El Paso daily herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1881-1901, 1899-08-05

companion ladder and reached the
deck, to find water around me on every
side, while the schooner, being without
ballast and light as a cork, lay almost
on her beam ends, as she was careened
by heavy breeze that blew from the
shore, the lights of which, probably
Erlesmere, I could see about three
miles distant.
A deadly terror filled my heart,
To swim so far was impossible: I
| dared not leave the schooner, even
with spar or anything else that
| would float, as the wind and sea were
evidently rising together, and to re-
main on board was almost as danger
Gus and hopeless. I had the risk of
drowning by her capsizing, or lying on
her beam ends in the water, and so
laundering and going down.
A plank might start in her sheathing
she might even then be filing by
| some uncaulked leak! 1 had no idea
OF the state of her hold, and for many
reasons feared she might sink before
daybreak, and before my perilous sit
uation could be discovered from the
shore
The waves were black as ink; the
sky was moo less overhead, but the
pale, white stars winked and twinkled,
and were reflected in the trough of the
ocean. Now, 1 could perceive foam
cresting the tops of the waves, and
knew that the breeze was increasing
to a gale-a 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. Clutching the weather rigging,
1 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,
briny showers.
1 shouted, but the hooking wind bore
my voice away to seward. With de-
spairing eyes 1 swept the dusky water,
in the hope of seeing a vessel, fishing
boat. or the light of a steamer near;
but gazed, with haggard glance, in
vain.
1 had no hope now but to wait for
dawn OF day; and when it came, where
might 1 and the empty schooner be?
Fortunately, her topmasts were struck
her foreyard 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- |
dering. AS dawn drew near, the cold |
increased so much that, though at the |
risk OF being passed unseen by some |
coaster, l was fain to creep on my |
hands and knees to the companion |
hatch. and descend into the cabin.
1t was darker now than ever. for the |
lamp had gone out.
oh, to be ashore!" exclaimed pas
with clasped hands; ashore,
and free from this floating prison!"
1 thought of my gentle and loving |
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 irrepressible anxiety, which |
would soon turn to despair that
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 in
the hold of the schooner as she rolled
and lurched and righted herself to roll
and lurch again.
For time I covered miserably in |
he dark cabin, until my childish fears
overmatched reason, and I crept once
more upon deck.
A regular gale was blowing now, and |
he schooner careened fearfully be-
heath it on her starboard side, while
he bellying of that portion of the fore
Ind aft foresail which had got loose
lided in hurrying her faster out to sea.
The light of the coming day was |
pread in dull gray over the sky. i'm
,arting the same cold tint to the whit |
ming waves. Land was still visible, |
tut it seemed like a dark bank at the
lorizon. 1 supposed it to be about ten |
niles distant, but what part of the
cast, or how far from Erlesmere, I
new not
Now I began to be assailed by that
Illness, which terror and anxiety had |
itherto but partially repressed-a vio-
emit seasickness in all it's horror.
lfraid of being washed from the deck, |
yer which the waves were breaking
ow, once more crept in wretchedness
elow
Before descending, I cast a despair .
1g glance at the loosening sail which
TILL caught the wind; it was source
increasing danger which dared not
tempt to remedy, even had 1 strength
} have done so, for the wet deck was :,
ow sloping like the roof of a house,
nd I would assuredly have fallen into