The Camden chronicle. (Camden, Tenn.) 1890-current, 1904-04-15

otLdy eQ out OF lie Column
y bus River on a thick morn
S0E ING in November, bonnt
lol ~>'l Francisco. Three days hat
passed since then, and on this dull fore
noon she tumbled wildly in iobble OF
sea somewhere off the Oregon coast
the crew knew not where. In he,
cfamped saloon the skipper and mate
were asleep, asleep beyond the power
o. the frightened sailors to awake. The
chler engineer had come up from be.
low to assist in the process of rousine
them, but after a half-hour's vain. at.
tempt he now stood back against the
Dulkhead easing his mind. "They're a
couple of sots,'' he explained to the
Drawn faced boSn. "The old man
started lushing before we were across
the bar, and the mate amt been sober
1or week. don't believe those two
seacooks have even got their departure
cnalked down. l know they amt
wrote line in the log since we passed
1lllamook a-bellowing in the fog
Drunk! Drunk and the engineer
and the bos'n lifted up their voices in q
fsea u.,ccssing, deep, vociferous and
mighty.
Il reckon we're off Cape Blanco
somewhere" suggested a sailor who
mad stamped in. 'Its running ali uS-iy
sea, too. Thicker'n pea soup. and the
glass way down. What'n we do, sir?"
80 The engineer grunted with the wrath
OF two sleepless days. Then he stun
Died UP the companionway to the deck,
and the bos'n shuffied after him. For
ward in the wheelhouse they found
gr1m-viSaged seaman clinging hungrily
to the jerking wheel, and peering out
from the compass to the gray frothing
&C., nce2n that seemed to have risen lie a
CLOUD of kissing steam about the Ora
Gle Jackson. There was no twinkle of
the sun, and the bowling wind drove
the vapor across the plunging decks in
huge pillows. A boat, crushed and bro
ken, lay wabbling under the weather
rail. Aft the humming funnel spun
sooty thread against the low cloud. All
this the engineer took in with sweep
ing glance. Then he looked back on
the chart shelf at the slate. A clumsy
hand had chalked tentative reckoningS
on it and the barometer and log read
ings. There was no attempt, however,
to fix the position of the steamer on
the chart pinned beneath. The engi-
neer swore grufiy, and then 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. Its no USE said the engineer,
after a final wrestle. I'VE can't get
bottom with the lead; we amt an OBJ
servation of any sort to go on; we
amt even got an approximate distance
logged We might be off San Diego or
the Sahara Desert so fairs we know"
How much we making now?" asked
the sailor at the wheel.
Seven by the engines" was the re-
ply give by the log. May be going
'astern for all that"
II reckon continued the helmsman,
slowly 81 reckon we're about off
Blanco. How much coal we got?"
sixteen hours this gait"
There was long pause, filled only
with the harsh noises of the ocean
and the laboring vessel. Then the
man at the wheel, as he eased the
Oracle over a crested surge, muttered
an oath and besought his Creator to
show no mercy to the stupored men
in the saloon.
"We've got to do something" said
the bos'n, practically. Il guess Cap'n
Flint amt coming to to-day, and the
mates worse off yet. We got to get
sail on her to steady her and fetch
somewhere mighty quick. When
we're short of coal the foresail and
staysail ought to take us along"
The engineer thought awhile, and
then turned brusquely to the bos'n.
"I'm in command here" he said. "Put
some sail on her and get out to sea
somewhere. We amt going to risk it
inshore this weather. I'll save my
coal for a pinch. You take command
on deck, and I'll keep watch with you
soon as / shut my hampers and get
all snug below"
The bos'n nodded and slipped out on
deck. He took his chance and ran
forward and disappeared When he
emerged again from the tiny focle
it was with three men at his heels.
They regained the pilot house and re-
ceived their orders. "We've got to
fetch in somewhere" finished the
bos'n. sourly. Its up to us to do it
by dead reckoning. At least we can
keep off lee shore. Maybe by to-
morrow they Che pointed a scornful
thumb over his shoulder) will be wise