, room and threw myself on my bunk, and
soon was dreaming of n blue eyed angel
ashore, whom / hoped to be spliced to at a
not far distant time. A heavy tramping
overhead and the shout of "all hand.
ahoy" brought me out of sleep and to my
4 feet in an instant | hurried on deck
/ . fn rkuF snf1 n
sky and sea, from the calm beauty il
which l had left it when / went below
Now, black clouds were rolling up to thl
- northward, coming on in great blotch!
y waves, like crags of ebon mountains over
= hanging and about to fall upon us. Tn
E sea was black under the shadowy wing o
y the storm, and the roar of the tempest
= like a hoarse, angry voice, came to ou
u ears from a distance.
y up with the forestorm staysail-neve
y 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 headway.n An
\ seizing an ak from the beckett. he bounde
4 forward and cut away the hawser whic
held us at anchor
As he did this looked off on our stai
board beam, and SAW the water apparentl
The next instant the wind struck us, an
for a moment thought all was over, Il
! the ship heeled until her lower yardarn
. were in the water.
!, Hard up-hard up the helmr' shoute
- the captain in my ear.
/ could but just hear him, and pointir
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 of before the wiz
"a and the ship righted. Then the staysl
~ filed and away the old craft shot, like
o. arrow sped from well strung bow.
~ we got out into the gulf the sea rose lits
ally so hard that the foam was scattered
cloudy mists through the air.
"How does she headg" asked the captai
who stood forward of the wheel.
=" 'Sou'-sou' west, sir,n l replied in shot
~ for the gale drowned all common tones.
"a "If she goes at this rate and holds tn
u course we will strike Cuban rock inside
no ten hoursw he cried.
why not try to heave her tor" aske
'ln such a sea and gale we would be b
tom up in "A minute were we to try il.
M our hope is in a change of wind or a 4
which will let us put the mainsail on hei
'"rhis looks rough, but what is 70 5e "
ee' be. There is no rubbing that out"
the piled, and then did my best 70 steer
TO nicely as I coRld, so that no broaching
cen should hasten our fate
nse On, on-once passing a hapless yes
den drifting bottom up, with her sails d
bed spars alongside Of her-we swept until
z TO night was upon u.s. Then the captain q
fact a good seaman relieved as from the hel
and and l had time to think. went bel
1nly and looked at the chart. made an e
feet mate Of our speed, and TO my horror S
hard we could not be over twenty or, at
best most, thirty miles to windward of
the rockiest part Of the Cuban coast.