The Roanoke times. [volume] (Roanoke, Va.) 1890-1895, 1894-03-24
OVERHEARD.

(biack Star clipper) till she could not
Eun any longer, because the big seas,
running faster than she did, caught her
and tried hard to swamp her.
They would have done it, too, only her
skipper brought her to the wind 300
miles to the southland of the Horn. She
lay hove to like a duck, and after the
first big smother, when the helm was put
up, as dry as q cork.
1t is not every ship that will do this.
But the Assyrian was one of them.
She rode gently up one big watery
slope and down the next yawning val
ley-down. till her white t'gallant cross
trees looked black in the shadow cast by
the green HILL then up again into the
cold southern ocean sunlight.
The wind howled and shrilled through
the rigging, bare and stiff, and swept
along the yards in vain attempts to tear
the canvas from its gaskets, and failing
miserably swooped down with a wild
roar ON to the tarpaulin stretched in the
mizzen rigging, which it fattened till
the ratlines showed through it like the
ribs of a skeleton.
1t was blowing as it only can blow
down there-five or six gales dashed to-
SeUueT WlLn rOuuu SennlC.
One watch, sea booted, oil skinned and
mittened, was hanging about forard and
under the break of the foc'se.
The other one had turned in, ali stand
ing and ready for call. In such weather
no man knows from minute to minute
what may happen.
1t was bitterly cold The skipper and
tho chief were below The second mate
stamped the poop, squirting doubtfully
every time lie turned aft at the great sea
mountains which curled bullying up,
overhung tho taffrail for minute and
then, as the ship rose, rolled away with
deep, hoarse below of disappointment.
To leeward, over the white, soapy
swirl of the breaking combers, swooped,
Huttered and screamed flock of molly
hawks and cape pigeons. while Il few al
batrosses sailed majestically around.
Presently the second mate, coming to
the poop rail, sang out, "Johnson!"
"Aye, aye" came back from the group
for'arl as a man lurched aft.
"Theres an Irish pennant on the star
board fore tgallant brace, j Johnson" said
the second mate. up you 20 an get it
off. Look slippy, now"
The man, tall, rawboned, powerful
"bluenose," got onto the rail, and stand
ing there, with his hand OH the shear
pole, said disgustedly: "Another work
up job! HAHN agen, is you, you greaser
hound, a-sendin n man on boys err
rand"
"None O. yer lip" exclaimed the sec
ond mate savagely, for he was in an evil
temper, the steward having stopped his
grog. "None O yer lip, or I'll log yer."
"If 'twasn't that l don't want Il bad
discharge out of her." retorted the other,
slowly beginning to climb under the gale
which pinned him to the rigging, I'D
come over an kick yer head Of But
when l get ashore I'll hang for your'
This i'll such II tone of deep conviction
as allowed of no doubt whatever. And
SO the 'greaser" appeared to think for,
without arguing the point, he resumed
his walk, and the other his long, unnec-
essary journey.
And all hands for'ard, having nothing
else to do, watched the yellow figure like
some great lizard blown flat into the
shrouds and crawling up them ratline
at time
"Ugh" exclaimed one cts sneezer
up there! Wonder how Mr.. Greaser
hisself nd fancy it? Regular hazer, g is.
An c's allus 'ad down ON Dan"
ga man as nd send another up there
when it's a-freezin fit to cut the top
hanks off a Greenlandman's jib amt got
the feelin's of n cannibal savidgew re-
marked another, San all for the sake O a
bit O parcelin as wouldn't tie up a sore
finger"
"Never mind" put in third sooth-
ingly as he shivered. Another week or
two, an we'll be dom the totf around
Lime-us, dressed up to the knocker an
a-smokin Of our seegars, 'orty an hinde-
pendent, don't-care-a damn. An no more
sea for this chicken. I'll go a-costerin
with barrier an big lump O. hockey
pokey an bushel O rotten fruit fust."
MY vort" said stout little Dutch
man. "It is plowin as the duyvel oop
sides. Janshun hat took his oilskin off
mid in der top"
And then they all stood silently chew
ing and watching the spread eagle yell
low figure as it slowly assembled the top
mast rigging, then Skinned up onto the
topSalant yard, and laying out to lee
ward tried to reach and untwist the lit
tie bit of canvas blown from deck or
stay ill caught around the standing part
of the brace.
Twice and thrice they saw him stretch
his full length. holding on to the lift by
one hard. But the futtering rag was
jus; out Of reach.
Drawing his sheathknife, he once
more stretched ont. At that moment