The morning call., 1892-07-24
A VOICE CAME FROM THE SEA.
The mysterious Song That Startled a
Ships Grew.
Sad Fate Of the Master Of Spanish Vessel
and His Son-starvation Followed
shipwreck.
Written for THE MORNING CALL.

A small wooden. fulI-rigged ship was in
latitude 10 degrees north of the equator, out
ward bound from New York 10 San Fran
cisco. The sun would be setting In an
hour; already his disk was rayless and
of q dark and angry gold, and his re-
Election lay in a broad and waving dazzle
upon the western swell. A pleasant draaght
of air blowing softly over the port quarter
had kept the light canvas sleeping all the
afternoon, but the lower sails hung up and
down. and as the good ship leaned upon
the gentle undulations the tender swinging
OF their folds waited coOl currents over the
feyered decks as though some gigantic
punkah-wallah, perehed aloft were ian
ming the ship. The deep blue of the sea,
scarcely wriHk led by the breeze, stretched
around, and the water line was like an
azure belt, clasped, where the glory OF the
sun hung, By plate of gold; but over tne
side the water was eXquistely transparent,
through which You could see the hull OF the
vessel wavering till the bend hid it; and IL
was enough to possess man half blinded
with the heat that came off the orassy
glare under the sun with calenture 10
look into those glass-like sapphire depths.
aud TO think of the GOODNESS and sweetness
10 be got by a lazy floating on the serene
surface of that fatnomless sea.
All the afternoon it had been blowing
light air, with now and again a stronger
pun that came out Of the northeast, with
parching taste in it that might have made
IL pass for the expiring breath of rush OF
atmospheric heat from soma blast furnace
hidden behind the sea; but one felt that the
draughtS could not long Outlast the sinking
OF the sun, whose ardeucy was slowly suck
ing out all life from the air. Already in
the south the water line ruled the deep violet
Of the sky with FURNISHED surface. be-
twixt which and the heavens there was
trem bling of heat In which the blue
swan 10 height of four or tve degrees
just where that tremulOus appearance was
you saw shining sperk, the tOpm0st sails
of ship. disconnected by TefTactiOn from
the rest OF the fabric; they looked through
the glass like kites flying in the air. and IL
there we're anything in the world 10 en-
phasiZe the vast expanse OF the ocean II was
those tiny points IF canvas, when one came
10 think how small a handful Of miles was
needed TO sink the big veSse! out of sight, 20
render Invisible a hull full of people, per-
hRps, aud loaded with cargo of a value
sufficient 10 render a thousand poor taIn-
lies happy and independent for life ashore.
Still the breeze continued blowing softly
as the sun sank. There were wrinkles
round tie stern OF the little wooden clipper,
and the surface OF the blue cleaTneSS over
the side was strewn with bubbles that
CLEANED like emeTalds and diamonds aud
the light OF the sea as they yeered slowly
aStern lrTo the languid iridescent wake. 1t
was pretty sight 10 peer from under the
short awning TO mp alOft and mark the
siunsails spreading farther and farther as
they descended, till the reflection Of tue
great Nblie square OF cloths, stretched by
the swinging boom, shOHe like a sheet of
silver under the black spar; and whenever
the ship lifted TO the swell there'd come
from Rleft a sound OF pattering reef-pOints
= n - gf I'm Inn aud fft.a
low clalter OF rope against rope, which,
with the aid Of the bTo0k-like murmur of
the ripping water at the bows. was like
stirring of fallen leaves disturbed in their
shady place by a sudden passage Of wind
betwixt the dark trunks of trees and along
the cool turf.
1t was the second dOgwatch no work was
u0lng, ana The heat was TOO great for any
kind Of diversion. One saw a mum Der Of
0pen-bTeasted, messy -bOsomed Seameu over
hanging the f0recastle rail, pipe in mouth,
with drowSy eyes, sleepily looking away IN
the blue distance. While low thTOaty mur-
mur OF voices hnated aft from forward.
where the black cook. standing in the gal
ley door, Was arguing with Dutch seaman.
There was farmyard noise too Of mutter-
ing hens. mixed with the roofing and grub
hlng grunt of pig or two; and a strange
Eastern bird, secured by a leg. was clawing
with beak and talons up and down a fathom
OF TWO OF torestay, while in a hoaTse sea-
bVtt Hc Il StdE Oul HOW anu again. sCAlI
no! my precious eyes, sirl Bear a
handl Sail h0P' Right aft on the poop
deck, visible from the weather side of the
foFeeasile under the lifted elew Of the
mainsall, stood the helmsDan, gripping the
wheel, ana gnawing upon a quid in his
cheek, with many roll of his cleaning
eyes aloft aud then into the compass bowl
and then upon the sea the brightness came
OF the water In a scarlet tTemble upon his
hgure, and often he'd tip his Scotch cap on
10 The back OF his head to pass the length
Of his arm from the wrist TO the elbow over
his streaming brow. The captain, red
faced man IN straw hat, aud with "a Ma
nllia cheeTOot IN his mouth. paced the deck
from the mlZZen rigging 20 the taffrail: the
chief mate, who had charge of the watch,
walked IN the gangways; and the second
mate, seated on the main hatch. WAS empty
ing Ills third and last soOty pipe.
Slowly the sun sank, Frightening the
heavens to far beyond the zenith into an
amazing glory of scarlet and red and
orange, melting into a sulphurOus tinge
that died out into delicate green sky,
which IN its turn deepeued into blue and
violet and indigo where the ocean met IL IN
the east, with a star or two glistening
where the lOveliest hue was deepest.
tropical evening, indeed; and you saw the
silver specks Of the distant ships sails
trembling above the horizon and catching
the farewell ray ,of the setting luminary,
whose light went slipping level 10 it from
the brow OF one swell to another until il was
Ike drop Of blood in color and hung like
the lamp OF distant lighthouse. though
the ashen eastern shadow closed down upon
IL swiftly and melted 1t into thin gray air.