Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1896-08-17


AS we got nearer to the turn of the
land the reefs began to be soWn here
and there on our very path; and Mr.
Riach sometimes cried down to US to
change the course. Sometimes, indeed,
none too soon; for one reef was so close
on the briggs weather board that when
a sea burst upon it the lighter sprays fell
uDOn her deck and wetted us like rain.
The brightness of the night showed
us these perils as clearly as by day,
which was, perhaps, the more alarming.
1t showed me, too, the face of the cap
tain as he stood by the steersman, now
on one foot, now on the other, and some
times blowing in his hands, but still
listening and looking and as steady as
steel Neither he nor Mr.. Riach had
shown we'll in the fighting; but | saw
they were brave in their own trade, and
admired them all the more because l
found Alan very white.
'Ochone, David" said he, ''this is no
the kind of death [ fancy
what, Alan" | cried, you're not
afraid?''
NO." said he, wetting his lips. ''but
you'll allow yourself, it's cold end
ing"
BY this time, now and then steering to
one side or the other to avoid a reef,
but still hugging the wind and the land,
we had got around Iona and begun to
come alongside Null The tide Of the
tail of the land ran very strong, and
threw the brig about. Two hands were
put to the helm, and HoseasOn himself
would sometimes lend a help; and it
was strange to see three strong men
throw their weight upon the tiller, and it
Qike living thing struggle against and
drive them back. This would have been
the greater danger, had not the sea been
for some while free of obstacles. Mr..
Riach, besides, announced from the top
that he saw clear water ahead.
aye were right" said Hoseason to
Alan. eye have saved the brig, sir; I'll
mind that when we come to clear ac-
counts" And [ believe he not only
meant what he said, but would have
done it, SO high place did the Covenant
hold in his affections.
But this is matter only for conjecture,
things having gone otherwise than he
forecast.
keep her away a point" sings out
Mr.. Riach. "Reef to windward!'
And just at the same time the tide
caught the brig, and threw the wind
out of her sails. She came round into
the wind like a top, and the next mo-
ment struck the reef with such dunch
as threw us all flat upon the deck, and
came near to shake Mr.. Riach from his
place upon the mast.
l was on my feet in a minute The
reef on which we had struck was close
in under the southwest end of Null, off
little isle they call Earraid, which lay
low and black upon the iarboard. Some
times the swell broke clean over us;
sometimes it only ground the poor brig
upon the reef, so that we could hear
her beat herself to pieces; and what
with the great noise of the sails, and the
singing Of the wind, and the flying of
the spray in the moonlight, and
the sense of danger, I think my head
was partly turned, for [ could scarcely
understand the things [ saw.
Presently, / observed Mr.. Riach and
the seamen busy round the skiff, and
still in the same blank, ran over to assist
them, and as soon as | set my hand to
work, my mind came clear again. 1t
was no very easy task, for the skiff lay
amidships and was full Of hamper, and
tinually forced US to give over and hold
on, but we all wrought like horses while
we could.
Meanwhile such of the wounded as could
move came clambering out of the fore
scuttle and began to help; while the rest
that lay helpless in their hunks narrowed
me with screaming and begging to be
saved.
The captain took no part It seemed
he VAS struck stupid. He stood holding
by the shrouds, talking to himself and
grooming out aloud whenever the ship
hammered on the rock. His brig was
like wife and child to him; he had looked
on, day by day, at the mishandling of
poor Ransome; but when it came to the
brig, he seemed to suffer along with
her.
All the time Of our working at the
boat, | remember only one other thing:
That [ asked Alan, looking across at
4ln chn y6O& 4rxy r. no
answered, it was the worst possible for
him, for it was a land of the Camp
bells.
We had one of the wounded men told
off to keep a watch upon the seas and
cry us warning. Well, we had that boat
about ready to be LAUNCHED, when this
man sang. out pretty shrill: "For Gods
sake hold on'' We knew by his tone
that it was something. more than ordi-
nftry; and sure enough, there followed
a sea so huge that it lifted the brig
right up and canted her over on her beam.
Whether the cry came too late or my
hold was too weak, I know not; but at
the sudden fitting of the ship, | was cast
clean over the bulwarks into the sea.
[ went down, and drank my fill, and
then came up, and got blink of the
moon, and then down again. They say
n man sinks the third time for good.
[ cannot be made like other folk, then,
l went down or how often I came up
again. All the while, l was being
hurled along and beaten upon and choked
and then swallowed whole; and the thing
was so distracting to my wits, that I
was neither sorry nor afraid.
Presently, found I was holding to
spar, which helped me somewhat And
then all of sudden [ was in quiet water
and began to come to myself.
1t was the spare yard [ had got hold
of. and 1 was amazed to see how far
[ had travelled from the brig. | hailed
her. indeed but it was plain she was al
ready out of cry. She was still holding
together; but whether or not they had
yet launched the boat | was too far
off and too low down to see.
While 1 was hailing the brig, spied
tract of water lying between us, where
no great waves came, but which yet
boiled white all over and bristIed in
the moon with rings and bubbles. Some
times the whole tract swung to one side,
like the tail of live serpent; some
times, for a glimpse, it all would disap-
pear and then boil up again. What it
woe 7 had no o1lnSS which foT. tho time