Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1904-09-22

armada with nice seamanship had
been anchored In their appointed
places, and all were in beautiful Aor-
! der Their sails were furled with the
| taut smoothness of glove on a lady's
hand. and their ponderous yards
| squared with geometrical accuracy.
! Their complicated tracery OF rigging
and running gear, tautened with 1nath-
ematical nicely and soaring alo1t from
the mass of black and heavy shrouds
and swifters, springing from top.
cross-tree and yard-arm, In ever-re-
fining and more delicate lines, rose
higher and higher until 1t was To-
cused upon the truck-ends of the slen-
der skysail poles, which terminated
the ponderous and towering spars
Though weather beaten and storm
worn, they seemed fit for any emer-
| gency. Like the veterans Of an army,
they were ready for any demand which
could be made upon them, and they
looked it. There was sense OF use,
Of habit, of action. of power, conveyed
In their stately repose on the I'M
ruff1ed surface of the water that morn
ing, which filled the young men, who
were contemplating them, with pride
and delight.
Forward on the Maidstone the fore
royal-halliards had been settled away
as she drew up the roads, and her
number had been made at the fore
royal-masthead. When it had been
acknowledged on the flagship, the lat
ter had signalled for the frigate to
anchor under her lee. On account OF
the position of the admiraFs ship, the
Royal George, we'll in advance OF the
rest Of the squadron, there was ample
room for Grafton to come boldly in
head-on, with all standing, sweep to
port, and make his anchorage without
interfering with any other ship in the
fleet.
The Maidstone made superb pic
ture from the flagship. There was
just wind enough to fill every sail rap
full, and she slipped easily through
the water. rocking and pitching as
gently, as noiselessly, as summer
, cloud driven across the sky by scarce
felt breezes. They were drawing
nearer to the Royal George with every
moment, though still far from her
Now they were tapping her head
booms, now they were abreast of the
forecastle. 1t was time.
Right the helm! Stand by the
, starboard anchor! Man the spanlSel
,, brails! Let go the starboard anchor!
!, Brazil I'M"
With mighty plunge the great an
. Choir dropped into the still waters O
the bay. The hempen cable rushed
through the hawse-pipes, the shil
sursed slowly ahead moment, ant
then, her way checked by the pull. O
: the cable and the flooding tide as we'll
n abe stopped, settled back, and Slow
S dropped astern, where she swung u
d the full scope of the cable. She hac
S come to rest exactly where she should
r be. 1t could not have been more deft
s ly done if she had been picked up ant
9 set down in the designated spot.
e "All hands furl sail! Lay aloft, top
men!" called out Grafton, note o
vt triumph in his voice.
a In an instant the shrouds of hi
frigate were black with men swarmin'
e aloft, the light yard men, of course
n in the lead With nimble feet the
ran up the shaking rigging, laid GU
on the broad yard-arms, and bega
to roll up the dropping canvas.
n Old Hawke lifted and waved hi
J! hand toward the frigate, and, as If
had been signal, 1000 Threats on hi
70 own ship sent forth ringing chez
n of acknowledgement and greeting.
lie The men had been watching tn
III movements of the Maidstone with in
ct tense interest and appreciation. The
knew good seamanship when the
!" saw it. Hawke was a thorough sale
~ and would tolerate no one who wa
le not, in any ship or fleet he command
N ed Grafton's heart swelled with prid
and pleasure as he lifted his hat an
H. waved it toward his generous superie
ut in grateful acknowledgement. And, ii
e. deed, never had delicate maneuvt
been more gracefully and smartly pc
K formed.
AS soon as the men, who had fiji
e. ished their duties most expeditiousl
had laid down from aloft, and had b
ze gun to square yards and clear up tt
er gear, Grafton directed his gig to
called away, and temporarily relil
ag gushing the charge of the ship
as Hatfield, he repaired on board the fla
N. ship. He was met at the gangway
OK the latter vessel by Capt. John Cam
VS. bell, her commander, and was at on
escorted to the quarterback, yeslith
10. Hawke, attended by his staff, had d
scended to meet him.
lg. ------
er. FOSTER.