Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1900-04-18

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and tpOk to the water. and wasn't
going 10 alter the system which l had
mapped out. Fiercer and fiercer blew
the gale. never shall forget that
sunset. Right astcrn for a moment a
burst Of crimson brightness Hluminat-
ed the dusky clouds and showed where
the Srn was sinking I'm the leaden sea.
Then al was black gloom.
"At 9 o'clock the two Levantcrs re-
lieved two cape cod sailors at the
wheel. They lad proved themselves
smart enough helmSmen. and il never
struck me that they were ours and
c39a.ds. If ii bad. my ship would
nos lcvr been damaged. and no sin
would have rested on my conscience.
Ten minutes after those dagoes had
taken the wheel from a few hundred
yards astern huge mountain Of wa
ter arose. ON il moved ma jestically.
steep as the side OF precipice. with it's
lofty crcs. topping over and threaten
ing t0 ovCTwhelm our stout old shin.
one Of the craven helmsmen turned
his head and. looking backward. saw
II coming. With a cry OF terror he let
20 the wheel aud fled forward His
mate followed him. and. like two scar
ed cats. they scurried down the poop
ladder and made for the galley.
The wheel. deprived of guidance.
whh,-d nladly round as if il had an
electric motor attachment The sec
ond mate and | ran for the wheel and
Grasped the dying spokes. We nearly
had our arms wrenched out Of their
sockets. We We're too late. The YES
sci came TO nearly four points. bring
ing the sea on the starboard quarter.
and 1t looked as though she would
breach to. The monster wave which
frightened the dagOcs slnote the shin
just art the main rigging. The shock
was terrific. She tremLlcd i'm every
timber She was forced over until the
lee fore and main yardIrmS nearly
toCched the water. The sea made a
clean breach over her. filing the main
deck from the break Of the poop To the
topSallaut forccaStlc. Two lifcboats
on the skidS were dashed to splinters.
The top Of the galley was stove in.
spare topSail yard that was lashed 10
the deck broke loose and hoated about.
threatening death and disaster Luck
ily The sheet of the fore tOnmaSt STAY
sail held. and that SAL pay, her head
Off. and we were able To get her once
more before the wind and steady on
her course again.
ION deck came the first and third
mates. 1t had been their watch below.
but the hubbub quickly awoke them.
The third mate took my place at the
wheel. and by giving the ship what is
known aS small helm she was soon
Scooting along 10 the eastward NJ her
old gait of II knots. ! could do moth
Ing until the ship had cleared herself
of her main deck load Of water Like
most East indiamen OF the old school.
she had high and massive bulwarks.
and thus IL took some time before the
deck was sufficiently clear of the wa
ter TO permit me to go forward and
look after my crew.
AT length my opportunity came.
Forward | went with murder in my
heart. II the sea had not already
avenged me on the craven ours who
had fed from the wheel and caused the
disaster 10 the ship. | determined TO
take the law In my own hands and Kill
them on sight found them. bruised
AID bleeding, but in full possession Of
their senses. in the waist on the star
board side near the scuppcrS. | seem
ed TO be imbued with Supevhuman
strength. / grabbed one OF them by
the scruff Of the neck and the sack OF
the breeches and tossed him over the
side. He seemed as light as Il feather
in my relentless grip. | treated his
companion coward To a similar bath
after which | began to look after the
safety OF my ship. No remOrse did |
then feel. II seemed To me that had
eXacted only timely ana righteous
vengeance. The remorSe came later
~By the grace of the Almighty all
the resi- OF my crew escaped without
serious hurt. Many OF them were bad
ly bruised. but both watches managed
10 crawl aft aud answer TO their
names. Only the two LcvantcrS. Pie
uO and Dcmetrio were marked down
aS missing. | was the only man on
the ship who knew their terrible fate,
aud ! never said word. | gloried in
my deed.
u had rem served out To all hands,
and we fell 10 ana cleared away the
wrcckage. The huge spare spar that
had got adrift played havoc with the
bulwarkS before we got il secured
again. The splinterS OF the smashed
boats were thrown overheard. and
some sailors went aloft on the fore
yard 10 cut away the few fragments
Of the fOreSail which had blown out
of the bolt ropes when the ship broach-
ed 10. The carpenter set to work with
number of sailors and rugged up a
huge screen Of stanchiOnS and stout
canvas eft the wheel. SO that the
helmsmen might not see the monstrous
waves that At frequent intervals curl
ed up under the counter and threatened
to topple over thS stern aud cause more
disaster
Those two cursed cOwardS.' cried,
nearly wrecked my fine ship. They're
grilling in hell now no doubt, II any
other craven runs away from the
wheel I'll blow the roof Of his head
off"
"All that night the Halloween scud-
dcd before the hurricane. 1t was too
late To hCave Co except at imminent
risk OF losing our three maSts. which
meant laundering. The ship behaved
admirably considering the violence Of