Owingsville outlook. [volume] (Owingsville, Ky.) 1879-192?, 1898-10-27


me not only the continuous thunder
OF the surf. but q certain tossing of
foliage and grinding of bcughs which
showed me the sea breeze had set in
higher than usual. Soon cool draughts
of air began TO reach me; and q few
steps further came forth into the open
borders of the grove and saw the sea
lying blue and sunny TO the horizon
and the surf tumbling and tossing its
foam along the beach.
have never seen the sea quiet round
Treasure island. The sun might blaze
overhead, the air lie without a breath,
the surface smooth and blue, but still
these great rollers would be running
along all the external coast, thunder
ing and Numbering by day and night /;
and scarce believe there is one spot in
the island where a man would be out OF
earshot of their noise
walked along beside the surf with
great enjoyment. till. thinking ! was
row got far enough TO the south.
took the cover of some thick bushes
and crept warily up to the ridge of the
spit.
Behind me was the sea, in front the
| anchorage. The sea breeze. as though
il had the sooner blown itself ont by
its unusual violence. was already at an
end: il had been succeeded by light
variable airs from the south and south
east, carrying great banks of fog; and
the anchorage. under lee of Skeleton
island. lay still and leaden as when
first we entered il. The "liispanio,a'
In that unbroken mirror was exactly
portrayed from the truck TO the water
line, the Jolly Roger hanging from her
peak.
Alongside lay one Of the gigs, Silver
in the stern sheets-him could always
leaning over the stern bulwarks, one of
them with a red cap-the very rogue
| had seen some hours before stride
legs upon the palisade. Apparently
they were talking and laughing, though
at that distance-upward of mile
could, of course. hear no word of what
was said. All at once there began the
most horrid. unearthly screaming,
which at first startled me badly, though
| had soon remembered the voice of
Capt. Flint, and even thought could
make out the bird by her bright plum.
age rs she sat perched upon her mas.
ter's wrist.
Soon after the jolly-boat showed of
and pulled for shore, and the man with
the red cap and his comrade went below
by the cabin companion.
Just about the same time the sun
had gone down behind the Spy-g,ass
and as the fog was collecting rapidly
il began 10 grow dark in earnest.
saw must lose no time IL I were 10 ind
the boat that evening.
The white rock, visible enough above
the brush, was still some eighth of a
mile further down the spit, and il tool,
me a goodish while 10 get up with IT.
crawling often on all fours among the
scrub. Night had almost come when
| laid my hand on its rough sides
Right below il there was an exceeding.
ly small hollow of green turf. hidden
by banks and n thick underwood about
knec-deep. that grew there very plen.
tifully; and in the center Of the dell,
sure enough, a little tent of goatskins
like what the gypsies carry about with
them in England.
dropped into the hollow, lifted the
side Of the tent, and there was Ben
Gums boat-homemade il ever any
thing was homemade; a rude. lop-sided
framework OF tough wood. and
stretched upon that covering of goat
skin, with the hair inside. The thing
was extremely small, even for me, and
can hardly imagine that ii could have
noated with a full-sized man. There
was one thwart set as low as possible, a
kind of stretcher in the bows, and q
double paddle for propulsion.
i had not then seen n coracle, such
as the ancient Britons made, but