Gilpin observer., 1899-04-06
CHAPTER vi.
A Hurricane Drives Us to the Forum
ate Isles.

ate Isles.
Some days after this we passed
carraca, as the Portuguese name those
large and round built vessels which
they send to Brazil and the Indies,and
which are alike adapted for burden,
lighting and sailing.
On exchanging the bearings-which,
when vessels pass each other, are usu-
ally chalked on a blackboard hung
over the quarter-Weston and Hislop
found considerable difference be-
tween the Portuguese and ours; but,
never doubling that we were correct,
they bore on without hailing the car
raca, as we passed each other on oppo-
site tacks under a press of sail.
The weather continued cloudy, and
an increased difference was found on
exchanging the latitude and longitude
with another vessel next morning.
Then, after an observation at noon,
Weston found that for more than fifty
hours the Eugenie had been going sew
eral miles to the southeast of her due
course.
The compass was Immediately over
hauled by Hislop, who found that the
standard of the needle was loose.
On that night there commenced a
long course of head winds and foul
weather, during which the compass
never worked properly, and the cap
tain and mate found, by the solar OBJ
servation, that we had drifted so far
to leeward as to be somewhere between
the parallels of 2s degrees and 20 de-
grees 35 minutes north.
Tattooed Tom and old Roberts, the
man-o'-wars-man, were superstitious
enough to give me the entire blame of
all this, in consequence of having fred
one day at some of Mother Cary's
chickens; an action, they averred.
which never failed to give the craft of
the perpetrator a head wind for the
remainder of her voyage-if she ever
finished It at ALL
"If this foul weather holds for an
other day." said Weston, as he trod the
deck with sulkiness quite profession
al under the circumstances, I'VE shall
see land sooner than 1 wished"
Land" reiterated. Frightening at
the idea more than he relished.
Eyes. some part of the Canaries-
Santa Cruz de la Palma, most likely;
but we shall have very rough weather
before another sun rises. I know we'll
the signs. Mr.. Rodney. Don't you see
what Is brewing yonder, Hislop?" he
said in a low voice to his mate.
"You say Just what old Roberts, Tat
tooed Tom. and l were observing for
ward" replied Hislop. I'VE have not
all of us seen hurricane on the west
coast of Africa, a tornado in the
Windward Isles, and a regular roaring
pampero of the Rio de la Plata, with
out learning something-eh. cnptain?"
II hope not! SO remember that this
gloomy weather, with the wind lulling
away and then coming again in hot
gusts with moaning sound-in my
part of England we name it the call
ing of the sea'-are always signs of a
coming squall."
AS the night closed in. the canvas on
the brig was reduced, the royals were
struck and the yards sent on deck:
the dead lights were shipped on tie
stern windows: the quarter boat WAS
hoisted within the taffrail, and there
lashed hard and fast, for there were in
creasing tokens Of a coming tempest,
and ere midnight 1t came with a ven
geance.
The sky at first was all deep, dark
blue, wonderfully dark for that region,
and the stars, especially the planets,
shone with singular clearness and
beauty; but in the northwest quarter
OF the heavens we could see the coming
blast.
From the horizon to the zenith, there
bank of sable cloud, forming a vast
and gloomy arch. at the base OF which
a pale and phosphorescent light SEEM
ed to play upon the heaving sea.
This light frightened and sunk al
ternately. Now It would shoot down
ward with lurid glare, steadily and
brilliantly, under the flying vapor, and
then 1t died away with an opal tint.
Sheet lightning of pale and ghastly
green, extending over ten or twelve
points OF the horizon. flashed and play
ed upon It, Then we heard the rush
OF rain. as II great lake had been
falling from a vast hight into the sea,
and the next the roar OF the mighty
blast; while furrowing up the ocean In
its passage. the tempest came swoop-
ing down upon us and around us In a
species of whirlwind.
Bravely the Eugenie met 1t, for her
captain and men handled her nobly.
She had her topgallant sails furled
her courses up. the topsails lowered
upon the cap, and the reef tackles close
out; but she swayed fearfully when
careening beneath the hot breath Of
the mighty blast and riding over those
black mountains OF water. which in
fierce succession It impelled toward
her. High she went over a sloping
sheet Of foam one moment, and the