Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1892-08-11
A PERIL OF THE SEA.

sysr pleasing psatime Of sailors. yarn
spInning.
The vessel Wis h0anssard bound from
Bio JaneiEo after . very prosperous soy-
age.
Darkness vas approaching a. the chief
officer ross T. MS feet and cast search
iax loak about rms horizon. When his
sses Foamed toward the west they rest
ell for s5Ine nl9neuts GA a small os.Eik
81 lessirn clouds which seeInsd u be-
working up from the water.
-Ah We II nave a change II wind be-
fore midalght. and. II | make no mis-
taks, II viii bring nasty weather with
H.
Were nearing Cape HatterAs and
must begin % nook cut for squalls Yoa
rnight chew mp and flIrl the light sails 80
thai We viii be prepared for whatever
comes. II IL looks too bad give me
call. I'm goiAs below"
The secoad mate with his men sought
their hunks 10 have few hours needed
rest, while the chief officer. with his
portion of the crew, took charge.
The seaman who came aft % relieve
the wheel was a mere lad IN years, bat
a. skillful a mariner "a any on board
and a prime flvorite with all. as could
b. seen by the kindly tone OF the mates
voice A. be addressed the youth.
w atch her close, Harry, my son. IL
We have a shift Of wind it'll come quick,
and We don't want 90 get taken aback-
Aye, aye. sir. was the respectful re-
ply OF the boy al be laid his hands on
the spokes II the wheel.
copper hued. feather shaped clouds
now began "a chase each other across
the starry canopy Of heaven.
As the gaza Of the helmsman alter
mated between the compass. the sails
and the ho.izon, he was alarmed To see
away upsn the starboard bow some
thing that appeared like "a heavy black
shaft. reaching up from the water, in
the shape Of a tunnel, until il net an
other similar IN formation which seemed
20 drop from the skies.
There's spout. SIR" he said to the
mate.
AYE. aye. I've been looking at il. It's
n heavy one too. As they always work
10 wind'ard. I'm afraid she'll come un-
comfortably near. Keep the vessels
head nor'west for awhile and I'll speak
% the skipper. I'd rather he'd DO on
deck when those fellows are about"
Obeying the order. Harry threw the
wheel over, and tho bark swung off
until the dangerous column Of water
seemed to be a little forward or amid
ships.
Mr. Gorham. the officer. hurried TO
the companion way and called:
Captain Bruce. there's a heavy water
spout making down upon US. Perhaps
you'd Ike to take look at her"
AYE. aye" came voice from the
cabin. and the next instant the master
was on deck.
He took one hasty glance at the dan
ger impending, another at the compass.
before he said quickly. Let her go
west then shouted: Check in the
yards about four points to port. We
must work out of its course. will get
my rifle; IL 10 comes too near will try
10 break it," and with that he hurried
below.
The wind. which mp to this moment
had been reasonably strong, now died
out 10 stark calm"
The sails were trimmed, but the head
way of the vessel was slackening, for
she had lost her propeling power.
The speed Of the terrible volume Of
water power which was approaching
them was not checked, and when the
captain reappeared on deck with rifie IN
hand the heavy black clouds hung over
the vessel like u pail. and the whirl Of
the angry. ssething element was borne
10 che ears of the frightened and herri-
fed seamen a. they watched the out
coming of the merciless circling shaft,
Quickly the weapon If the commander
was brought 10 his shoulder. and was
Instantly followed by flash and re-
port. Then came the deluge.
Tons upon tons of water. mingled
with sand. fell upon the deck. which
threatened 10 submerge the vessel and
crowd her down into the frightful vor-
Tex which yawned close under tho stern.
Sails and spars hung wreck from
aloft. while skylights and bulwarks
were crushed like egxshells in the grasp
Of giant.
This latter calamity. however. proved
~ be a blessing. as it allowed the vast
volume Of water tn flow freely off into
the sea.
Harry had been knocked senseless
over the wheel and there lay more dead
than alive.
But the captain, Where was hes His
voice was silent
The second maze. who with his watch
had been below. rushed affrighted from
thu cabin through the after companion
way.
For Code sake. what has happenedg''
he exclaimed. Have we been in col
hsi.,nT'
But he received no answer, for there
was no one 10 reply.
BY the feeble light of the stars, which
now begm 70 twnskle forth. tho officer
observed the boy where he had fallen,
end casting hssty glance at the psllid
features 81 the lad was convinced that
he was past all hope Of recovery.
The second mate. then crawling along
Che sss.rboartt rail 30 the break Of the
pop iooked down npon the main deck.
and 30 hss horror. saw several bodies
washing back and forth among the
wreckase. ~ be swept. one after an
other. ont through the riffs in the buI-
wsrks.