Greene County herald. (Leakesville, Miss.) 1898-current, 1904-03-11

VI n DuS River on thick morn
9HO~ ing in November, bound
Tor SAN Francisco Three days had
passed since then, and on this dull fore
noon 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 be-
low to assist In the process of rousing
them, but after half-hour's vain at
tempt he now stood back against the
bulkhead easing his mind. They're a
couple of sots," he explained to the
drawn faced bos'n. The old man
started lushing before we were across
the bar, and the mate amt been sober
for week. l don't believe those two
seacooks have even got their departure
chalked down. know they amt
wrote line in the log since we passed
Tillamook a-bellowing in the fog.
Drunk, Drunk and the engineer
and the bos'n lifted up their voices in
sea blessing, deep, vociferouS and
mighty.
81 reckon we're off Cape Blanco
somewhere" suggested sailor who
had stamped in. tits running an ugly
sea, too. Thickersn pea soup, and the
glass way down. Whatll we do, sir?'
The engineer grunted with the wrath
of two sleepless days. Then he STUN
bled up the companionwa5 to the deck,
and the bos'n shuffied after him. For
ward in the wheelhouse they found
| grim-visaged seaman clinging hungrily
| to the jerking wheel, and peering out
from the compass to the gray, frothing
ocean that seemed to have risen like
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 a 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
1 ings. There was no attempt, however,
| to fix the position of the steamer on
the chart pinned beneath. The engi-
neer swore gruff1y 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 final wrestle. 1--WE 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. "Five by the log. May be going
astern for all that"
II reckon" continued the helmsman
slowly = II 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. II 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.
"Im 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 l 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 fo'cle
it was with three men at his heels.
They regained the pilot house and re-
ceiyed 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 a lee shore Maybe by to-
morrow they Che pointed scornful
thumb over his shoulder will be wise
enough to take sight and navigate
the ship. Keep your eyes open and
don't let her get away from you"
So the Oracle Jackson came into the
hands of her untutored crew, and
while the skipper and his mate slum-
bered on the saloon deck the thread
of smoke ceased to blow from her
slender funnel and two sails were set
to give her Storage way. Thus she
swung drunkenly on her unknown
course, staggering, pitching. reelins
through the beaded seas. Afternoon
dimmed into dusk; swirling fog and
wind wreathed her and smothered her
till the men at the wheel craned their
/ necks in vain to catch glimpse OF
the waves that roared in the darkness
or foamed over the rail and beat hen
dumbly down till the crew chung dir
zily to each other. and swofe sblasphe
mously that they had seen their last
dawn. -
Night blanketed the ocean and
Knocked the scanty beams Of the lights
The water stream poured hoarsely
through the whistle as the bos'n pulled
the cord in dread of an answer from
the invisible The gale rose and thun
dered in the sails till the, rigging taut
ened to the breaking point. The en-
il gineer stood by the helmsman and
prayed that he might be spared AGAR
4 to hear the throb of his engines il
{ the ships bowels Other times BIZ
exhorted his assistant TO keep NJ