Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1899-11-30
An FtOn Boy


in the brandy ate it, and went on deck,
in time to see the sun set at the watery
horizon, from whence 1t cast long
and tremulous line Of yellow splendor
along the dancing waves, to where the
schooner floated in her loneliness.
Night followed. ana one by one the
stars appeared in the mighty blue dome
overhead; there was no moon as yet,
and thought of hoistins light at the
mainmast head, but where were a Ian
tern and matches to be found?
l thought also of lifting the fore
hatch to explore the forepart of the
schooner. but | felt too feeble and sick
at heart, and now with the coming of
the shadow of night a ghost story of
the Dutch skipper required to me.
Thirst was now becoming an agony,
and l inhaled the dewy atmosphere in
vain, for it's property was saline, and
seemed to make my suferings greater;
but happily it induced a drowsiness |
crept below, and seeking the bed in the
captains berth. drew the clothes over
me and strove TO sleep and SO weary
was that sleep came.
How long l slept l do not know, but
l was suddenly reused by violent
lurch of the schooner.
On reaching the deck, | found at
a gale had again come on, and that the
sea was whitened with foam, amid
which the sea5irds were blown wildly
hither and thther; that the moon was
now on the wane and shed a cold,
weird light between the black masses
Of flying scud. upon the tumbling bill
lows and the empty schooner, which
yet floated buoyantly enough. But she
I
saw that unless the masts were cut
away a capsize was inevitable. for the
wild wind howled over the waste of
seething water. and the schooner
groaned and trembled as wave after
wave thundered on her empty and re-
sounding hull.
Notwithstanding my weakness, en-
deayored to tighten the brailing of the
fore and aft foresail; but how vain
was the attempt! The moment l re-
moved the rope from the Delaying pin
1t was torn from my hand. the whole
sail fell heavily loose, and swelled out
upon the wind 1t Tapped with
sound like thunder in the blast. and
In a moment the deck seemed to pass
from under my feet, and | was strus-
Cling alone in the midnight sea.
TO the horror of being drowned was
now added that of being deyoured by
the fishes.
A cry to heaven escaped me, as /
rose painting and almost breathless and
struck out to prolong existence. The
sea repelled and buoyed me up, for it
is by no means so easy to sink as many
persons imagine.
The schooner was lying now COM
pleteiy on her beam ends to port; her
masts and half her deck were in the
water. 1t had filled the body of the
loosened sail, and served to keep her
steady. but still the waves washed
wildly over the hull. / knew she must
soon FIJI and go down; yet so strong is
the instinct OF self-preseryation that |
soon reached the foremast. climbed
into che now horizontal rigging, and
seated myself on the row of dead eyes,
through which the shrou6s are rove,
clutehing them with wild tenacity,
while dreuched. cold. and despairing.
The spray flew over me. thick as
rain. but bitter. heavy and binding.
How long | could have survived
know not; but | felt as one in dreai-
full dream and acted with the decision
and frmness with which we often seem
to acquaint ourselves amid the most
fantastic situations created by the
fancy in sleep.
I Suddenly, amid the stupor that was
coming over me, l heard a voice and
saw a large brig looming between me
and the pale waning moon. She was
4 close by, with her courses, topsails. jill
4 and fore-and- aft mainsail set. but witt
her foreyard laid TO the wind as she
lay to. Then I heard the rattle of the
l. daaa n ii
from the stern davits with splash
into the sea.
"Cheerily, now, my lads. give wayi'
cried the voice I had heard before;
pull to windward round this craft, ano
overhaul her
There's a man in the fore-rigging!
Then stand by in the bow with tn,
boat-hook."
strove to speak, to shout; but M
voice was gone.
Spring into the sea" cried voice
do you hear me, you sir-you in th,
fore-rfgging there? Jump IN; we can
not sheer alongside a craft that pitche
about like a cork in such sea a
this"
Don't fear. my lad" cried others
well pick you up
But / was .powerless, blinded b
spray; and though unable to respond
clutched the rattlins with fatuous er
ergy. Then strong hands were Iai
upon me, and felt myself dragged int
the boat.
"shove off. shove off-give way! tn
craft will sink In a minute cried SON
, one; give way for the brigi" and jul
as they turned the head of the boat Il
ward their vessel, the Dutch schoont
a appeared to right herself; there was
- crash as her deck burst up, and then
r sob seemed to mingle with the ]
d that was expelled from her hold as s.
n filled and went down like stone.
n Though / had been so long unsee
e I afterward learned that at this tir