The weekly Thibodaux sentinel and journal of the 8th Senatorial District. [volume] (Thibodaux, Lna. [i.e. La.]) 1875-1898, 1897-10-16

ocean. Besil9g, we've been knocking
about for months, and there's shells ana
grass on her d foot long. The engineer
a y his mill is all to bits too" Suisse
quent experience proved that this de-
scription was BY no means exaggerated.
Turning out early nearly next morn
ing, l climbed to the poop-for the Cor
ona was of the usual well deck build
and could see nothing but an azure cir
Gle above and asWeepo Of sparkling, foam
ffecked sea below, piled into ridges by
the fresh trade breeze, across which the
steamer slowly rolled.
One glance at the water, without
looking at the log dial. was sufficient to
show that she was only going SIX knots.
50. climbing down the narrow, steel
ragged laatIer, | made Ely way forward
over the slippery iron deck, lodging
tie sp0uts Of water which gushed i'll
through the scuppers at every roll, to
look fos tie chief engineer. Passing the
engine COR door, the humping and
Changing that fieated up were quite
enough to tell Of Eorn cut journals and
general out Of ~linedness to one who
could interpret i. to.Ia tie chief lib
his room, rubbing his hands with tie
inevitable bail Of waste, and said:
"What kind Of mill have you got.'
"Weel," lie said-for most marine
engineers are Clydesaale mel-'tttere's
may be waur jobs atloat, but | hayena
seen yin. 1ian, DO We no hear her clack-
olackin and wheeze-Wheezil? There's a
third o the tubes in the port hoiler
plugged and a leakin, forby the irernen
canua keep steam wi they ditto Goals
Now, d Glydesdale man Is rarely sat
isfal with his engine and wo1ld burr
geld it he could ret it, SO | did not
think too much If this o~ntburst, but
had only to understand that the engine
was not what he would have called al
al MILL
Soon afterWard the already strong
breeze began to freshen up. ard when
the sun sank. a glowing orb Of copper
beneath q ragged edged bank Of dark
clouds, leaving q brassE yellow glare
glowing across threatening sky and an
cry water. it was evident we were il
for bad weather.
The seas were rapidly growing sleeper
and breaking more sharply. while the
heavy steamer flung herself about as ii
she would shake the masts out Of her,
with water and spray already flying il
all directions.
For some hours | hung about under
the Ice CT the dodgers" or canvas
screens. chatting with the mate and try
ing to evade the stinging spind.ift
which lashed . faces like i whip from
time to time. At last, as the poop dis
appeared to tie top OF the hand wheel
in a rush OF water, the mate, shaking
the water from his sou Wester, said:
IF she jumps any more. the chief
will be slowing her down. He's ali aN-
full old heather over that broken Gown
engine Of his, and the second says he
sits and talks to 1t i'll bad weather. Any
way, the sooner we get this hooker
home the better"
Sleep that night was difficult, for ev-
cry row and then, u the steamer lifted
her stem clear Of the sea. the Whole poop
shook to the heayr vibration Of tile
whirring propeller, until, knowing what
ship il was and bad iivets are, I sincere
Il wished myself out Of it.
Ii tie morning ] found tie water
pouring IL over either rail, while all
around was avid, drifting, crested sea.
Some Ct the cargo had shifted, and the
ship lay down to it and w~alloWed, rs
only a tramp can, showing her bows up
to fu1emast into The big ridges that roll
ed upon her. The e9lief said:
Man. the aud mills turning half
speed, but weir baum back sterrun first
tae Las Palmas.
Then miafortuHes began to arise.
Something got adrift on the forecastle
head and changed about. 1t may have
been an unshackled chain or anchor
lashing Three mon. Watching their
time and cliHging 40 tha rail when .
heavy sea can9e on board. crawie5l for
ward. | was watching taenI FROM the
bridge. aud | saW all unusually large
! wave rising aheaa-a wall Of glittering
/ green water, curling over into foam. Ut
the summit. The captain waved his
hand to the men and they graspad the
rails. Next moment the bows disap-
peared deep in the sea. aud when the
steamer slowly lifted 4 streaming fa1e-
castle 4 Ct the Gcean only one r.
NAMED, clinging. hale drowned, to the
rails. while as tha vessel rolled heavily
down and the s1a poured ont ! a.t lfs
companion clutch IL the hulwa1ls. ,4iss
them and disappear bayoad al hone 81
1 rescue IN a smother OF It3.tn
The other poor fellow lay Wsssins
about the deck beneath with bro y 4lis,
and as three o. four se.1aen \. ar-