The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1909-02-11

the fore topsail halyard, which Delayed
close along side of the main topsail
brace. The mate beloved from the
forecastle deck and the captain howled
from the quarter. (The devil and the
deep seaD The fore topsail yard did
not come entirely down to the cap and
the main yards We're hauled after a
moments delay. ''Stand by the head
braces" and when fleeing aft in pertur-
baton to meet this order the crank of
the fy-wheel pumps caught me amid
ships with great force and reached the
braces in damaged and MINDLESS state.
barely in time to obey the order of go
and haul -
Such was my first dark, disgraceful ex-
perience with a full-rigged brig in stays.
Later on, however, l sometimes tackled
the same vessel with my watch alone
no master or mate on deck, at opposite
ends, firing deep sea orders, epithets and
sarcastic questions regarding my desires
and intentions. There is always more
ulSlllS Ill LI1t atmosphere WIlcll OutN dIL
bound than when hurrying homeward.
A volume might easily be written of
that voyage and some chapters of it
would be interesting.
At one time when anchored off bleak
and dangerous coast for receiving cargo,
the chain was slipped in the first part
of a tempest, and when she valiantly
gathered Roadway under small sail and
dragged along by coral reefs, the boiling
white breakers seemed in the darkness
to be but ships length under the lee.
The homeward passage was in mid
winter and the weather was bad though
with the carelessness of youth we
thought little of it then, but as ! have
seen nothing quite like it in the years
that have since passed, no doubt We
should thank the staunch craft for bring
ing US home in safety.
/ At one time while lying to in a clear
northwest gale under only close reefed
main topsal and making general good
weather of it, there came along three
seas together, which We're no doubt
something far more than common. The
first one struck along the broadside and
then rolled over and across the decks.
The next two came down in solid walls
and the stricken craft settled deeply I'M
der the burden For some minutes She
laid still and buried; then seemed to slow
1,- TO tbo catch hor hrpat h
and shake off the water like living
creature.
| looked with Interrogation points into
the captains eyes and saw the same
marks reflected in his, but neither spoke.
The first sea had so shocked the vessel
that heavy leaden flush tank had been
wrenched from its castings and shot out
into the cabin, while the chronometer
broke from the usual fastenings and
rolled off on a lounge without injury.
These small incidents might be of some
proof of the general strain on the hull;
though the vessel leaked no more than
before and no serious damage had been
done.
That cold evening the mate mentioned
his sympathy for DR.. Ferguson, at home,
in case he should be called at midnight to
visit Stinson's Neck, through snow
blocked roads and over icy bars, and he
thought our surroundings were so much
better of the two. At midnight, how
ever, the mate did express wish that
he was on top of his fathers barn, SO
that he could slip down and 60 into the
house.
How happy is the man who believes
that his lot is never the worst!
After many trials and drawbacks we
reached soundings off the coast and with
steady moderate gale from the nor
west and a smooth sea, with logan
sails set over single reefed topsails,
reached along comfortably and made the
coast of Montauk; then kept away fol
the Vineyard, with all hands pounding ice
to clear the windlass chains and anchors.
Our safe arrival followed closely upon
, the DAYS when our friends had entirely
given us up for lost. The homeward pas
, sage had not been SO overriding, but we
/ had been delayed in receiving cargo,
with no mails to tell OF. it, so that it hae
been supposed that we sailed for home &
month earlier than was the case.
, The Protege was sold in London anc