The morning call., 1893-04-23
CHAPTER XXI.
SHE DESCRIBES A STORM.

lightning was ineessant; its flashes glanced
Into the remotesi recesses of the north, and
brought out the horizon there in CLEANS Of
sulphur. The hum Of the thunder was deep
and ceaseless, with many savage cracks and
rafting peals l cannot tell what progress
the eclipse had made by this hour; the
moon hung distorted in the sky ike a dim
silver shield with its sides hacked, and the
night looked wild with her and the gather
ing tempest
heard the commander of the ship address
the doctor. who called to the captains of
the division to march the prisoners
below and he added that the last Of
the divisions could not be brought
up as sail was to be reduced and room
was wanted. Moreover, in a very short
time, the moon would have vanished. Now
followed a lively time. The prisoners in
closure being clear, Mr.. Bates, at the head
OF the poop ladder began to shout out or
deTs; all hands were on deck and all hands
were wanted. "Clew up the royals AMI
furl them; down flying and outer JIbs and
topGaiant staysails; clew up topgallant
sails and furl them; man fore cewgarnets
and let the sail hang" So ran the orders;
the lightning played upon the hs-
nres of the seamen as they tTotled
aloft The moon turned into A watery. sill
the advanced shadow of the storm, then
vanished behind a jagged peak Of cloud,
and the nisht-dye sunk upon the ocean
in deepest sbadow-the deeper for the
play of the lightning. After each flash the
hlackness thrilled with the blindness Of the
vision.
The women came off the forecaste and 1
entered the cuddy. The steward told me TO
turn up the lights and Captain Barrett and
Lieutenant Chimmo. descending the com
panion steps at that moment, called Tor
brandy aud settler, which l procured for
them. The steward babe me be at hand; If
there was gale OF wind in the the storm l,
with the rest OF the "idlers," would be
wanted. hung about in the recess, and
all the time | wondered whether the con-
vicis would rise in the morning. whether
their friends among the crew were TO be
depended upon; whether this storm Of
thunder and lightning would work n change
in the prisoners intentions by terrifying
them, and l also strOye to imagine the
programme that had been concerted,
what part the confederate seamen we're
to play. whether the guard would find time
TO arm and turn out, and if so whether the
upTsal would not be suppressed by their
coolness and discipline, and by the support
Of the loyal part Of the crew.
The storm was now overhead; the ship
was clothed in lightning and the thunder
was deafening and frightful. The whole
fabric tTembled to every explosion as
though the brOadside of three-deCker had
been fired into her. There was no wind.
The men had come from aloft, and the ship
stood motionless and upright under her
three tOpsails. the courses lying festOOned
in their gear. L crOuched in n corner of the
recess amazed and bewldered l had
always from child been frightened of
lightning, and here new was lightning that
was like one vast sheet of fame; the
heavens were sheeted with its binding
hfayes IA
the ship as by sunshine; the whole vessel
cracked with sparks and explosions. fire.
balls ran down the chain topsail sheets.
played about the pumps, sparkled and
snapped on the boom-irOns at the yard
arms. and the sea that had been silent
TOared back In echo 10 the thunder, and,
spread out IN a wide field of blue light that
came and WENT sometimes showing in a
leap of light that was as the flash that it
mirrored, then blackenng for breath or
two, during which you saw nothing but the
fireballs running over the ship.
It Tained and hailed suddenly with in
credible fury. The decks smoked; by the
lightning flashes you saw the spray of the
catsTact-fall rising like steam to above the
height of man, Just then the ship was
struck; l heard a crash and splntering on
high, and great bulb of blue fire fell down
the rigging, over the side into the sea,
where it burst like an exploded cannon.
The mate overhead shouted, and the boat
swain, who was forward, baWled in
answer.
Captain Barrett and the subaltern stood
at the cabin table; they had empted their
tumblers and put down their cigars, aud
looked pale and glanced often up at the
skylight upon which the lightning streamed
in almost continuous living dazzle. | hung
in the cuddy door for shelter from the
smoking wet; head showed in the BOBBY
hatch and cried out: The doctor wants
some brandy; bring down half lumber
full at once" | ran TO the table, took
glass from a swing tray and half filed il
with brandy. The steward al that moment
coming up through the Storage hatch cried
10 me, Hi. you there! What are you
about? Liquoring up unbeknowD instead
OF being a your prayers?
Lieutenant Chimmo grinned dismally.
The doctors in the barracks and wants
brandy" said l.
Curse it, what's wrongP" exclaimed
Captain Barrett, and Instantly ran to the
bOoby hatch, followed by the subaltern.
Get on then. get ont! shouted Mr.. Stiles,
who had been drinking.
l ran with the brandy 10 the hatch, and
seeing nobody to hand it to. descended. The
scene of this interior of bulkheaded steer
age was extraordinary; lantern burned
dimly-!ts light was paled by the electric
fires which sparkled all over the prison
bulkhead as though the wood was alive
with phOSDhOTic lights OF decay and rot
The buikhead was studded with mushroom
headed nails, and every nail was tipped with
fire. The sight was fearful; | thought the
ship was burning. The women and children
were gathered in heap in one corner hold
ing to one another, as though the vessel wa S
about 10 founder; no child cried; the roar
OF the thunder seemed TO have frightened
the infants into silence.
man lay on his back against The prison
door, which was little way open; the
doctor bent over him, and Captain Barrett
and the Cuhaitaau cfOod rl
Such OF the guard as were below were
grouped with the women and children ::
they seemed daZed. The PROSTATE nan
was a soldier; doubtless the sentry sta
TONED at the prison door. His musket
with its fixed bay0net lay at a little d stance
from him, and | saw threads of FIRE with
ing upon the bayOnet
Here's the brandy" cried Captain Bar
Tett.
The doctor looked up and extended his
hand for the glass. This brought me close
10 the door and for minute or two had a
clear view OF The 'tweendecks prison. The
cage-like barricade at the main hatch was
full OF great nails. and every nail glowed as
though red hot. / don't know where the
lightning found entrance; it flashed through
the blackness of this floating dungeon as II
half dozen matches lay open TO the sky.
Wherever there was iron for the electric
fires to catch hold of small blue brilliant
blaze was burning, inexpressibly wild and
awful to behold. | clearly saw the whole
sweep OF The deck; the tiers of sleeping
shelves stretchingOn either hand, the tables,
the bulkhead of the prison, and what
ever else there was Of grim and od!ous
furniture in that interior. Numbers OF the
convcts lay motionless upon their faces on
The deck; many cruuehed in squatting
pOstUres with their bands 10 their heads; q
few stood erect, defiant, as though waiting
and needless Of what was next to happen (;
one of these l might be sure was Tom.
No Imagination could feigu the terror
which the figures of the PROSTATE and
crouching coHvicts expressed. You needed
to witness the scene as l did by the terrific
lights that illuminated the prison, and by
the ceaseless gltteriBg Of the lightning
streaming through the interior In shocks
and explosions Of dazzling light. And the
roar Of the thunder heard in this resonant
cavity was more dreadful to listen to than
the stuDendous voice of il on deck while a
deep and ceascless note was added to the
detonatiOns by the Nlagara-lke fall Of hail
and rain upon the echoing panks.
SIS be dead. doctorP asked Captain Bar
reit.