The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-05-01
A SHIPS LIGHTS.

situated somewhere up top. Well, they
haven't.
The system of lights now adopted by all
maritime nations has been in use compare
lively few years. but is so perfected that by
them on the darkest nights one ship
can tell exactly the course and character of
another. "A sailing vessel carries but two,
a red one below on the port side and a
green upon the starboard. A steamer car
ries three, the red and green, besides a
large white masthead light; and when she
is towing other vessels two white lights,
one above the other on the foremost, show
ing that it is dangerous to cut too close
across her stern. Each barge or craft be-
ing towed shows on her mast a round white
light, if 1 remember correctly.
1 used to get confused as to which were
the sides for the red and green and once
spoke of it TO an old fisherman:
Why. SIR" he said. 1.-The port light is
red-the color OK the wine
l lived for quite a time among the fisher
men on the west coast of England and spent
many d day and night with them at sea-.
Sometimes when we would be lying to in
Georges channel, or riding to our travis in
a fishing lugger. a big lantern at our side,
and nothing doing. there was a very subtle
charm in the lights of a ship or steamer
as she came into view, crept up and swept
grand1y past Insignificant and fshy us.
Way down in the southwark would appear
a little red or green dot, showing and losing
itself in the heavy ocean swells, until it
grew more steady as it neared us. Some
times two lights would appear at first, and
make one feel nervous, for you know your
boat to be directly in the path of an APP
preaching ship. You would glance at your
own riding light and sometimes, though not
@FgA e. a. - 49, 4Iy,,~o
wrapped around a stick and soaked in oil.
But soon one or the other of the dangerous
two lights would be lost; she is avoiding
you, and you could enjoy the charm | men
toned. When both lights show dead ahead,
even an old fisherman will be anxious. Fast
ocean steamers as well as heavily freighted
ramps hard OF steering ana as hard
of small craft; to say that they are some
times careless puts a kind of Interpretation
on their actions.
Tho lights grow larger, more steady, and
higher in the air, you hear the rushing of a
great body dividing the water and the dark
sides of a mighty ship show now bearing
down UPON you. rising like a castle, to pass
within a dangerously short distance. Ghost
the dark vault heavenward, tire water bursts
from her bows on either side in spray, your
lantern throws a CLEAN OF light along her
passed and is gone. Or a passenger steamer
will come laundering on, throbbing. churn-
ing, and all that kind of thing of which
Clark Russell writes, her bright masthead
light shining clear like a star. AS she
passes, showing a long line of brilliant port
holes. you catch sight of a fat, white
capped cook preparing suppers for the
smoking room. Strains of music may come
some in couples, peer down at you over the
fail, lit Up for Il second by the dull light of
ffb he ,iSht vn, "a baya ne 3 f ~ msa . = tba,gh ~ =
planet full of life had crossed the path of a
little satellite in space, she seemed so COM
plete a world in herself. You also feel very
lonely then.
When the silent sailing vessel swept so
she seemed the spirit of loneliness itself.
Soon you would be safe on land again, with
people all round you. snoozing comfortably
in a big steady four-poster. But the white
capped cook of the steamer suggests a CIV
ilized appetite for a rarebit, or anchovy
toast. with a bottle of Bass before turning
in. Fishermen are splendid fellows and ex-
cchent companions, but you are sure you
would find a transatlantic friend or more on
board and you really long for the welcome
words they'd give you.
You have not seen a saucy tourists hat
with a demure pair of eyes beneath it, and
all fastened to a trim American figure of
the eentler kind. for a long time. You i'm
have been a very beautiful girl, and think
YOU could enjoy a f1irtation-or, better, talk
10 a sweet wife, quite as we'll as the other
You fall to. haul on the travis with a
vengeance, and "confounding it all any
way" 1t never seemed at such times that
these same lights could tell the story of
disaster in darkest night, and that one could
read their meaning as clearly as the oper-
ator at Penherth cable station could read
the flashes of his mirror. / so read them
one night; after them was left nothing but
the night. and knew-well-
l had come in sfrom a hard days tramp
along the coast with Capt. Jack, keeping a
sharp lookout for any vessel in distress or
valuable wreckage that might have been
driven in shore. A great gale was blowing
and we could count only five rollers between
the Runnel stone and the cliffs. Every few
minutes came a burst of hail and sleet, as
in a cloud, which again passed away, leav-
ing the atmosphere clear. Having hung up
my oil clothes and eaten my supper, l was
in slippers and easy chair before the fire,
prepared for comfort and an old volume
of Fraser's Magazine. My window just back
and to one side of me looked out over the
cove; the curtain was raised and nothing
5 appeared to soften the depth of blackness,
except every now and then when the hail
would beat against it or a few rain drops
wear out their short lives in reaching the
bottom of a pane. The wind howled in gusts,
and in the lull came the ringing of the Run
mel Stone bell. 1t is queer how many kinds
with only the wind and sea to change its
character. 1t will peal sometimes like a
chime bell in a fierce squall or ring lazily,
just enough to keep its name and show it
TO be on station, when the sea is calm and
the air clear. In a fog the heavy wet at
mosphere intensifes its solid and warning
note. giving il more of a ring. L have heard
it toll q knell also.
/ had closed my book, thinking or imagin-
Ing these ideas. 1t was too exciting a night
10 keep still long at any quiet occupations;
the mind kept turning towards the sea, the
tA4C 1ao Ia AONg 0AAd NOu MIC OOIilO
of those treacherons rocks were not only
out of water. but making a breaking sea.
There were reefs in midchannel which were
only dangerous in a heavy gale, when low
tide caused the great rollers to break in
destroying "combers." On such nights you
long for daylight to come, for it is gem
orally just as hard to sleep as it is TO keep
quiet and read.
Suddenly l heard a step on the gravel
outside. and q rap on the window pane:
turning, / saw a face pressed against the
glass. 1t was Dick, Captain Jacks nephew.
and one of his crew. / could Just make out
the Nat of his nose and the two high lights
where his eyes shone, surrounded by an in
distinct glow of yellow from his oil clothes.
What's the matter, Dick?" / called.
"Theres a wreck, sir, on the Runnel
Stone"
II took but a few short minutes 10 get
into my storm clothes, and, drawing on my
big sea boots, l was ready TO Join the men
outside. L found Dick and his brothers. Bill
and Bob, waiting for me. We went down
the steep steps of the terrace on which their
cottage was built. into the potato field.
through the gate guarded by the half of a
stateroom door from the Inflated Schiller.
We made our way slowly towards the cliffs.
stumbling In the deep ~biackness. The wind
was so strong we could scarce make head
way against IT, as we came out upon the
open downs. but after a while we reached
Tol Pedn and were safe under the lea of
"a bowlder. Way to the southland we made
out q light shining clear, u little diamond,
and beneath Ii d smaller ruby, but oh, the
terrible setting Every few seconds they
would both rise, with a sickening move
ment. like the chest of a dying man, and a
DIN Ef-AnI@ 9..a- 20 IteNI- ~