The herald., 1897-08-29

Baker crawled back and forth along the
poop several times In the night the men
saw sunshine, felt warmth, and sud-
denly. with a start thought that the
sun would never rise upon freezing
world. Some heard laughter, listened to
songs; others, near the end of the
poop, could hear loud human shrielxs,
and, opening their eyes. were surprised
to hear them still, though very faint
and far away.
| The boatswain said, why, it's the
| cook hailing from forward, think"
Many did not understand, others did
not care; the majority further aft did
not believe. But the boatswain and an
other man had the pluck to crawl away
forward to see. Soon from the dark
ness they shouted back excitedly:
"We've got some hot coffee! Cook
made it!'
| He had done it somehow. Afterwards
Archie declared that the thing was
"meeraculous." For many days he won
| dered. and it was the one ver-inter-
esting subject of conversation to the
end of the voyage.
The hot drink helped US through the
bleak hours that precede the dawn.
The sky low by the horizon took on the
delicate tints of pink and yellow like
the inside of rare she'll And higher,
where it glowed with a pearly sheen,
small black cloud appeared, like a
forgotten fragment of the night set in
border of dazzling gold. The beams
of light skipped on the crests Of waves
The eyes of men turned to the east
ward. The sunlight flooded their weary
faces. Captain Alistoun, unblinking
faced the rising sun. His lips stirred
opened for the first time in twenty
four hours, and with a fresh, firm
voice he cried, Wear ship!"
Men began to stir and crawl
II want the re-top-mast stay-sai
run up smartly," said the master, very
loudly. eff you can't manage it stand
ing up you must do it lying down.
that's all. Bear hand!"
Come along! Let's give the old girl
chance" urged the boatswain.
AYE! aye! Wear ship" exclaimed
quavering voices. The forecastle men,
with reluctant faces, prepared to go for
ward.
After some time they could be seen
appearing on the forecastle head, one
by one, in scrambling attitudes; hang
ing on to the rails; clambering over the
| anchors; embracing the cross head of
the windlass, or hugging the fore-cap-
stan. A small white piece of canvas
fluttered amongst them, grew larger,
beating. It's narrow head rose in jerks
and at last it stood dstended and tri-
angular in the sunshine.
"They have done it," cried the voices
aft
Captain Allistoun let go the rope he
had round his wrist and rolled to lee
ward headlong. He could be seen cast
ing the lee main braces off the pins
while the backwash of waves splashed
over him.
Square the main yard!" he shouted
up to us. We did not believe we could
move it, but the strongest and the less
discouraged tried to execute the order.
We hauled and hung in punches on the
rope. The yards moved, came square
slowly against the wind that hummed
loudly on the yard-arms.
"Going off, SIR" shouted Sullivan, at
the Wheel. she's just started"
She went off slowly as though she
had been as weary and disheartened
as the men she carried. She paid off
very gradually, making us hold our
breath till we choked, and as soon as
she had brought the wind abaft the
beam, she started to move, and f1utter-