The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1907-09-26
A NIGHT ON A
TORPEDcS-BOAT

mad from the short broken seas that
tumbled in before the wind. The
passengers on a big mail steamer
would never have known Of it. but
we, slithering here and there about
the decks of f1imsy torpedo-boat,
and trying to keep station, were per-
force obliged to take the weather in
to serious account. She travelled tu-
multuously. spooning the wetness on
board in green tons, and swilling 1t
the length Of her narrow iron decks.
Her twelve-knot gait was just enough
to drive her little steel nose into the
water, so that at every pitch the vi
ciously driven spray yelled her like
a waterfall.
Ahead of us, and very closely
ahead at that, the next war-canoe
wagged her taillight from time to
time as we lifted on the crest of
sea. She was barely to be seen 9TH
erwise, but now and again her fun
nels would spark luridly, showing a
scarf Of sudden fire athwart the
blackness. Astern, another torpedo
boat plowed laboriously, so close I'D
that the foam at her bows sometimes
shone like silver in the CLEAN of
our stern lantern. Shoreward. where
the land lay some five miles off, there
was nothing to be seen at all; there
was weather enough to veil all lights
eHectually. Fine working wealth
err" said our commander, briskly.
The flotilla was outs to rush a GER
tain harbor in the face of fire from
the forts and the endeavors of the
searchlights. 1t was chill and un-
comfortable enough, smashing along
through the damp night.
There were hours of it-shakv.
weary hours-before word came
along from the commodore at the
mead OF the line, confirming certain
provisional orders issued to COM
manding officers before starting. They
were handed down from boat to boat
py megaphone, the wind snatching
the words to shreds, so that most of
us heard but squeal in the night as
our next ahead slowed down and we
surged up on her quarter. But our
slgnaller heard; navy signaller is
not limited, like other men. in re-
spect to eyes and ears; and soon af-
forwards we swung from the line to
crawl inshore and approach the har-
Dor over the shallow water to the
east OF its mouth.
Our commander was in converse
ton with the engine-room through
the speaking tube as we bore off.
while the other craft held on, and
presently we thudded up to a better
speed. All lights were now out. and
earnest words had passed between the
bridge and the engines in regard to
sparkling at the tunnels. If she had
shipped water before, now she went
down on her knees to look for it; she
seemed to travels really under the
surface, for her decks from end to
enc were one wash of water. that
raced aft and washed overheard from
each quarter. Her iron deck clutched
and quavered to the kick of her IT.
tie engines; she trembled and barred
as though she would spill every rivet
IN her skin. The loom of the land
grew up over our bows, black and in
determinate, but each few minutes
made 1t clearer, till wink of light
located one of the forts against which
we were aiming.
A cape OF sorts, blurring the night
TO westward and abeam. gave some
shelter, and as she woke I'D and rose
TO the top of her speed the sea abated.
Port a little," was the order. and
very soon afterwards we opened the
approach to the harbor, and saw. like
dim web Of faint radiance. the
lights within. At the same moment
the black sky overhead was cut into
halves by beam that sailed athwart
1t, great blade of white light. that
Travelled from horizon to horizon. It
was the first of the searchlights. and
brisk order brought the helm over.
and we raced in towards the west
ern shore, to sneak along within bis
cult throw Of the beach.
Our commander took her in till
the coxswain bumped up a protesting
shoulder and sighed family. No
more. The break of the shallow surf
was plain to bear; the water over
side was pale with it. Its all right. !"
said the commander reassuringly.
We're not going to bump anything
just yet" and by the favor of fate we
did not. One by one the forts opened
out, and their beams hunted one an
other across the face of the sea. nos
ing for the enemy-us-like terriers
after rats. One there was, spouting
like a hose, which cut downwards
from a high fertilization; the man
who worked it swung it back and
fore in huge curves, five miles to a
twist of the handle, so that the beam
slashed at the channel like huge
whip.
Ali" The signalman's exclama-
ton brought all eyes to the path of
a great light that had found it's quar-
ry, and chung to it as it turned and
doubled in hurry to escape. Plain
to see in that remorseless light was
torpedo-boat dashing at full speed
for the harbor, even as we looked her