Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1898-08-12

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her head again. and led me softly as be-
fore among the pillows. It was plain she
was not to be interfered with, and at
that rate, since I could in no way in
fuence her course, what hope had I left
of reaching land?
I began to be horribly frightened,
but kept my head, for all that. First,
moving with all care, gradually bailed
out the coracle with my sea-cap; then
getting my eye once more above the
gunwale, I set myself to study how it
was she managed to slip so quietly
through the rollers.
found each wave, instead of the big,
smooth, glossy mountain it looks from
shore, or from vessels deck, was for
all the world like any range of hills on
the dry land, full of peaks and smooth
places and valleys. The coracle, left to
herself, turning from side to side,
threaded, so to speak, her way through
these lower parts, and avoided the
steep slopes and higher, topping sum-
mits of the wave.
''Well, now" thought to myself, cit
is plain I must lie where I am, and not
disturb the balance; but it is plain, also,
that can put the paddle over the side,
and from time to time, in smooth places,
give her shove or two toward land"
No sooner thought upon than done.
There lay on my elbows, in the most
trying attitude, and every now and
again gave a weak stroke or two to turn
her head to shore. ....
It was very firing and slow work, yet
I did visibly gain ground, and as we
drew near the Cape of the Woods,
though I saw must infallibly miss
that point, had still made some hun
dred yards of casting. was, indeed,
close in. I could see the cool, green
tree-tops swaying together in the
breeze, and I felt sure I should make
the next prononotory without fail.
1t was high time, for now began
| to be tortured with thirst. The glow
of the sun from above, its thousand
fold reflection from the waves, the sea-
water that fell and dried upon me, cak-
ing my very lips with salt, combined
to make my throat burn and my brain
ache. The sight of the trees SO near
at hand had almost made me sick with
longing; but the current had soon car
ried me past the point, and as the next
reach of the sea opened out 1 beheld
a sight that changed the nature of my
thoughts.
Right in front of me, not half mile
away, beleld the "Hispaniola," under
sail. I made sure, of course, that
should be taken; but I was so dis
tressed for want of water that scarce
knew whether to be glad or sorry at the
thought, and long before I had come
tire possession of my mind and could
do nothing but stare and wonder.
The "Hispaniola" was under her
mainsail and two jibs, and the beautiful
white canvas shone in the sun like
snow or silver. When I first sighted
her all her sails were drawing; she was
| lying a course about northwest, and
presumed the men on board were go
| ing round the island on their way back
to the anchorage. Presently she began
to fetch more and more to the west
ward, so that thought they had sight
ed me and were going about in chase.
At last, however, she fell right into the
winds eye, was taken dead aback, and
stood there awhile helpless, with her
sails shivering.
Clumsy fellows" said !, "they must
still be drunk as owls" And l thought
how Capt. Smollett would have set them
skipping.
! Meanwhile the schooner gradually
fell off, and filled again upon another
tack, sailed swiftly for minute or
SO, and brought up once more dead
in the winds eye. Again and again
was this repeated. To and fro, up and
down, north, south, east and west the
"Hispaniola' sailed by swoops and
dashes, and at each repetition ended
as she had begun, with idly tapping
canvas. 1t became plain to me that
nobody was steering. And, if so, where
were the men? Either they We're dead
drunk or had deserted her, I thought,
and perhaps if 1 could get on board
I might return the vessel to her cap
tain.
| The current was bearing coracle and
schooner southwark at an equal rate.
As for the later's sailing, it was SO wild
and intermittent, and she hung each
time SO long in irons, that she certain
ly gained nothing, if she did not even
lose. If only dared to sit up and pad
die made sure that I could overhaul
her. The scheme had an air Of adven-
ture that inspired me, and the thought
of the water breaker beside the fore
companion doubled my growing cour-
age.
Up I got, was welcomed almost in
stantly by another cloud of spray, but
this time stuck to my purpose, and set
myself with all my strength and eau
PAMELA" Once shipped sea so heavy
that I had to stop and bail, with my
heart 1uttering like bird; butgradual-
ly got into the way of the thing, and
guided my coracle among the waves,
with only now and then blow upon
her bows and dash of foam in my face.
I was now rapidly gaining on the
| SCuOOucIs L COulu oSC luC IA e'oo AA''Si1
on the tiller as it banged about, and
still no soul appeared upon her decks
I could not choose but suppose she
was deserted. If not, the men were
! living drunk below, where might bat
ten them down, perhaps, and do what 1
chose with the ship.
For some time she had been doing the
worst thing possible for me-standing
still. She headed nearly due south,