The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1905-03-08

ample accommodation. There were no
bunls, but 4 cozy bed was screwed to
the deck. She lay down and strove to !
read 1t was a difficult task. Her
eyes wandered from the printed page
to mark the absurd antics Of her gar
ments swinging on their hooks At
times the ship rolled SO far that she !
felt sure it must topple over She was
not afraid, but subdued. rather aston
ished. placidly prepared for vague
eventualities
Things were ridiculous What need
was there for ali this external fury?
Why should poor sailors be cast forth
to instant death in such awful man
ner? If she could only sleep and for
get-if kind oblivion would blot out the
storm for few blissful hours! But
how could one sleep with the conscious
ness Of that watery giant laundering
his summons upon the iron plates a
few inches away?
Then came the blurred picture Of Cap
tain Ross high up Oh the bridge peer
ing into the moving blackness. How
strange that there should be hidden in
the convolutions of a mans brain an
intelligence that laid bare the pre-
lenses of that ravenous demon without.
Each of the ships officers, the COM
mander more than the others, under
stood the why and the wherefore Of
this clustering combination of wind
and sea. Iris knew the language Of
poker. Nature was putting up huge
bluff.
Oh. dear! She was so tired. 1t de-
manded physical effort to constantly
shove away an unseen force that tried
to push you over. How funny that
big cloud should travel up against the
| wind, And so, amid confused Won
| derment, she lapsed into an uneasy
slumber, her last sentient thought be-
ing quiet thankfulness that the
screw went thud, thud, thud, thud.
with such determination.
| After the course was changed and
/! the Sirdar bore away toward the south
west the commander consulted the ba-
rometer each half hour. The telltale
| mercury had sunk over two inches IN
| twelve hours. The abnormally low
| pressure quickly created dense clouds,
which enhanced the melancholy dark
ness Of the gale.
For many minutes together the bows
Of the ship were not visible. Masthead
and side lights were obscured by the
pelting scud. The engines thrust the
vessel forward like a lance into the
| yitals of the storm. Wind and wave
eushed out Of the vortex with impo-
tent fury.
At last soon after midnight the ba
rometer showed a slight upward move
ment. At 1 80 a. N. the change became
pronounced. simultaneously the wind
swung round point to the westward
Then Captain Ross smiled YEARLY.
His face frightened. he opened his
oilskin coat, glanced at the compass
and nodded approval. Then he turned
to consult chart. He was Joined by
the chief officer. Both men examined
the chart in silence.
Captain Ross finally took a pencil.
He stabbed its point on the paper in
| the neighborhood Of Il degrees north
and 112 degrees east.
eve are about there, think
The chief agreed. 'That was the To-
cality I had in my mind" he bent
| o1oco, 0vor Tho chQpf
Nothing in the way tonight, SIR" he
added
Nothing whatever 1t is a bit of
good luck to meet such weather here.
We can keep as far south as we like
until daybreak, and by that time
How did it look when you came in?"
ga trife better, think
81 have sent for some refreshments.
Let us have, another look before we
tackle them"
The two Office. passed out into the
hurricane Instantly the wind endeav
ored to tear the chart house from eff
the deck They looked aloft and ahead.
The officer on duty saw them and nod
4 OSQ SiIeuI COLipISueuSlOu II WCo uoS-
less to attempt to speak. The weather
was perceptibly clearer.
Then all three peered ahead again.
They STOOD. pressing against the wind.
seeking to penetrate the murEiness in
front. Suddenly they were galvanized
into strenuous activity.
| A wild howl came from the lookout
forward. The eyes of the three men
glared at huge dismasted Chinese
! junk wallowing helplessly in the
| trough of the sea dead under the bows.
The captain sprang to the chart house
and signaled in fierce pantomime that
the wheel should be put hard over.
The officer in charge Of the bridge
pressed the telegraph lever to 'stop"
and ''full speed astern," while with his
disengaged hand he pulled hard at the
4 e;r o,~roiY1