Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1891-05-20
THE LAST pL AN
BY NED BUNTLINE.

l was first-mate OF the ship Trinm ph
bound from Boston to New Orleans, will
an assorted cargo of great valne The cap
tain, Bab6it by name. was an oddity il
every way. He always struck for nes
courses, took all tracks but those prescrib-
ed by custom and thought nobody knew
: anything but himsef.
For Instance, he iasistsd that a counter
current ran southwark inside the Gul
stream, and that the only way to make +;
quick voyage to New Orleans was to has
close in on the Shore side of it all the way
ont. despite the danger of capes, rocks anc
reefs, the whereabouts of which he said he
knew too well no. to avoid them.
, Who could gsinsay him? He was esp
tain of his IN ship-monsrch of t and al
aboard. So. sailing with stiff no. westel
on our quarter, we sped swiftly on, passing
all the dangers of the coast successfully,
such as Barnegat, Hatteras, &c., and found
ourselves on morning suddenly becalmed
off Cape Florida, close in with the land,
but soon drifting northward despite the
captains ''southerly current"
i 1t was very cear-not cloud in sight
warm and close, though it was Septem ber,
and the time for an equinoctial gale to be
upon us.
"Heave the deep sea lead, Mr.. r." said
the captain to me, "and see if it is shoal
enough to get an anchor to hold"
sounded, and forty fathoms was given.
"Bend two hawsers together and drop
our haviest kedge," was his next order.
s'Then close furl every sail but the fore.
storm stay-sail and balance-r -reefed.spa nker,
send down all the light spars from aloft,
and get ready to house topmasts and secure
lower yards; get up preveuter. braces aud
secure all below and aloft'
| CAY, ay, sir!" AID it was done.
We were now ready for storm, but I,
old as am in sea matters, could see no
token of it anywhere.
| "We're going to have tough time of it.,
Mr.. r. said Captain Babbit to me.
"Why, sir" said l, "the sky is as clear
as my loves dear eyes, and the water is as
smooth as q mill-pond. see no sign of
wind"
"Wait about two hours and you'll sing
another tune" he replied. 'I've been in
these latitudes 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 our heads there
it will be the last of the old Triumph and
US, too"
I made no reply, for 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 felt
rather snoozish. went to my state-room
and threw myself on my bunk, and soon
was dreaming of a blue eyed angel ashore,
whom hoped to be spliced to at not far
distant time. A heavy tramping overhead
and the shout of''AIl hands ahoyp brought
me out of sleep, and to my feet in an in
slant. I hurried on deck. Never can I
forget the change of scene, of sky and sea,
from thu calm beauty in which had left it
when went below. Now. black clouds
were rolling up to the northward, coming
on in great blotchy waves, like crags of
ebon mountain, overhanging and about to
fall upon Us. The sea was black under the
shadowy wing of the storm, and, the roar
of the tempest, like hoarse, angry voice
came to our ears from the distance.
"Up with the fore storm -staysail-neve
mind the spanker," shouted the captain
"You two mates take the helm; men, lash
yourselves to the rigging, it will wash us
fore and aft before we get headway." Aid
seizing an axe from the beckett he bounded
forward and cut away the hawser which
held US at anchor.
AS he did this l looked off on our star.
board beam and saw the water apparently
rolling in a huge white breaker towards US.
The next instant the wind struck US, and
for moment thought all was over, for
the ship keeled until her lower yard arms
we're in the water.
Hard up-hard up the helm," shouted
the captain in my ear.
l could but just hear him, and pointing
to the wheel he saw that his order.had been
anticipated.
just then away went our mizen- n-mast
close by the deck, and that alone saved us,
for now her head paid off before the wind,
and the ship rghted. Then the staysail
filed and away the old craft shot like an
We got out into the gulf the sea rose liter.
ally SO high that the foam was scattered in
cloudy mist through the air.
"How does sae head?" asked the cap
tain, who stood forward of the wheel.
'Sou'- west SIR" I replied in a
shout, for the gale drowned all common
tones
"1f she goes at this rate and holds that
course we will strike Cuban rock inside Of
ten hoursp' he cried.
''Why not try to heave to?" l asked.
SIN such sea and gale we would be
keeled up in minute were we to try it; all
our hope is in a change of wind. or lull
which will let US put the mainsail on her,"
"This looks rough, but what is to be
will be. There is no rubbing that out" I
replied; and then did my best to steer as
nicely as I could, so that no broaching to
should hasten oar fate.
On, on-once passing a hapless vessel
drifting bottom up, with her sales and spars
alongside of her-we swept, until the night
was upon us. Then the captain and good
sea man relieved us from the helm and l
had time to think. I went below aud look
ed at the chart. made an estimate of our
speed. aud to my horror saw we could not
be over twenty, or, at most, thirty miles to
windw ward of thu rockiest part of the Cuban
coast.
I went on deck sick at heart, for sea and
gale seemed higher than ever. told the
did not seem to heed me. He stood with
his shoulder to the wheel, and the ship few
madly on. Never had she sailed with such
speed before
l went forward aud while l looked at
the phosphoric flame flashing from beneath
the bow l thought of home, of my own
loved Ella-and groaned in bitter agony.
l never before had feared death, but now
now so near, it was terrible!
An hour, may be more, aud then heard
all too plain, even above the wild roar of
the storm, the sound so sullen and deep of
the surgiDg breakers. rushed aft and
shouted the fearful tidings in the captains
ear.
"God help usl-God help usP' was al he
ssiI.
An instant after we we're in white, sseth.
ing, Kissing water, and tben, lifted sky
ward ou a mountain roller, we we're dashed
down with terrible crash upon the dread
ed rocks Darkness above flashing phos
phorism all aFoand-the ship shattering,
parting beneath our feet, meu shrieking in
wild m sery-my pen cannot paint the pic
ture!
And now wave after wave swept it over
us, Lifting the ship up and crushing her
, dosn, tearing her all asunder, and yet
cluug to rope which had fastened to
bolt in the deck, not knowing whether one
was alive beside me or not, for all was ST.
lent b 1t the winds and waters. Like howl
l. - e.