Tensas gazette. [volume] (St. Joseph, La.) 1886-current, 1916-03-31

and my head-sails were pounding lus-
tily. My hands were full with the n.y.
ing-jib. jib. and staysail; and by the
time this part of my task was accom-
plished the Ghost was leaping into the
southwest, the wind on her quarter
and all her sheets to starboard. With
out pausing for breath, though my
heart was beating like a trip-hammer
from my exertions. l sprang to the
topsails, and before the wind had be-
come too strong we had them fairly
set and were coiling down. Then l
went aft for orders.
Wolf Larsen nodded approval and
relinquished the wheel to me. The
wind was Strengthening steadily and
the sea rising. For an hour l steered.
each moment becoming more difficult.
l had not the experience to steer at
the gait we were going on quarter
ing course.
Now take run up with the glasses
and raise some of the boats. We've
made at least ten knots. and we're go
ing twelve or thirteen now. The old
girl knows how to walk"
l contented myself with the fore
crosstrees, some seventy feet above
the deck. AS l searched the vacant
stretch Of water before me, l compre-
hended thoroughly the need for haste
IL we were to recover any Of our men.
Indeed, as I gazed at the heavy sea
through which we were running,
| doubted that there was a boat afioat.
1t did not seem possible that such
frail craft could survive such stress
of wind and water
For an hour | saw nothing but the
naked. desolate sea. And then. where
a vagrant shaft of sunlight struck the
ocean and turned its surface to wrath
full silver, caught a small black speck
thrust skyward for an instant and
swallowed up. l waited patiently
Again the tiny point of black projected
itself through the wrathful blaze cou
pie of points of our port-bow. l did
not attempt to shout. but communi
Gated the news to Wolf Larsen by wav
ing my arm. He changed the course
and l signaled affirmation when the
speck showed dead ahead.
1t grew larger. and so swiftly that
for the first time l fully appreciated
the speed of our flight. Wolf Larsen
motioned for me to come down. and
when stood beside him at the whee
gave me instructions for heaving to.
Expect all hell to break loose" he
cautioned me, but don't mind it
Yours is to do your own work and tC
have Cooky stand by the fore-sheet.'
The boat was now very close. and
could make out plainly that it was
lying head to wind and sea and drag
ging on its mast and sail, which had
been thrown overheard and made t.
serve as a sea-anchor. The three mer
were bailing. Each rolling mountain
whelmed them from view. Then, and
with black suddenness, the boat would
shoot clear through the foaming crest
bow pointed to the sky. and the whole
|
dark. till she seemed on end.
The Ghost suddenly changed hel
course, keeping away. Wolf Larser
was preparing to heave to. l felt ar
abrupt easing of the schooner. los:
for the moment of all strain and pres
sure, coupled with a swift accelera
ton of speed. She was rushing around
on her heel into the wind.
AS the Ghost wallowed for an in
slant, broadside on and rolling straight
over and far into the wind, beheld 6
huge sea rise far above my head. Il
descended. pandemonium broke loose
everything happened at once. l wa.
struck a crushing, stunning blow, no
where in particular and yet every
where. My hold had been broker
loose, l was under water, and tn,
thought passed through my mind tina
this was the terrible thing of which
l had heard. the being swept in thu
trough of the sea. brought up vic
lently against what l took to be tn,
rail, breathed, and breathed the swee
air again. AS l scrambled out on al
fours l passed over the body o
Thomas Mugridge. who lay in a groan
ing heap. There was no time to In
vestigate. I must get the jib backed
over.
On all sides there was a rending ant
crashing of wood and steel and can
vas. The Ghost was being wrenche(
and torn to fragments. The foresai
and foretopsail were laundering int
ribbons, the heavy boom threshini
and splintering from rail to rail. Tn,
air was thick with flying wreckage
ropes and stays were kissing and coil
ing like snakes. and down through i
all crashed the gaff of the foresail.
The spar could not have missed M
by many inches, while it spurred mi
to action. Perhaps the situation wa