Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1892-09-16
THE BURNING BRIG

those days considerable number Of
small vessels trading from the British
Islands to the Azores and the Medi-
terranean and to Spanish ports for tho
seasons fruits raisins currants
oranges whatever it might be- These
vessels were called fruiters and they
were schooners OF very beautiful
pattern.
shipped as able seaman aboard a
fruiter called tho 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. captaln John Cheese. mate;
myself and two more men and 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
rare man to carry on sail-nothing
could stop him. I've seen him drive
the Susan through it when we. stand
ing right aft could see 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 it l 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 gait
foresail, in one week.
We were two days out 1t was
rather cold weather though consider
ing the time of year it should not
have been. There was a stormy ap.
pearance about the heavens, steady
masses of gray with openings through
which the sky looked down with n
sort OF greenlsh 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 q mere
ooziness OF light than the regular orb
we are accustomed to. and the swell
came down from the North long and
strong. with wrinkling of small
waves that turned over with a kind of
savageness in their splashing; and the
breeze. which was not strong as vet
blew along with a hollow echo in it.
as though it had caught deeper notes
from afar and was carrying them as
1t went After eight bells--noon-
the wind freshened. | can remem-
Der its exact direction, but we were
able to sail the wind about one point
free. II it had not increased in
strength it would have made fine rum
ming for the Susan. for till one o clock
we kept all sail set and under nying
lib and topgallant sail and gaff top
sail-and | tell you our gaff was
something worth looking at for its
length-the little Susan slipped foam
ing along the side of the swell-snor-
ing through it--with the spray break
ing aft as far as abreast OF the main
mast and the lee washstreak buried
in the boiling seas. But it was now
coming on to blow, so we took in
the topgallant and flying jib and gatf
topsall and presently tied reef in
the mainsail. Then we followed by a
reef in the gaff forsail, and so on.
slowly shortening down. till at >
o'clock we were under treble reofed
| Ii,
you may suppose it was blowing pretty
hard. We were bowling and splash.
ing along. the air being gray with the
coming dusk, though there was a
promise OF windy sunset behind us.
when we made out sail on the
weather bow. / 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 glass.
that she was large brig under single
reefed topsails. OF course We as n
schooner. were sailing closer to the
wind than a square-rigger could.
and by shutdown 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 foresai!s and spanker staring
out with dingy whiteness. confusing
enough in their way to be mistaken
for the heads of tall seas.
The sun sank in way that made
the ocean look as wild as remember
seeing it. The sun resembled flare
burned as signal OF distress, a ruddy
leaping. cleaning among the clouds
with sparks in the water for q reflec
ton. like glowing cinders falling. and
floating moment before sinking. and
sort of boiling. reddish haze rising
up to the zenith and lines of scarlet
fire that moved like the spokes OF a
| hn
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 gray bird or two
following us and the wind came over
the rail in n shrek as If it had lost
the old mutterngs of tempest and was
catching up new cry OF 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 If ]
don't think that there brig 10 wind ard
s on fire" did not imagine at first
that there was much in this cry. for
at sea you will often find appearances
that have sheen upon them and
which are very deceiving; and went
on cutting up my tobacco until filled
my pipe. and then lit it and went on
deck. There was IA great deal OF
roaring in the weather and the sound
under our bows would have been
proof to any landsman that our cap.
tain was driving our little craft. |
looked over the weather-rail and in.