Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1896-10-01
CHAPTER XVI.


when ERNEST ItlFIiSy ilau niiSlel
his letter to May. and surrendered it
to the care Of tile lieutenant. who had
throughout acted in so friendly n man
ner towards him, he leaned over the
bulwarks and eagerly watched tie
ships cutter as she left the Osprey
and pulled rapidly towards the home
wardbound Vessel.
He would have given the world to
be on board that ship. with her head
directed iowa Is his native land: and
he had ventured TO ask Capt. Salt If it
We're not possible for him 10 go back
in her.
The question reused the irascible na-
ture of the captain. who answered
fiercely and decidedly in the negative:
and Ernest Hartrey had nothing To do
but watch the packet vhich contained.
among others. his letter to the malt
ster's daughter, taken on board the
frigate.
Then the PortsWouth-bound ship un-
folded her wings of white, the cutter
pulled off, and il an hours time liis
majesty's ship Osprey was again
bounding through he wide Atlantic
on her voyage to the West Indies.
The day had been fine, but the sky.
o'f"-t ~ ti'bS ~ oNftN'iNAt III
every minute. MS suLset drew near.
tie inky clouds prev blacker aud
thicker.
The heavens scowlcd in terrific dark
ness. and tie Swallowed sea swelled
md hcavtd until ut lenpth the clouds
burst In n raging fury of storm aud
rain.
All seemed n mighty conflict. The
hni~fnpntyG Upln tnpa i'm hidnn,,o vpY,pl
the rugged ocean in wild disorder
hurled. as Ii We're, mountain upon
mountain. and issued forth loud-roar-
ing threats of destruction.
The ship. fighting against the fury
OF the waters. was at one moment
raised high in air on the crest of a
wave, the next plunged into a gloomy
deep, surrendered by dark and dis
ordered ever-siape-changing noun
tains which lowered high above them.
and from which there seemed no pos
sibility OF escape.
ship Osprey arose again amidst the
clouds, and again as suddenly sunk in
the dark valleys Of liquid hills.
During the storm. the deep rollings
of the ship-her deeper lurches-the
LIS "a, vi hNaN EtdN
against her sides-the hollow, dreary
sound of the wind bowling through
her rigging. and the dismal creakings
of the masts, b%ulkheads and other
parts of the vessel, were well calculat-
ed to strike terror and dismay into the
heart of one unaccustomed 10 the sea-.
But ernest Hartr,y was a good sail
or; and though in his yacht be had
never experienced such a storm as that
which threatened every moment 10 en-
gulf the Osprey in the unfathomable
ocean he had still sufficient experience
to understand what should be done.
and sufficient strength and activity to
help to carry out the orders which
Capt. Salt shouted through his speak
ing trumpet. For many hours the
STERN ragged with undated fury. bur
towards morning the wind moderated:
and though it was some time before
the sea subsidized. when day broke
there was no immediate danger to be
apprehended.
Life on board ship las M very great
variety beyond that furnished by tine
alterations of the weather; and To de
scribe n detail Ernest Hartrey's voy-
age to Barbados for thither 1t was
his majesty's ship w;,s ordered-would
be tedious in the extreme.
Through fair and foul weather they
made their way-somCtilues with the
sea rolling mountains high, at others
with scarcely sufficient wind TO bulge
the sails, and a broad expaEse of wa
ter lying about them on every side.
with scarcely Il ripple, smooth rs a
mill pond.
Snyata xxnal-S had npScn1 Sin6a ERNEST
Hartrey had been rescued from Il
watery grave. only TO become a sea-
man IN board the Osprey.
1t was a sitting hot afternoon. with
the good ship scarcely making any way
through n sea almost as calm and mo-
tionless as glass.
The officers and seamen were alike
punging idly about, for there was
~,thing to do.
The decks had been holystoned, the
rigging was taut, the sails were set So
as to catch every breath of the faint
breeze, and all but the helmsman and
the lookout were ~unoccupied.
1t was too hot and oppressive for
any of those rough games in which
sailors delight, and which Captain Salt
encouraged, as likely to promote the
hardihood and courage OF his men. 1t
was TOO hot ever for much conversa-
ton, and a stiffness reigned on board,
which was abruptly broken by a shout
from the lookout man.
Land. ho!' he cried.
In an instant every n sprang to his
feet.
Telescopes were put into requisition
and eyes were strained into the dis
lance.
1t required a sailors eye to distin-
guish the al~l-delighting coast-line
amidst the clouds, and ven to Ernest
Hartrey n nearer approach Of some
leagues was necessary before he could
discern the land forming amongst the
clouds a dark streak above the hori-
ION.
This streak grew gradually more and
more distinct. The neacer the ship
approached the more unequal became
its form, till finally 1t took the shape
of land and mountains.
1t was the northern point of the
STAND of Barbadoes.
One of the officers lent Ernest n tele-
scope; and as they approached nearer
to the shore he was able by It's help to
dfscaru housaS hufs and wiudmilis