The Tacoma times. [volume] (Tacoma, Wash.) 1903-1949, 1915-04-14

ward, eased the fore and main
sheets, took in on the boom
tackles, and trimmed everything
for the Quartering breeze which
was ours. 1t was fresh breeze,
very fresh, but ] resolved to run
as long as | dared. Unfortunately,
when running free, II is impossi-
BILE to lash the wheel, so | faced
an all-night watch. Maud insist
ed on relieving me, but proved
that she had not the strength to
steer i'm heavy sea, even IL she
could have gained the wisdom on
such short notice. She appeared
quite heart-broken over the dis
covery, but recovered her spirits
by coiling down tackles and hal
yards and all stray ropes. Then
there were meals to be cooked in
the galley, beds to make, Wolf
Larsen to be attended upon, and
she finished the day with grand
house-cleaning attack upon the
cabin and Storage.
All night | steered, without re-
lief, the wind slowly and steadily
increasing and the sea rising. At
five in the morning Maud brought
me hot coffee and biscuits she
had baked, and at seven a sub
stantial and piping hot breakfast
put new life into me.
Throughout the day, and as
slowly and steadily as ever, the
wind increased. 1t impressed one
with its sullen determination to
blow, and blow harder, and keep
on blowing. And still the Ghost
foamed along, racing off the miles
till | was certain she was making
at least eleven knots. 1t was too
good to lose, but by nightfall ]
was exhausted. Though in splen-
did physical trim, thirty-six-hour
trick at the wheel was the limit
of my endurance. Besides, Maud
begged me to heave to, and
knew, IL the wind and sea in
creased at the same rate during
the night, that It would soon be
impossible to heave to. So, as
twilight deepened, gladly and at
the same time reluctantly,
brought the Ghost up on the wind.
But ! had not reckoned upon
the colossal task the reefing of
three sails meant for one man.
While running away from the
wind l had not appreciated its
force, but when we ceased to run
l learned to my sorrow, and we'll
nigh to my despair, how fiercely
it was really blowing. The wind
baked my every effort, ripping
the canvas out of my hands and
in an instant undoing what l had
| gained by ten minutes of severest
struggle. At eight o'clock l had
succeeded only in putting the Sec
ond reef into the foresail. Al
eleven o'clock / was no farther
along. Blood dripped from every
finger end, while the nails were
broken to the quick. From pain
and sheer exhaustion l wept In
the darkness, secretly, so that
Maud should not know.
Then, in desperation, l aban-
doned the attempt to reef the
mainsail and resolved to try the
experiment of heaving to under
the close-reefed foresail. Three
hours more were required to gas
ket the mainsail and lib, and at
two in the morning, nearly dead,
the life almost buffeted and
worked out of me, had barely
sufficient consciousness to know
the experiment was success. The
close-reefed foresail worked. The
Ghost chung on close to the wind
and betrayed no inclination to
fall off broadside to the trough.
/ was famished, but Maud tried
vainly to get me to eat. / dozed
with my mouth full of food.
would fall asleep in the act of
carrying food to my mouth and
waken in torment to find the act
yet uncompleted. So-sleepily help
less was | that she was compelled
| to hold me in my chair to prevent
my being flung to the floor by
the violent pitching of the
schooner.
OF the passage from the galley
to the cabin | knew nothing. 1t
was sleep-walker Maud guided
and supported. In fact, ! was
aware of nothing till / awok Q,
how long after I.could not mag
inc, in my bunk with my boots
off. 1t was dark. l was still and
lame, and cried out with pain
when the bed-clothes touched my
poor finger-ends.
Morning had evidently not
come, SO / closed my eyes and
went to sleep again. did not
know 1t, but l had slept the clock
around and II was night again.
Once more / woke, troubled De-
cause 1 could sleep no better.
struck a match and looked at my
watch. 1t marked midnight. And
l had not left the deck until
three! No wonder | was sleeping
brokenly. had slept twenty-one
hours. / listened for while to
the behavior of the Ghost, to the
pounding OF the seas and the muf-
fled roar OF the wind ON deck, and
then turned over on my side and
slept peacefully until morning.
When l arose at seven / saw no
sign of Maud and concluded she
was in the galley preparing break
fast. On deck found the Ghost
doing splendid under her patch OF
canvas. But in the galley. though
| a fire was burning and water boil