Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1904-03-25

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IT HE steam coaster Oracle Jackson
/ was lost. She had strayed out
of the Columbia river on a thick morn
ing in November, bound for San Fran
cisco. Three days had passed since
then, and on this dull forenoon she
tumbled wildly in a jobble of sea
somewhere off the Oregon coast, the
crew knew not where. In her cramped
saloon the skipper and mate were
asleep, asleep beyond the power of the
frightened sailors to awake. The chief
engineer had come up from below to
assist in the process of rousing them,
but after a half-hour's vain attempt he
now stood back against the bulkhead
easing his mind. They're a couple of
sots," he explained to the drawnfaced
bos'n. THE old man started lushing
before we were across the bar, and the
mate amt been sober for a week. l
don't believe those two seacooks have
even got their departure chalked down.
l know they amt wrote a line in the
log since we passed Tillamook abel
lowing in the fog. Drunk! Drunk!
-" and the engineer and the bos'n
lifted up their voices in a sea blessing,
deep, vociferous and mighty.
81 reckon we're off Cape Blanco
somewhere" suggested sailor who
had stamped in. ITS running an ugly
sea- too. Thicker'n peasoup, and the
glass way down. What1l we do, sir?"
| The engineer grunted with the wrath
Of two sleepless days. Then he STUN
bled up the companionway to the deck
and the bos'n shuffled after him. For
ward in the wheelhouse they found a
grim-visaged seaman clinging hungrily
to the jerking wheel, and peering out
from the compass to the gray, froth-
ing ocean that seemed to have risen
like a cloud of Kissing steam about
the Oracle Jackson. There was no
twinkle of the sun, and the bowling
wind drove the vapor across the plung-
ing decks in huge pillows. A boat,
crushed and broken, lay webbing I'M
der the weather rail. Aft the hum
ming funnel spun a sooty thread
engineer took in with a sweeping
glance. Then he looked back on the
chart shelf at the slate. A clumsy
hand had chalked tentative reckon
ings on it and the barometer and log
readings. There was no attempt,
however, to fix the position of the
steamer on the chart pinned beneath.
| Nd
abruptly departed by the lee door, TO
return holding in his hand copy of
his own log. The bos'n joined him
and they puzzled, and figured, and
cursed till noon. tits no use," said
the engineer, after a final wreste
1--WE can't get bottom with the lead;
we amt an observation of any sort to
go on; we amt even got an approx
mate distance lodged We might be
off San Diego or the Sahara Desert sc
fairs we know"
How much we making now?" asked
the sailor at the wheel
Seven by the engines" was the re-
ply. Five by the log. May be going
astern for all that"
81 reckon" continued the helmsman
, slowly-"I reckon we're about of
Blanco. How much coal we got?"
Sixteen hours this gait"
There was a long pause, filed only
with the harsh noises of the ocean ant
the laboring vessel. Then the man a
the wheel, as he eased the Oracle ovel
crested surge, muttered an oath ant
besought his Creator to show M
mercy to the stupored men in the
saloon.
We've got to do something" sale
the bos'n, practically. II guess Capt.
Flint amt coming to to-day, and tn,
mates worse off yet. We got to ge
sail on her to steady her and fetcl
somewhere mighty quick. When we'r,
short of coal the foresail and staysai
ought to take us along"
The engineer thought a while, ant
then turned brusquely to the bos'n
I'm in command here" he said. "Pu
some sail on her and get out to Sci
somewhere. We amt going to risk
insh ore this weather. I'll save my Goa
for a pinch. You take command Of
deck, and I'll keep watch with yo
soon az shut my hampers and get al
snug below"
The bos'n nodded and slipped out o.
deck. He took his chance and ral
forward, and disappeared. When
: emerged again from the tiny fo'c's'l
Il was with three men at his heel
They regained the pilot house and re
ceived their orders. I'VE got TO fetc
in somewhere" finished the bos'l
sourly. TITS up to US to do It by dea
reckoning. At least we can keep o
I q lee shore. Maybe by tomorrow the