The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1902-11-20

1t was Saturday afternoon in the
early part of November, 1870. The good
ship Morning Light was lying at an
Choir opposite a large lumber mill on
the Salwin River in British Burma.
The work of loading the teak-wood
logs had been discontinued for the day,
and the crew had just finished wash
ing down the decks, for the next day
was veritable day of rest, and every
part of the ship must be clean and tidy
before knocking-off time.
Moored alongside the vessel were
large RATS Of teak-wood, ten logs to
raft, all well secured by ropes made
fast to the outer logs and hauled taut,
and hitched inbOard to the pin-rail
These RATS made convenient floating
stages for the crew to wash and battle
on, and on this particular afternoon,
as soon as the men had finished work,
they swarmed over the rails and hand
over hand down the mooring ropes,
and were soon deeply Immersed in riv-
er-water and soap-suds.
To the westward the sun was slow
1y sinking behind threatening bank
OF clouds that betokened a heavy rain
storm close at hand. On the river
bank the numbering, ungainly ele-
plants, the working corps of the saw
mill, were tramping slowly homeward
from their evening bath; and on deck
two tired, impatient youngsters were
hurriedly polishing the brass work,
eager to complete their task and get
to their washing before the storm
came on. One of these boys was the
writer, then on his first voyage; the
other was Phil Daily, my chum and fell
low victim to the tyranny of the petty
officers in whose berth-room we were
Quartered.
With a wipe and a promise" we
finished our brass-work, hurriedly dis
posed of some cold tea and bareback.
and dropped down on the raft with our
bundles of dirty clothes as the last Of
the men climbed over the rail inboard
1t was almost dark as we dipped the
first pieces of our washing, laid them
down well soaped on the outside log,
and proceeded to pound the dirt out
of them with heavy stick in the ma
tive fashion. Our only companion was
the shippers dog, Rover, who, con-
trary to all nautical etiquette, had
bounded down the captains side-lad-
der and Joined us on the raft.
The heavy rain-clouds had by this
time entirely overspread the sky, the
wind was whistling fitfully through the
rigging, and now and again sheet
lightning cleaned brightly along the
horizon. Silently and rapidly we
pounded and rinsed. rinsed and pound
ed, in our efforts to get back on deck
before the rain fell.
But, swift as we were, the elements
were swifter. With deafening crash
and a binding glare that seemed to
scorch the eyeballs, the storm was up
on us. The rain descended in slanting
sheets before the fierce squat, and
fash followed fash, and peal followed
peal, until the sky was one blazing,
thunderous chaos.
In the lull that followed the out
burst of the storm I heard a sharp,
startled cry from my companion and,
as the lightning again blazed forth,
/ saw that the pals in which were our
washed clothes, had slid from the log
and were floating off downstream Al
ready they were carried far beyond
our reach by the force of the wind
Picking up boat-hook that lay near,
we ran to the rear raft.
Casting off the after mooring rope
we pushed with hands and boat-hook
until that end Of the raft swung clear
of the ships counter and almost into
the track of the approaching buckets.
Then running across to the outer
corner, we cast out our boat-hook and
carefully hauled them in But the shout
of triumph had hardly left our lips
when the forward mooring-rope part
ed with the strain, the raft swung
round broadside to the current and
dropped astern, and the hull Of the
skip rapidly disappeared in the gath
ering gloom OF the storm.
We shouted for help, but we might
rs well have saved our breath. The
ship was already good cables length
away, and the storm. had driven all
hands below to their snug quarters.
1t might be hours before we were miss
ed, and then might as well confess
that our first impulse was to lie down
and have good cry, for we were then
little more than children.
But the dog kept bounding from one
TO the other of us, seemingly enjoying
the new. and strange situation, and
finally tue E1J;sl spiri. &C adventure