St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1902-01-01

BHE WAS WITHOUT MAST OR SAIL OR OARS.
change was made in the crew. He was
called a reliable, steady going man,
and his men were steady, sensible fell
lows. The change was not one to re-
jOice over. No. 4 was a stout hulk of
about 800 tons burden, with a comfort
able berth for crew, but out there the
water was in constant motion, and the
danger Of collision at night or during a
fog was something 20 harass the mind.
1t happened to be fairish weather for
the first three days, but on the fourth a
gale sprang up, and the hulk was set
bouncing in terrible way. 1t wasn't
that the sea was so heavy. but that the
waves swirled around the old wrecks
In such a way as to produce a cross sea
and a terrific tumble, and the groan-
Ing, straining hulk seemed to be bob
bing about on bed of yeast.
The watches were divided so that
two men were on duty for four hours
while the other two slept That night
It. was the captains watch from till
midnight There was but little to be
Zone after the lights were displayed.
A lookout was kept, and port fires and
rockets were at hand to warn vessels
AWAY and signal the shore. The gale
mad piped up strong, with a drizzle of
rain and a dark night, and one could
not have been more uncomfortable off
The cape in a winters gale. 1t had
come 10 o'clock when a sudden hail
reached the lghtship. The captain was
Aft and his mate forward, but he knew
1t once that the hail came from sea-
ward. 1t was not so dark but that one
could have seen a ship 300 feet away,
even though she had no lights aboard.
AS soon as port fire was ignited the
sea lighted up for hundreds of feet
lround in a CHASTITY way, and both men
ooked for the craft they supposed to
be near by. They looked in vain until
The signal was nearly finished. Then a
ships yawl, driving right up in the
teeth Of the gale, hove into view. She
was without mast or sail or oars, and
the only figure in her sat in the stern
Iheets, and his arms and legs were
bound around with ropes. The man
was bareheaded and dressed as a lands
man, and as he drove past within 20
geet of the rail they had a look square
INTO his eyes, and the agony on his
lace made them shudder. They started
10 throw him a rope, but as the coil
IWung in the air they remembered that
being bound, he could make no use Of
t. The yaWl and the man went straight
to windward and in a couple of min
ltes were out of sight, and the men
found themselves all a-tremble. Cap
ain CroX was full of indignation over
the crime of sending a man a1oat in
that manner and of pity for the victim
when his mate touched him on the arm
and shouted in his ear:
IF | was ashore, captain, all the
money in England would not bride me
to set foot on this deck again."
Whats the matter with you?" was
called in reply, ITS only bit IF shore
villainy that we must report to the ten.
der"
TITS nothing that's happened ashore
Sir. Did you take notice that the craft
was driving right in the teeth of the
gale? 1t wasn't live man in that boat
She was going to windward with ID
ghost, and I'd give the bit l have in tbs
bank If I'd not seen her"
The captain would have given the
man good dressing down for his silly
notions only that the boat had actually
been heading to windward in the teetl
OF a gale which no ship could have
made an inch of way against. Being
positive of this and not. being able tc
explain it, he could say little or moth
ing. 1t was agreed between them, how
ever, that nothing should be said to the
other watch when it turned out, anC
they went on duty without knowing