The National tribune., 1902-06-26

known among seamen, Mother Carey IS
| chickens.
On the 18th our reckoning showed us
| to be about $50 miles to the sOuthward
! and westward of the Cape, and the ocean
| still pursuing its mad antics with I'M
| abated fury, but over it our gallant vessel
scud as easily as the birds skinned the
air astern.
Our position, however, was becoming
| anything but comfortable. To get a meal
in Christian fashion was the next thing
10 impossible. The steward, after much
devious navigating. would succeed at last
in placing it upon the table. and the next
moment a heavy lurch of the ship would
scatter dishes and contents in every direc-
ton. Once, not satisfied with such a
piece of impertinence, old Neptune sent a
sea over our starboard quarter, which
| came pouring down upon us like cat
| aract, and the remnant of our dinner pre-
vlously disposed around the cabin floor by
| the first accident. was by the second Sub
| merged under couple of feet of water.
During the prevalence of heavy and
continuous gale like the present man-of-
war presents a curious scene. The bat
terry Is secured with extra tackles. pre-
ventcr-braces and backstays are rove and
! taughtened, matches battened down, and
men are stationed at the relieving tackles
L,
The ship from brOaching to.
These precautionary measures taken. or
perhaps the ship is hove to under close
reefed tOpsails. fore storm staysail, main
| trysail. and tarpaulin in the miZzen rig
ging, little parties of men may be seen
congregated on different parts of the berth
deck, each listening to some tough yarn,
spun by some old shellback of their num-
bcr
Suddenly the sound of the Boatswain's
call Is heard. sharp and shrill above the
bowling of the tempest. and for the mo-
ment conversation ceases. and every man
anxiously awaits to learn the nature of
the summons. 1t is nothing any more
serious this time than to call all hands to
the agreeable duty Of Splicing the main
BRACE" and in an instant there is gen
cral rush for the deck, where the grog is
served to each in turn.
10 n landsman it may seem the hight
or reckiessness to serve out any intoxicat-
ing beverage at such Il time. to Il shp's
company. but the omission of such an
item in the routine of their lives lat that
period IN vogue would probably have en-
gendered a general feeling of dissatisfac-
ton more to he dreaded than any trifiing
excess in which they would be likely to
indulge.
On that day the storm eliminated. If
was sublime beyond description. and we
drove before it, at the rate of II knots
an hour, under close reefed topsals and
| reefed foresail. About ; o'clock that after
noon we took n sea about amdships. which
poured down the main hatch to the sum
mary discontinue of knot of the bows
who were enjoying themselves by listen
ing TO n "twister" of more than ordinary
interest.
Such were some of the specimens Of
life on the ocean wave" that we encoun-
| tered while working up toward the Cane
OF boOd Hope, q name suggestive of good
omens, but Our experience did not tend
to confirm the reputation that has gone
abroad concerning the peaceful procliyi-
ties of the elements thereabouts.
On the 10th it was still blowing n gale
| from the northward and westward, and
we were running before it at the rate of
IL or II knots an hour under light
spread of canvas. About o'clock in the
evening tremendous sea came over our
| quarter, carrying away everything NOV
able IN ITS track, and thoroughly drencb
ing about half our officers and crew. The
snip now seemed to be flooded fore and
AIT, The greater part of the time but such
| good precautionary measures had been
taken that comparatively little water
| found its way below
At II o'clock the next day wave Of
| i'ouh'aih dimensions came SurgiDg down
upon u.s. and rearing its mighty crest liz
very demon of the ocean Intent unon on, p
destruction. discharged n cataract Of wa.
ter. whose weight could only have been
estimated by hundreds of tons. upon orr
devoted deck. 1t was q moment of fear-
full anxiety. Fore and aft the water stood
ievcl with the top of the bulwarks--the
snip lest her Roadway and trembled as did
| Goiiah when the pebble from the shen-
herd boys sling penetrated his bra.en
| nead,gear, and like Goiiah she would in A
Few brief moments have sum. to rise no
mere, had not our dauntiess crew, in ODE
dienee to an order from the OG.cer of the
Deck, uttered as coolly as though it were
the most ordinary occasion instead of n
matter of life and death. sprung forward
with axes, and dashed out the ports, thus
afording egress to the mass of water
which was pressing rs down, like the hand
Of doom, into the treacherous bosom Of the
Il