Rocky Ford enterprise., 1899-04-06
CHAPTER VI.

CHAPTER vi.
Hurricane Drives Us to the Forum
ate Isles.
Some days after this we passed n
Srraca. as the Portuguese name those
|rge and round built vessels which
cy send to Brazil and the sIndies, and
hIch are alike adapted for burden,
htins and sailing.
lon exchanging the bearings-which.
ben vessels pass each other. are usu-
By chalked on n blackboard hung
Ter the quarter-Weston and Hislop
|und q considerable difference be-
een the Portuguese and ours; but.
yer doubling that we were correct.
icy bore on without hailing the car
ca. as we passed each other on oppo-
G tacks under press OF sail.
Tine weather continued cloudy. and
increased difference was found on
changing the latitude and longitude
III another vessel next morning.
ben. after an observation at noon.
eston found that for more than fifty
burs the Eugenie had been going sew
|Rl miles to the southeast OF her due
|urse.
THE compass was Immediately over
kuled by Hislop. who found that the
andard OF the needle was loose.
lon that night there commenced n
hg course OF head winds and foul
eather. during which the compass
bver worked properly. and the cap
In and mate found. by the solar OBJ
that we had drifted SO far
. leeward as to be somewhere between
be parallels of 2S degrees and 2S de-
ices IS minutes north.
Tattooed Tom and old Roberts. the
an-o'-war's-man, were superstitious
lough to give me the entire blame OF
b this. in consequence Of having fired
be day ut some of Mother Cary's
ickens; an. action. they averred.
hich never failed to give the craft Of
De perpetrator n head wind for the
|mainder OF her voyage-if she ever
ished 1t at all.
'If this foul weather holds for an
her day." said Weston. as he trod the
ck with sulkincss quite profession
under the circumstances, I'VE shall
|e land sooner than wished"
"Landw I reiterated. Frightening at
De idea more than he relished.
Eyes, some part of the Canaries-
hnta Cruz de In Palma, most likely;
BIT we shall have very rough weather
kfore another sun rises. know well
De signs. Mr.. Rodney. Don't you see
hat is brewing yonder. Hislop?" he
La t., 11,x, to hic
"You say Just what old Roberts. Tat
poed Tom. and were observing for
Rard," replied Hislop. I'VE have not
III of us seen a hurricane of the west
,oast Of Africa, a tornado in the
Nindward Isles, and regular roaring
)ampero off the Rio de Ia Plata, with
ut learning something-eh. cnptain?"
III hope not! SO remember that this
1oony weather, with the wind lulling
way and then coming again in hot
nsts with moaning sound-in my
hrt of England we name 1t the call
hg Of the sea'-are always signs of a
bming squall."
AS the night closed in. the canvas on
be brig was reduced, the royals were
&ruck and the yards sent on deck:
be dead lights were shipped on tie
tern windows; the quarter boat was
|oisted within the taffrail, and there
hshed hard and fast, for there were in
Teasing tokens of coming tempest,
nd ere midnight 1t came with a ven
Ieance. .....
SThe sky at first was all a deep, dark
0ue, wonderfully dark for that region,
bd the stars. especially the planets,
hone with singular clearness and
eauty; but in the northwest quarter
! the heavens we could see the coming
last.
From the horizon to the zenith, there
rose with terrible rapidity a mighty
bank of sable cloud, forming a vast
hid gloomy arch, at the base Of which
pale and phosphorescent light SEEM
b to play upon the heaving sea.
This light frightened and sunk al
ernately. Now it would shoot down
Fard with lurid glare, steadily and
Brilliantly, under the flying vapor, and
hen it died away with an opal tint.
Sheet lightning of pale and chastity
Ireen, extending over ten or twelve
)oints Of the horizon, flashed and play
Ia upon it. Then we heard the rush
II rain, as If a great lake had been
|alling from a vast hight into the sea.
Ind the next the roar of the mighty
blast; while furrowing up the ocean in
rs passage, the tempest came swoop-
big down upon us and around us in a
ipecies of whirlwind.
Bravely the Eugene met 1t, for her
|aptain and men handled her nobly.
She had her topgallant sails furled
Ter courses up. the topsails lowered
: 1pon the cap, and the reef tackles close
but; but she swayed fearfully when
Eareening beneath the hot breath of
|he mighty blast and riding over those
black mountains of water. which in
herce succession 1t impelled toward
per. High she went over a sloping
bheet of foam one moment, and the