The Bemidji daily pioneer. [volume] (Bemidji, Minn.) 1904-1971, 1907-06-03
SINISTER SWELL LIFTED HER HIGH

A SINISTER SWELL LIFTED HER HIGH.
| once on the sealing grounds, which in
the gulf lie between latitude 42-4S
north, work on the thin ice must be
done quickly, and pelts must be gath
cred by many hands.
At 1 o'clock the sealer was headed
out Of the harbor for the open sea. 1t
was a beautiful day, but the waters
were damned with ice. It was a fight
from the start, three miles of steady
bucking, crunching, grinding, full stop;
then rush full speed ahead, crash;
another ships length gained.
1t was s o'clock when the Leopard
steamed into open water. AS she
rounded the cape the heavens, which
all afternoon had been of clearest blue
and after sunset studded with stars,
suddenly became black. The wind be-
gan to moan from the southeast, and
inside of fifteen minutes half a gale,
accompanied by binding snow, was
assailing the coast bitterly.
Captain Bartlett's problem was this:
He had to take his boat down the coast
until Cape Race had been cleared,
when he could head northwest, taking
his vessel past Cape Breton and ST..
Pierre Miquelon, finally entering the
gulf He held the Leopard about eley-
en- miles otfshore. He would have
given a great deal had he dared to take
his vessel still farther out to sea, be-
cause the wind, which had been hold
NO ocf ho1 cd
dead east and was thus blowing direct
]y on shore and with full hurricane
force by this time-9 o'clock. Outside
the slob ice through which the ship
was sailing the gale was flashing the
ocean into fury.
Hour after hour passed. It was the
blacklist night Captain Bartlett ever
knew. Fifty fathoms ahead there was
nothing to see-nothing but a black
void against which the bullet rush Of
snow produced the vaguest impress
sion of movement. Outside the line Of
slob ice the terrific seas could be heard
battling among themselves in elemental
riot. Even the weighted waters
through which the Leopard ploWed her
way rose out of the dark in many
long swell, lifting the vessel toward
heavens that could not be seen, drop
ping her into depths from which there
seemed no escape. But up and out of
them steamed the Leopard, trembling
and going on and on into the gloom.
Midnight came and passed. Captain
Bartlett had long known that the yes
sci was making in all the time on that
dreaded tangent line, but now the fact
began to thrill through the ship like a
clammy breeze. The master was not
really worried, because he thought that
the leeward drift would not set at
naught the Roadway down the coast.
But he wanted to hear the sound of
that Cape Race bell. So did every one.
The sealers huddled in whispering
groups on the deck, looking inquiringly
at an officer or a sailor as he hurried
past, but ventura no questions.
Where was that bell? It was time
that the notes began to drift to them
through the secondary lapses into ST.
lence which sometimes characterize
high winds. Captain Bartlett and his
mate, William Wilcox, were on the
bridge, and every minute that passed
told these two experienced navigators
as it told no other man on the vessel
that a tragedy which is old as mankind
is old was setting it's grim scenes for
another act
"Alrs WE'LL" came the voice from the
LOOKOUT on the topgallant forecastle
head.
"All's well!' echoed the man on the
upper topsail yard.
But there was dubious ring to these
assurances. The wind increased in
fury. The snow flew in veritable
clouds. From the bridge but few
feet of water could be seen over the
bow. One O'clock. The Leopard steam
ed on. Every one felt as a man must
feel who walks blindfolded over an
acre strewn with pitfalls. Aside from
the occasional call Of the lookouts there
was absolute silence. Captain BARTLETT
looked at his watch. One-thirty o'clock.
And then before he could replace the