The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1892-09-24
THE BURNING BRIG.

| tnose uuys cOnSlueraolo num0 Der o
small vessels trading from the British
Islands 70 the Azores and the Medi
terranean and to Spanish ports for tho
seasons fruits raisins currants.
oranges whatever II might be- These
vessels were called fruiters and they
were schooners OF very beautiful
pattern.
shipped as able seaman aboard a
fruiter called the Susan. She was
ninety five tons and stood among the
first OF the sea- going craft OF her
kind Our crew consisted of VIM.
Muffin captain; John Cheese. mate;
myself and two more men aud boy.
What am going to tell happened
when We were homeward bound to
the port OF London from the Azores.
and were two days out Muffin was a
rare man TO carry on sail-nothing
could stop him. I've seen him drive
the Susan through 1t when we. stand
ing right aft could sec nothing OF the
vessel forward everything being a
smother OF white foremost up out OF
the foam rigging looking as though
the ends were up under water lie
wanted to get the reputation OF being
the smartest hand at fruitering. and
II he die not fully earn il / can tes-
tify that he thoroughly deserved it
He made nothing OF studding sail
booma I've seen him carry away
two .dukeys" as we called the gall
foresail. in one week.
We were two days out II was
rather cold weather. though consider
ing the time of year il should not
have been. There was stormy APP
pearance about the heavens steady
masses OF gray with openings through
which the sky looked down with a
sort OF greenish appearance, as
though nature had given it coat OF
paint but in a half hearted way. as
though on the whole she did not
know but that after all the blue was
best The sun was more like mere
ooziness OF light than the regular orb
we arc accustomed to- and the swell
came down from the North long and
strong. with a wrinkling OF small
waves that turned over with kind OF
savageness In their splashing, and the
breeze which was not strong as yet
blew along with hollow echo in it
as though II had caught deeper notes
from afar and was carrying them as
1t went After eight bells--noon-
the wind freshened. l can I remem-
Der its exact direction. but we were
able TO sail the wind about one point
free. II il had not increased in
strength it would have made fine rum
ming for the Susan for till one clock
We kept all sail set and under fyins
jib and topgallan. sail and gaff top.
sail-and 1 tell you our gaf was
something worth looking at for It's
length-the little Susan slipped foam
ing along the side OF the swell-suor-
ing through it-with the spray oreak-
ing aft as far as abreast of the main
mast and the lee washstreak buried
in the boiling seas But il was uow
coming on TO blow. so We took in
the topgallant and dying lib and gar
topsail and presently tied reef in
the mainsaiL Then we folio we'd by a
reef in the gan forsaiL and so or
slowly shortening down, till at )
o'clock we were under treble-reefed
mainsail and ree'ed topsaiI. By which
you may suppose IL was blowing pretty
hard. We were bowling and splash
ing along. the air being gray with the
coming dusk, though there was
promise OF windy sdnset behind Us
when we made out a sail on the
weather bow. I was at the tiller at
the time. and heard the captain say
to the mate. after he had been looking
at her little while through the giasa
that she was large brig under single
reefed top:ails. or course we, as
schooner were sailing closer 10 the
wind than a square-rigger could
and b. sundown the strange
sail was very nearly abeam.
where she showed out against the
dark. flying clouds over the horizon
as clearly as ever / saw vessel in
fine weather-hull plunging heavily
water flying over her bow. and top
sails foresails and spanker staring
out with o dingy Wilderness confusing
enough in their way to be mistaken
for the heads OF tall seas.
The sun sank in way that made
tho ocean look as wild as ] remember
seeing It. The sun resembled fare
burned as a signal OF distress a ruddy
leaping. cleaning among the clouds
with sparks in the water for a reAec-
tion. like glowing cinders falling. aud
floating a moment before sinking. and
a sort of boiling. reddish haze rising
up to the zenith and lines OF scarlet
fire that moved like the spokes OF a
slowly revolved wheel; the blue seas
stood up sharp and black as a ridge of
hills against pink sky and looked as
though they were trying to wash the
sun out Our wake ran white as
milk. There was a gray bird or two
following us and the wind came over
the rail in shrek as II II had lost
tho old mutterings of tempest and was
catching up new cry o; drowning
people.
1t was in the second dogwatch. quite
dark. was in the forecastle. cutting
up some tobacco for smoke when
one OF the men standing on deck near
the hatch sang out: Blessed II ]
don't think that there brig to wind ard
g on firer' did not imagine at first