The Honolulu republican. [volume] (Honolulu, T.H.) 1900-1902, 1901-10-20
ON THE FoREcASTLE DECK.


nan beings in the ~erid she i farrhess
Feznoved from me-
Because Of certain teupSrazezts
. here = 20 middle ground
IL : bitter speculseion. and not al mel
have known Il II nv own case I can
only work cut the problem to this: I
lore because ] can appreciate lose BE-
cause / love too much-
A twinkle Of light shows on the dark
line Of h0rizon- / stand erect 10 make
sure. and il : gone Az | watch II
sperkles again
Flashing white light on the port bow.
sir. | sing out glad OF the relief 20 nv
bitterness OF mind-srzti6ei thar I hsd
been first 10 see L.
An right
/ watch the heht- It Is not regular in
its coming and going il has a refuIgance
UNCOMMON in beacon lights il leaps 70 q
fare and sinks 10 = glow: Il expands %
4 nebula and breaks up into fragments.
Keep her swa- from that light
.sesr the mate call 10 the man at the
wheel: then. to the third mate: Rouse
ont all hands: send mp a rocket or show
torch. That's a ship afire."
4 ship afre / turn and look again
There is no mistake-fhe mate is right
can clearly make out two slim spars
and black funnel sharply cut in the re-
lection The blaze is aft. and the steam
ct Is heading toward rs. while from our
change OF course she takes a position
from two points on the port bow TO one
directly ahead As though the powers
behind the wind had taken direct cog
nizance of the extremity. the burning
ship comes bounding toward us. while
from our change Of course we rush down
the wind with breaking seas curling IN
der our counter. Yards are square as
before. for the change merely brings the
wind from slightly on one quarter 10
slightly on the other. Soon we can
make out the shape and position of deck
houses and the infinite shadow of hull
beneath. Over the sparkling fare and
left behind by her motion stretches a
canopy of smoke. and there is a black
thickening and rise of her sheer forward
which can be nothing but closely packed
human beings
The watch below is out Men are
clewing M the courses: others are dane
ing aloft to the foreyard with hosting
tackles aft the third mate and the ships
bows are clearing away n quarter boat.
and amidships the carpenter is sending
up rockets. But I am on lookout. and
until called down or relieved can take no
part in this
With the increase of wind comes a
lowering of temperature and n darken-
ing of the sky. l shiver and. buttoning
nv jacket snug to my throat. resume my
walk back and forth from cathead TO cat
head A glance aft shows me the
southern SKY shaded with an almost
OPAQUE curtain of cloud the moon is
nearly ohscured. A few fakes of snow
brushed my cheek: keener edge comes
to the pressure of wind. and aloft the
Aeolian song of a newborn gale walls
in the rigging. There will be trouble
and grief tonight | know-boat work
in snow storm and rising sea.
Keep a good lookout for'ard there.
roars the mate amidships. and I answer.
thankful with sailors responsibility.
that mine is the easiest duty on board.
Fast as we are changing toward the
farming craft. the snow squall is faster.
and soon details are hidden: nothing but
a red glow guides the man at the wheel
and toward this we rush Mt ten knots.
while the blaze itself approaches at an
equal speed. until again details are
shown us. She is still head to wind: but
engines have stopped. and steam is es-
caping in muffled roar. The fire has