The Superior times. [volume] (Superior, Wis.) 1870-1912, 1893-09-30
CHAPTER VIII.
SHIPWREChED.

Capt. BOdtish, one morning after the
vessel had been becalmed for nearly a
week. The air gives signs of com
ing storm, and when it does come may
the good Lord keep and preserve Us. :
Even as the captain spoke trace OF
dark cloud was dimly visible away to
the west. 10 the captain ; experienced
eye the tufts of uncarded wool, so slow
" moving along in the direction Of he
vessel, 50 near the blue Sky and vet Sc
close TO the green ocean, meant that
the calm had ended and that a storm
was beginning.
The rapidly given orders of the cap,
tain We're quickly Obeyed and the gal
liant crew made the preparations posi-
bic for the good ship to receive the
gale and ride through it. The winds
came as though they had used the days
of calm to gather force from all the
ocean and all the sky. and in their
madness they seemed to see on all the
broad eXpanse OF sllrging waves but one
trall ship to Wrestle with, and that one
they wrecked as if it had been made o.
paper and manned by little children.
Every mast and every spar. and every
stitch Of canvas. and every soul on
board, save five. We're swept into the
sea. The life boats were torn to pieces
as though made of cloth.
When the storm ceased and the sun
appeared, all that was left of the Lucky
Star was a hull, dismantled. dismastcd,
rudderless, and water soaked. The
captain and the two clerks. Louis and
Charles, had dashed themselves to q
capstan which prOtruded few inches
above the shattered deck, and when
the storm was over they were still
dashed there and still living.
Two deck hands had tied themselves
TO one Of the ponderous anchors which
hung over the ships side, and they,
too, were saved-hve souls in all five
human beings on a wreck. and. "a far
a5 they knew, without food or water.
or even hope Of rescue from a grave
the sea; and, in fact, with nothing but
life left them. What was that wort i:
ON being released. after the storm
had somewhat abated. the men coun-
seled together as 10 what was best to
be done. 1t was evident that the hull
would 20 to pieces should there come
another storm or should the wind con
tinue blowing for any great length oil
time as it was blowing then.
Even while the conversation was 90.
ing on. the ship 5wayed to and fro as il
making desperate effort to keep its
place on the water.
suddenly it broke apart and all that
was left Of the shipment down beneath
the waves, except a portion of its prov.
to which the shipwrecked band chung
as their last hope Of rescue
When the hull parted. boxes bar
rels. packages OF various sorts, and
pieces of the wreck. came to the sur.
face, and. as they tioated BY. the men
boldly risked their lives to secure some
Of the debris. Providence helped
them, and before niphtfaIl they had
stored on their frail craft two barrels
az water. a tierce of rice and a casl1 al
brandy. The prov they We're on wa,
a compartment bv itself, and again
providentially. the severed end wa,
not stove in or damaged. and to all an,
pearances, was water tight and might
float until a storm should wreck it,
There was no fire nor any way tC
provide one. The rice. soaked il
water. was their food. The water. was
used ~paringlv. The brandy was dealt
out a. medicine. For DAYS and NIGHTS
the craft f1oated.
one day they sighted land, and whcr
they were close enouoh they saw rocL,.
upon which theft STRANGE craft mu.-
surely drift for they had no means q.
controlling it-and they wonId be Ios-
within sight Of land
Instead. however, Of foatinr Direct,
upon the rocks. as was exnectad thnrG
came a wind from beyond the rIitf.
and surged the craft alone III.
shore and away from the rocks