Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1900-02-06
CHAPTER vi.

ate Isles.
Some days after this we passed a
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,
nghting and sailing.
o. exchanging the bearings-which,
when vessels pass each other, are usu-
ally chalked on blackboard hung
over the quarter-Weston and Hislop
FOUND a 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 lacks 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 Eugene 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
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
4 he n5I, 80
grees 80 minutes north
Tattooed Tom and old Roberts, the
man-o' war's-man. were superstitious
enough to give me the entire blame Of
all this. in consequence of having fired
one day at some of Mother Cary's
chickens; an action. they averred.
which never failed to give the craft of
the perpetrator head wind for the
remainder of her yoyage-if she ever
finished it at all
"If this foul weather holds for an
other day" said Weston, as he trod the
deck with a sulkiness quite profession
al under the circumstances, 1--WE shall
see land sooner than | wished"
Land" | reiterated. Frightening at
the idea more than he relished.
yes, some part of the Canaries-
Santa Cruz de la Palma, most likely;
but we shall have very rough weather
before another sun rises. l know well
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 | were observing for
ward" replied Hislop. We have moi
all Of us seen a hurricane off the west
coast of Africa, tornado in tbs
Windward Isles, and a regular roaring
pampero off the Rio de la Plata, with.
out learning something-eh, captain? 2
81 hope not! SO remember that this
gloomy weather, with the wind lullint
away and then coming again in no
gusts with a moaning sound-in m.
part of England we name 1t the call
ing of the sea'-are always signs OF ,
coming squall.
As the night closed in, the canvas OIL
the brig was reduced, the royals werr
struck and the yards sent on deck
the dead lights were shipped on tn
stern windows the quarter boat wa
hoisted within the taffrail, and Their
dashed hard and fast. for there were in
creasing tokens of a coming tempest
! and ere midnight It came with a ven
: geance.
: The sky at first was all a deep, dar1
I blue, wonderfully dark for that region
and the stars. especially the planets
: shone with singular clearness an
beauty; but in the northwest quartz
!, of the heavens we could see the comm
, blast
I From the horizon to the zenith, ther
: arose with terrible rapidity a might
J bank Of sable cloud, forming a vas
and gloomy arch, at the base of whic
pale and phosphorescent light seem
ed to play upon the heaving sea.
= This light frightened and sunk a
ternately. Now 1t would shoot dowT
ward with a lurid glare, steadily an
!. brilliantly. under the flying vapor, an
khen it died away with an opal tint
: Sheet lightning Of pale and ghastl
y green, extending over ten or twely
] points Of the horizon, flashed and PLAY
3 ed upon it. Then we heard the rus
4. of rain, as II great lake had bee
y falling from vast hight into the SCI
~ and the next the roar of the might
blast: while furrowing up the ocean |
its passage. the tempest came swool
ing down upon us and around US in
species OF whrlwind
!, Bravely the Eugene met it, for h
captain and men handled her nobly.
She had her topgallant sails furle
q her courses up. the topsails lowere
' upon the cap, and the reef tackles clio!
:, out; but she swayed fearfully whe
q careening beneath the hot breath
Z, the mighty blast and riding over thol
d black mountains of water, which
fierce succession it impelled towaI
her. High she went over a slopiI
= sheet of foam one moment. and II
9: next saw her plunging into dee
black valley of that midnight sea;
deep that the wind seemed to pass oy
us, the canvas tapped to the mast, al
we only caught its weight and pew
. when riding quickly on the crest OF Il
J next mighty roller,
Meanwhile the green-forked ligh