Williston graphic. (Williston, Williams County, N.D.) 1895-1919, 1899-11-02

like wads from gun. The very angle of the
vessel saved her from carrying the tons
of water that had beaten in, and, as the
headsail let go, as an animal goaded to des-
peration, the Phantom rose and, gathering
way, fed before the gale.
W. fled before the gale, and like the spin
ming spoondrift picked up by the wind and
scattered broadcast without form or consist
ence so also fled my notice of details. Of
the three terrible days during which this
storm lasted l mind me only of few poig-
nant facts standing out against back
ground of remembered misery. The second
stage of the tempest was fercer by far than
was the first, and the wind came from a
quarter almost exactly opposite the point
from which it broke on the night Of August
ll-namely, southeast. And with it came
rama pent-up deluge that laced the sea
and sky with parallel lines like strings of
polished steel wire. While we held the wind
astern it was endurable, but later, when we
bore into the gale, ones face could not suffer
long exposure to the blast that drove the
liquid pellets before it like volleys of buck
shot.
We had not held our way for long when
it became plain that to escape by running
was impossible, as the following seas reached
a height and speed that threatened to poop
the schooner at any moment. 1t had finally
came to laying to or being wrecked out of
hand, and every opening in the vessel was
closed as tightly as possible in preparation
for the move.
1t was an anxious moment when the ma
neuvct' to come about was made. Each one
was dashed to his post and, when gave the
order to jam down the helm, l knew that
salvation or destruction might lie in the
coming brief minute.
The wind with which we had been fleeing
fell as we struck the trough of the sea, the
mountainous pillows making fair lee to the
deck. l had closed my eyes as the wheel
flew over, and when from an instant of com
parative calm the gallant vessel rose and
l felt the solid blast in my face instead of
on my back, l shouted thanksgiving, and
in the ecstasy of my relief from long nervous
tension shook hands with the sailor by my
side as though he had BEN ny lifelong friend
instead of an enemy on whose death l had
determined the night before.
Even though we were safely hove into the
wind the gale SO increased in force as to
make it impossible to carry even double
reefed mainsail, and there were no means at
hand for further reduction of canvas saving
to take all in. l met the difficulty by max
ing sea anchor of the wreck of the top
hamper, binding the mass together and
heaving it overheard with line attached,
then, by stripping the vessel of its last rag,
to this drag we rode across the fearful bill
lows with less straining, now pointing
squarely into the winds eye.
But, though the Phantom's antics were
reduced in violence and We existed in com
parative comfort, the schooner was far from
being secure, since the whole seas that rose
and combed over the bows threatened again
and again to swamp the craft, for, ere her
scuppers could relieve her of the terrible
weight of water from one wave, another
would follow and tear aft, at times driving
her bow fairly under. There was nothing
to do but knock away great sections of the
bulwarks to give free drainage to the food,
and, this done, we could but stand and wait
for what fate had in store.
It was when we were thus driven to in
action that one life was lost. I was stand
ing by the wheel, drenched, exhausted, and
fast falling into my former state of dull
apathy. The galley doors had been fastened
to keep out the water and the forecastle
hatch was closed, though not secured. Larry
and the New Bedford man were close to
me, crouched in the lee cabin house. To go
forward was to court death, and, though
the quarter was no place for seaman off
duty, all attempts at discipline and sea Ell
quette had given way before the common
danger, and both men kept aft to be clear of
the rush of the sea.
In half-dreamy way l was coming the
horizon dead ahead when 1 saw the fore
castle door open and the man who had de-
fed me stem to the deck at an interval when
for moment the deluge had subsidsd. He
was suffering agony from his wrenched arm,
for his face was working, and he held the
wounded limb in his right hand. The pain
of it had probably driven him to despera-