Rocky Ford enterprise., 1899-05-18


gold Just now"
For nearly an hour the sea was
greatly agitated; but as the Eugenie.
still braced sharp to the wind, flew
from one long roller to another, we
rapidly got into smooth water. The
barometer rose quickly; the vapors dis
persed; and when the setting sun gave
us parting smile from the far hori-
Zon the storm-cloud and its water-spout
had disappeared together or melted
away in the distant sea.
The little eddies of wind which on
a fine summer morning may be seen
whirling up the dust and dry leaves
in circles on road are exactly on the
same principle as those mighty phe-
nomena which become tornadoes, cy-
clones, and water-spouts when they
reach the ocean. where they may cas-
lily dismast and perhaps sink the larg-
est line-of-battle ship.
These spouts rise from the sea ex-
actly like the moving pillars OF sand
which the whirlwinds sweep from the
hot and arid deserts OF Africa and
Arabia.
About six bells q. e., o'clock p. m)
this escape was followed by dead
calm. which lasted till midnight, and
during that time we talked OF nothing
but the skill with which we had got
the weathergage OF that column OF
foam. As the sun set, with a rapIdity
peculiar to these latitudes. the brill
liant tints he shed on sea and sky
changed with equal speed from gold
to saffron, from that to vivid purple.
and from thence to the hue OF sap
phire.
Tho sensation OF loneliness which
the departure of the sun excites In the
breast of landsman at sea Is Pc
culiar: but this was soon changed from
moon. which changed the sapphire
tints OF sea and sky to liquid sill
yer and the clearest blue.
Above. no cloud nor even the tiniest
shred Of vapor was visible. Sea blend
ed with sky at the horizon. and seemed
to melt into each other. SO that no line
was traceable. Save n planet or two.
twinkling with less light than usual.
there seemed to be no stars In heaven.
for the glory of the full-orbed moon
eclipsed them all: her light fell bright
ly on the white sails OF the Eugenie.
and In 1t the features OF our faces were
distinct us ut MONDAY. and now 1t
was the noon OF night.
About IL o'clock fresh breeze
sprang up. and the ships course was
resumed.
by keeping the wcathergage. and
beyond the circle of the spout's attrac-
ton, we escaped without shipping
drop of water!' said Weston. for the
twentieth time. LET mo see how you
enter all this In the log. Hislop."
ut is no uncommon thing for n craft
at sea to be deluged by spout OF
fresh water. which the whirlwind has
torn up from an inland lake." said
Hislop; "and houses. far in-shorc, have
in the same fashion been deluged by
salt water absorbed from the sea-and
hence the showers of dried herrings,
OF which we have heard so much at
times. Now. Rodney. you will perhaps
be surprised when I tell you that It Is
the winds which produce a calm like
that We have had tonight"
THE winds. reiterated, surprised
at such n paradox from our theorist.
Eyes. The opposition of the winds
will ut times produce n perfect calm.
and then when rain falls 1t Is always
gentle and equable: but when clouds
seem to move against the lower winds.
or when streams OF air denote va
ricty OF the aerial current. and conse-
auently the approach OF rain"
what strange sound is that ahead.
or. at least, forward?" said Weston, in
terrupting Hislop. who would perhaps
have theorized for an hour.
'It is Antonio. groaning in his sleep
in the forecastle," said Ned Carlton,
who was at the wheel.
..I wish the ship were rid of him and
his Dreams" added Hislop. testify.
well, as was saying. when the ad-
verse movements OF the clouds seem
to denote"
Light aheadw cried n voice from
the bow.
rs that you. Roberts?" asked Wes-
ton, while Hislop stamped with vexa-
ton at the second interruption.
Eyes. sir"
"How does II bear?"
E,ast-north-east."
"Then It is Cape st. Antonio light,
the most western point OF Cuba said
Weston. 81 thought could smell the
land with the first cats paw. before the
breeze freshened."
The light, dim and distant. like
star, was now seen to twinkle among
the waves at the horizon.
For more than an hour remained on
deck, with my eyes fixed upon that
feeble but increasing beacon. which In
dicated n foreign shore: then went
below and turned in. with n sigh OF
pleasure that the voyage was nearly
over. and hope that when I ira
versed those waves again should be
nm my return Monochrome to my