The silver messenger. (Challis, Idaho) 1890-1912, 1900-02-20

HOIlAOu, lTOm WHcuCc IL cast lOhS
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 hosting light at the
mainmast head but where were Ian
tern and matches to be found?
/ 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 its property was saline, and
seemed to make my sufferings greater;
but happily it induced a drowslness. 1
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 slept l do not know, but
I was suddenly reused by a violent
lurch Of the schooner.
On reaching the deck, / found I at
gale had again come on, and that the
sea was whitened with foam, amid
which the sea1irds were blown wildly
hither and thither; that the moon was
now on the wane. and shed cold,
weird light between the black masses
Of flying scud, upon the tumbling bill
lows and the empty schooner, which
yet fioated buoyantly enough. But she
now careened fearfully to port. / fore
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 Numbered on her empty and re-
sounding hull.
Notwithstanding my weakness, en-
deavored 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 a
sound like thunder in the blast, and
in moment the deck seemed to pass
from under my feet, and l was strug
Cling alone in the midnight sea.
To the horror of being drowned was
now added that of being devoured by
the fishes.
A cry to heaven escaped me, as l
rose painting and almost breathless and
struck out to prolong existence. The
sea repealed and buoyed me up, for it
is by no means so easy to sink as many
persons imagine.
The schooner was lying now COM
pletely 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 fill and go down; yet so strong is
the instinct of self-preservation that l
soon reached the foremost, climbed
into che now horizontal rigging, and
seated myself on the row of dead eyes,
through which the shrou6s are rove,
clutching them with wild tenacity,
while drenched, cold, and despairing.
The spray few over me, thick as
rain, but bitter, heavy and binding.
How long | could have survived
know not; but felt as one in q dread
full dream and acted with the decision
and firmness with which we often seem
to acquaint ourselves amid the most
fantastic situations created by the
fancy in sleep
Suddenly, amid the stupor that was
coming over me, | heard a voice and
saw large brig looming between me
and the pale, waning moon. She was
close by, with her courses, topsails, lib
and fore-and-aft mainsail set, but with
her foreyard laid to the wind as she
lay to. Then heard the rattle of the
blocks and tackle, as a boat descended
from the stern davits with splash
into the sea.
"Cheerily, now, my lads, give way!"
cried the voice l had heard before;
"pull to windward round this craft, and
overhaul her."
There's man in the fore-rigging!"
cried another
Then stand by in the bow with the
boat-hook."
l strove to speak, to shout; but my
voice was gone
Spring into the sea-" cried a voice;
do you hear me, you sir-you in the
fore-rigglng there? Jump in; we can
not sheer alongside craft that pitches
about like cork in such sea as
this"
Don't fear, my lad" cried others;
well pick you up"
But 1 was powerless, blinded by
spray; and though unable to respond
clutched the rattlins with fatuous en-
ergy. Then strong hands were laid
upon me, and l felt myself dragged into
the boat.
"Shove off, shove off-give way! this
craft will sink in minute" cried some
one; give way for the brigl" and Just
as they turned the head of the boat to-
ward their vessel, the Dutch schooner
appeared to right herself; there was a
crash as her deck burst up, and then a
sob seemed to mingle with the air
that was expelled from her hold as she
filled and went down like a stone.