Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1900-01-18

blackened face and his cry for air and water.
However, it could not have hit my turn
better had | laid the train of events myself,
nor was it long before | had the two lying
on the deck and knew the cabin was sweet
en,ng and would soon be a fit retreat for
Miss King. Neither was it long before |
discovered that Lounsbury was not as dead
as he was drunk, though hardly as far gone
in liquor as Scammell, who could have been
pitched over the rail and passed to the next
world without the slightest inconvenience
to himself. And more's the pity twas not
done.
Like bags of dunnage | took them by their
collars, hauling them amidshps and then
clapped the wrists and legs OF both into
irons, articles which in those days stood
somewhat ahead Of the medicine chest in
Importance, and frequently in use. With a
mingled feeling of pity, hatred, and disgust,
| soused the sots with bucket of salt water,
and then left them for Nature to bring to
life. As | moved aft | caught the freshness
of a small, early morning breeze, and felt
that ere long the protecting blanket of fog
would be rolled away. Much would have
given for a knowledge of our exact where
abouts but as this was impossible, nothing
remained but to prepare the schooner for
sailing as soon as we could get our bearings.
Twas a small job to cast oil the gaskets and
get loose the headsails ready for hosting,
but another matter for Ames and myself
alone to run the heavy canvas of the main
and foresails to their mast heads. | was
fearful that the rattling blocks and rustling
CT the great cloths might herald our situa-
ton, but nothing came of it, and after deal
of hauling we got something like slack
set to the sails which for months had been
mildewing against their booms.
Gradually a lividness came over the fog,
and, as the light of the coming day strength
ened, it showed the mist driving across us
like wads of smoke. AS the light broadened
| went to the blnnacle to see how we were
heading, but found the compass gone from
it, and on examination, discovered that all
my instruments had been contiscated saving
the telltae screwed into the cabin ceiling.
This, like the hanging lantern, was be-
grimed by white deposit from the explo-
sion, but, on clearing i with my palm, |
found we were heading north by east, or still
going stern on toward the south.
So matters went till sunrise, the wind
growing fresher as the time sped, and at
last, while Ames and myself were putting
the cabin into some shape and the girl had
| gone to overhaul the pack of provisions, /
| heard her give a great cry, and rushed to
| the deck to lind Its meaning.
1t was no alarm. She was standing by the
| fore shrouds looking at the sudden trans
| formation which had come over the face of
| Nature Often have | seen the sun rise,
| but never did it appear in such grandeur
| of pearl and grays. The glory OF its com
| ing was none the less for the lack of vivid
colorlng. The fog had rolled off rolls -
curtain, and to the east and north lay piled
| il, rnp thunder
Gus backness to the opalescent clearness d
n seashelI. Through its misty caverns shot
| dazzling shafts of sunshine, which wavered
and played over the face of the bank like
| the tremuious shifting of the northern
| lights. Astern, clear as far as one could see,
| lay the ocean blank of all sail, the small
| summer waves glnting back the strong
| light from the east. To the west and over
our larboard beam stood out the green
heights of Staten island, and under their
shelter | marked two heavy ships Of the
line, while toward Sandy Hook lay two
others with sails furled and at anchor
| Gravesend bay also held one, a mammoth,
| which | took to be the Cerberus, but not a
ship was alert. No more were in sight, and
| marveled that we had run the gantet OF
the fleet, thinking, naturally, that most OF
| them had gone up the bay and must have
| lam CEO5e TO our track. LiLLie hlleN Llldt
the bulk of Lord Howe's fotilla had sailed
east the day before, and thus opened the
path that otherwise would in all likelihood
have been blocked. But so it was, and
later knew we had the French to thank for
having drawn them away.
Doubtless we were marked by a hundred
eyes on board those about, but the levia
thans were powerless to harm us, theil
very size and ponderosty shackling them
against quick action. Close aboard and or
our starboard beam lay the white sand spit
Of the lower island which goes far to make
New York harbor the-haven it is, and one,
past this wilderness of beach, now known a,
Norton's Point, we would be on the sea.
With a shout of relief almost deiIrlous
sprang forward and mastheaded both jill
and staysails, while Ames jumped for tn,
inkling | had that he was anything of ;
sailor, and the knowledge was mighty vel
come. Slowly we came about until th
schooner nosed into the west wind, and ther
he ran to the helm while | caught thu
draught with the headsail to help her get
:, ting past the point of irons" then L be
layed both jib and staysal sheets.
But of what use are these details? Enougl
to tell that presently we were slipping east
ward and past the Dry Romer, the sail
swung wing-on-wing, and an air, whicl
, turned to a calm as we fed, pushing u
from over the taffrail and toward the rlsn
, sun.