Lincoln County leader. [volume] (Toledo, Lincoln County, Or.) 1893-1987, 1914-05-08

served my apprenticeship, and we
were homeward bound, says
~ writer in Cassell's Saturday Jour
nal. We had swept up past the
foam girt Azores and we were saying
that five more days would raise the
Lizard light.
AS we plunged farther north the
breeze freshened and grew until 1t
seemed as though the very powers OF
the air were conspiring together to
wait us onward at our best pace.
Still the gale increased and when at
length we breasted the waters Of the
Bay of Biscay we found 1t arrayed in
all its grim majesty to greet us. AS
far as our salt filed eyes could see
there was nothing save a heaving
waste of darkling, greenish-gray wa
ter. whipped across by flying sheets of
solid spindrift, that ever and anon
was lifted in the arms OF the storm
and flung aboard US in chilling
wreaths. Before we could spit out
the salt from our mouths the great.
green combers rolled sullenly up, the
low side of the vessel heeled to meet
them and then, rising as heavy
squall struck down upon her, hove
aboard few hundred tons OF the At
lantlc ocean in one solid mass that
flled the deck waist high.
So the night fell, and men looked
one another in the face, and perhaps
for the first time fear dawned in the
eyes OF some. The captain hung grimly
TO the weather shrouds OF the miZzen
and peered with staring eyes through
the vibrating gloom at the over
wrought main topgallant sail on
which our very safety depended. 1t
was an old sail, for we had not had
time to bend the heavy weather can
vas properly before these vigorous
gales had commenced. and this sail
was only the fine weather sheet we
carried through the tropics. II that
sail split, they said. nothing could save
the ship. There would be one hunted
heap as a sea caught her up astern, a
wild swirllng of down dragging wa
ter and then-the inevitable end.
Ship on Her Beam Ends.
Though the night was black with
the blackness OF the grave, there was
a sort OF ghostly sheen given of from
the spray that showed US occasionally
how the ship was behaving. Through.
out that voyage we had bestowed
every anathema In our vocabulary on
the craft for her unkindliness, for she
was loaded deep with inter, and was
as buoyant as an iron bridge. Now
abe hove her streaming bows high In
the air. while her squattering sterr
sunk down as though It would never
rise again. Again. with swoosh anC
sullen roar. she buried her sharI
bowsprit to the knightheads and fai
beyond, while the solid sea climbed
up the slope OF her decks to the yer,
main hatch. The stern waggled drunk
emily against the black gray sky, anC
we who lay there, with blinded eyei
and Brasping hands, hung madly 4
any rope that drifted our way, fo
dear life.
1t seemed impossible that the SIX,
could hold more potent powers thar
those that were now thunderinj
about US, and yet, as long minute
dragged itself away after long minute
The wind gained velocity that wa
tremendous. II was more than a hur
Hcane; 1t was n typhoon. n pampero
black northor. all welded into on
awful whole.
On the stroke OF midnight a equal
nared upon US with such a whistlinl
velocity that, though We were lynn
nj length on the poopdeck, we wer
blown like feathers hard against tn
lee rail. The breath was knocked CON
pletely out OF our bodies and we sal
the end was come. The ship wa
thrown nat on her beam ends. Sh
lurched wildly and long groan from
every Btraining plate rose above tina
nendish din OF tho storm. A shari
cracking aloft told OF somethinl
amiss. and when the next llghtninl
hash sizzlod overhead wo sent ou
eyes TO the main topgallant sail will
one accord. But II stu held. A dul
rumbling crash forward told US wher
the damage was done; there was tn
thunder OF falling spars and the for
topgallant mast went by tho board.
And then, when tho squal was a
It's height, the wind shifted like
Hash. II had blown hard from tn
southwest; II now blow harder fror
the northwest We thought no win
could blow 80 ferociously, but th
force OF the preceding breeze was a
q maiden's sigh compared with whs
followed. by the light OF the blnnacl
We could see the helmsman and th
captain. together with both matel
tAboring hard TO get the helm up an
the ship away before the shifted win,
Their faces cleaned ghastly and "