The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1902-05-16
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For thirty year" he said. I've
sailed the seas, and seen good and bad,
better and worse, fair weather and
foul, provisions running out, knives
going, and what not. Well, now, tell
you. 1 never seen good come o good
ness yet. Him as strikes first is my
fancy; dead men don't bite: them's my
views-amen, SO be it. And now, you
look here he added suddenly
enough of this foolery. The tides made
good enough by now. You just take
my orders, Capn Hawkins, and We'll
sail slap in and be done with it"
All told we had scarce two miles to
run; but the navigation was delicate,
the entrance to the northern anchorage
was not only narrow and shoal, but
lay east and west, so that the schoon-
er must be nicely handled to be got In.
1 think I was q good, prompt sub
altern, and I am very sure that Hands
was an excellent pilot; for we went
about, and lodged in. shaving the
banks, with certainty and a neatness
that We're a pleasure to behold
Scarcely had we passed the head be-
fore the land closed around US. The
shores of the North inlet were as
thic1ly wooded as those of the south
ern anchorage; but the space was
longer and narrower, and more IKE,
what in truth it was, the estuary OF
river Right before us at the south
ern end, we saw the wreck Of a ship
III the last stages Of dilapidation. 1t
had been a great vessel OF three mas,s'
but had lain SO long exposed to the
injuries of the weather, that it was
hung about with great webs of drip
ping sea weed, and on the deck OF 1t
shore bushes had taken root, and now
flourished thick with flowers. 1t was
a. sad sight but it showed us that the
anchorage was calm. =
Now" said Hands, "look there;
there's a pet bit for to beach a ship in.
Fine fiat sand never catspaw trees
all around it, and flowers ALLOWING
like a garding on that old ship
And once beached," I inquired,
'how shall we get her off again?"
why, so,'' he replied; you take a
line ashore there on the other side at
low water; take a turn about one
them big pines; bring it back, take
turn round the capstan. and lie to for
the tide. Come high water, all hands
take a pull upon the line, and off she
comes as sweet as natur'. And now,
boy, you stand by We're near the bit
now, and she's too much way on her.
starboard a Observation-Disclosures
board--larboard httle-steady-
steady"
So he issued his commands, which
breathlessly obeyed; till, all of a sud
den, he cried: Now, my hearty, huff!
And I put the helm hard up, and the
"Hispaniola" swung round rapidly, and
ran stem on for a low-Wooded shore.
The excitement Of these last man
euvers had somewhat interfared with
the watch I had kept hitherto, sharply
enough, upon the cockswain. Even
then 1 was still SO much interested,
waiting for the ship to touch, that I
had quite forgot the peril that hung
| over my head, and stood craning over
the starboard bulwarks and watching
J the ripples spreading wide before the
| bows. l might have fallen without
struggle for my life, had not sudden
| disquietude seized upon me, and made
me turn my head. Perhaps had heard
a. crealz. or seen his shadow moving
with the tail of my eye; perhaps it
| was an instinct like a cats, but, sure
enough. when I looked round, there
was Hands, already half way toward
me, with the dirk IN his right hand.
! We must both have cried out aloud
when our eyes met; but while mine
| was the shril cry of terror, his was Il
| roar of fury like a charging bulls. At
the same instant he threw himself
! forward, and leaped sideways toward
the bows. AS I did so I left hold Of
the tiller, which sprung sharp to lee
ward; and think this saved my life,
for it struck Hands across the chest,
and stopped him, for the moment,
| dead.
| Before he could recover, 1 was safe
| out of the corner where he had trapped
me, with all the deck to dodge about.
Just forward of the mainmast /
I stopped, drew a pistol from my pocket,
drew a cool aim, though he had already
| turned and was once more coming di-
| 81
| The hammer fell, but there followed
neither flash nor sound; the printing
was useless with sea water. l cursed
| myself for my neglect. Why had not
| I. long ago, reprinted and reloaded my
only weapon? Then / should not have
I been, as now, mere fleeing sheep be-
| fore this butcher.
1 Wounded as he was it was wonder
full how fast he could move. his griz-
lied hair tumbling over his face, and
! his face itself as red as a red ensign
with his haste and fury / had no
time to try my other pistol, nor, in
deed much inclination, for L was sure
| 1t was useless. One thing l saw
| plainly; I must not simply retreat be-
fore him, or he would speedily hold
me boxed in the bows, as a moment
/ since he had SO nearly boxed me in
| the stern. Once so caught, and nine
or ten inches OF the blood stained dirk
would be my last experience on this
side of eternity. placed my palms
against the mainmast, which was of
q goodish bigness, and waited, every
nerve upon the stretch.
Seeing that meant to dodge. he also
4 paused, and moment or two passed in
/ feints on his part. and corresponding
| movements upon mine. 1t was such q
game as had often played at home
i about the rocks of Black Hill cove;
i but never before, you may be sure,
with such wildly beating heart as
now. Still, as I say, it was boys
game, and thought / could hold my
4 own at it against an elderly seaman
with a wounded thigh. Indeed. my