Hutchinson gazette., 1899-03-02

I. lllL1Anl
II remember" said /; "and that the
seamen OF Columbus thought they
we're sent by heaven to stay their
course"
"You are right" replied the mate,
with an approving smile. 'It is pleas
ant TO meet one like you, Rodney, who
has read that which Is worth reading,
and remembers H."
"The Gulf Stream" said Weston,
Joining In the conversation, "is a great
current about sixty miles broad,
caused by the trade winds, which al
ways blow from east 10 west. II Is
sues from the Gulf between Cape Flor
ida and Cuba, and runs at the rate of
three knots an hour along the shores
of South and North America, till the
Newfoundland bank turns II to the
southeast; so everywhere Its track ia
known by that gulf-weed which you
now see floating past" l,.
1t Is by this mysterious current
this mighty river that traverses tho
ocean--that tho timber logs Of the st.
Lawrence, tho wrecks of the old plate
argosles, and the carved idols of older
Mexico and tho Caribbean Isles, all
covered with the weeds and barnacles
OF long immersion, have been cast
upon the western shores OF Scotland
and the Hebrldes.
Every morning the weather became
warmer-the sea and sky more clear
tho atmosphere more rarened. The
wind was 80 steady that scarcely
sheet or tack was altered. Thus for
several days we bore on with both
sheets aft, as the phrase is, when rum
ming right before the wind
Shoals OF porpolses plunged across
the bows Of the brig In the sapphire
colored sea- and when 1t was smooth
q whole feet Of the little nautIll
passed US with purple sails up; nor
were the dark and gliding sharks and
the sllvery Aylng-nsh wanting at times
TO keep my attention excited and the
tiny petrels, as they came tripping
along, half In the water and half in
tho air, kept pace with the Eugenle,
as she cracked on under n press OF
sail dashing the waves around her,
ploughing 30 freely and so fearlessly
the deep waters that hide flnny world
and wash the dark and unknown base.
ments of the EARTH
One glorious morning, when we were
within q few days sail Of Hlspanlola,
there occurred circumstance which
was afterward q source Of the deepest
regret to US all; how and why, will be
shown during the progress Of my story.
The day was fine, even for that re-
gIon Of fine days, The Eugenie was
running smoothly before tho wind, and
Hislop, with considerable animation.
was detailing to tho captain and me
the appearance Of that rare phenome-
non, lunar rainbow, which, by sin
gular good fortune, he hnd once seen
in these latltudes, and which Aristotle
declares Is never seen but at the time
OF the full moon-a declaration which
our learned Scotch mate treated with
contempt; for he was strange fell
low, this Marc Hlslop, and could with
equal facility dilate on the Apology OF
Plato and the method Of club-hauling
square-rlgged vessel, or sheering her
to her anchor In gale Of wind; on
tho Prometheus Of Dschylus, or the
proper mode Of lying too in hurrl-
cane, with everything struck aloft, and
topsall yards on the cap; and now, on
tho subject Of the lunar rainbow, he
was proceeding to quote from the
Portuguese Pilot Of Ramuslo, when
Weston interrupted him by halling
aloft:
"Fore-top-there"
aye, aye, sir" was the usual re.
sponse from Ned Carlton. seaman
: who was perched in the top.
Ito bo contlnued.)