The Aberdeen Democrat. (Aberdeen, South Dakota) 1???-1909, 1904-01-15
BY John Fleming Wilson.

:
HE steam coaster Oracle Jackson
L. 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 II 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 h~alf-hour's vain attempt he
o stood back against the bulkhead
easing his mind. They're a couple of
sots." he explained to the drawn-faced
bos,n. 1.-THE old man started lushing
before we were across the bar, and the
mate amt been sober for a week. I
don't believe those two seacooks have
even got their departure chalked down.
| know they amt wrote a line in the
log since we passed Tillamook abel
" Ii AK ioS. III III III uhN.
- and the engineer and the bos'n
lifted UP their voices in a sea blessing,
deep, yociferous and mighty.
Il reckon we're off Cape Blanco
somewhere" suggested a sailor who
had stamped in. It's running all ugly
sea, too. Thicker'n peasoup, and the
glass way down. Whatll we do. sir?"
The engineer grunted with the wrath
of two s~leepless days. Then he STUN
bled UP the companionway to the deck,
and the bos'n shuffied after him. For
ward in the wheelhouse they found a
grim-yisaged seaman c!inginS hungciiy
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 un-
der the weather rail. Aft the hum
ming funnel spun a sooty thread
against the low cloud. All this the
engineer took in with a sweeping
glance. Then he looked back on the
Fnnart Shelf It the slate. A clumsy
hand had challled 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.
The engineer swore grufly, and then
abruptly departed by the lee door, to
return holding in his hand a cop 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 wrestIe,.
we can't get bottom with the lead;
we amt an observation of any sort to
go on; we amt ever got an approx
mate distance lodged. We might be
off San Diego or the Sahara Desert so
far's 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
= reckon continued the helmsman.
sslowly-"I reckon we're about off
Bianco. How much coal we got?"
Sixteen hours, this gait
There vas a 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
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. 81 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
oughtto take us along
The engineer thought a while, and
then turned. b~rusquely to the bos,ii.
m in command here he said. ..Put
some sail 9 n her and get out to- sea
somewhere We amt going to risk it,
fnshore thus weather. III save my coal
Ssfo q piacf. You take command on
deck aridsIn keep watch with YOU
soon as | shut my hampers and set ali
snug below.
Ahesbossnsnodded and slipped ont orl
deck Hssss took his chsnce and ran
forward md disappeared. when he
emerged again from ahe TIL
sAtsswas withSthree men at Ms heels.
Ahey yegaSaed h pilot house and re-