Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1899-11-23
NO. a..

would Aoat as the wind and sea we're
evidently rising together. and to re-
main OBJ board was almost as danger
Gus AMI hopeless. | had the risk OF
drowning by her eapsizing. or lying on
her beam ends in the water. ard so
foundeNing and going down.
plank might start In her sheathing
she might even then be filling by
some ncaulked leak | had no idea
of the Btate of her hold, and for many
reasons feared she might sink before
daybrehk and before my perilous sit
uation could be discovered from the
shore
The waves We're black as ink; the
sky whs mOonless overhead, but the
pale White stars winked and twinkled,
and were reflected in the trough of the
ocean Now. could perceive foam
! crestiHg the tops of the waves. and
/ knew that the breeze was increasing
o a salea gale that was blowing
/ from the land.
This added to my despair for the
/ lights ! had seen soon disappeared, and
/ the dark outline of the coast seemed
TO sink lower and to blend with the
sea. Elutchng the weather rigging,
! could scarcely keep my feet, so slip
perry Was the now wetted deck, and so
cold and benumbed were my hands and
arms by the chill atmosphere of the
ocean, and by the salt spray which
ever and anon flew over me in bitter,
hriny showers.
SHOUTED, but the mocking wind bore
my Voice away to seaward. With de-
spairihg eyes ! swept the dusky water,
in the hope of seeing vessel, a fishing
boat, or the light or steamer near;
but gdzed with haggard glance, I'M
vain.
! had no hope now but to wait for
dawn or day, and when 1t came, where
might | and the empty schooner be?
Fortunately, her topmasts we're struck,
her fdreyard was lowered and all her
gear made tolerably snug. Her can
vas, However, was only in the brails,
and portion of the fore and aft
foresail having got loose it
was swelled out by the blast.
and kept her head partially be-
fore The wind, thus accelerating the
rate at which she was borne from the
land, and being without trimming or
ballast, she danced over the waves.
as ] Have said, like a cork, but in mo-
mentary danger of capsiZing and foun-
derink. As dawn drew near, the cold
increased so much that, though at the
risk bf being passed unseen by some
coaster, | was fain to creep on my
hands and knees to the Companion.
hatch. and descend into the -a-.n.
1t was darker nov han ever, for the
lamp had gone out.
oh to be aslore!" exclaimed pas
sionHely with clasped hands; ashore
and tree from this floating prison!.
l thought of my gentle and lovins
mother, and my soul seemed to die
within me. The schooner would be
missed by daybreak-the alarm would
be given; her alarm would rapidly be.
come irrepressibe anxiety, which
would soon turn to despair tha
! nothing could alleviate.
Sounds like thunder, or like tremen-
dous blows. at times made me start
These were caused by billets OF wood
or pieces of pig-iron pitching about ID
: the bold of the schooner as she rollee
and 1urch again.
: For time | covered miserably il
the dark cabin. until my childish feari
overInatched reason, and | crept one,
more upon deck.
A regular gale was blowing now. art
? ? the schooner careened fearfully be
= meath it on her starboard side, Will,
the Aellying of that portion of the for,
: and aft forasail which had got loos,
: aided In hurIying her faster CIT to sea
= The light of the coming day wal
spread In dull gray over the sky. i'm
J. parting the same cold tint to the whit
: enins waves. Land was still visible
, but It seemed like dark bank at tn,
horizon. ! supposed It to be about tel
miles distant, but what part of tn
! coast, or how far from Erlesmere,
knew not
Q Ito be continued)