The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1917-04-26

| TIC hurting OlIlOWS IdASu thC ShPPe'
ship fore and aft with a rush of swirling
water. Clicked and blinded, Vincent
grasped nearby halyard and chung to il
desperately.
When the wash of the giantic wave had
poured overheard. and the laboring vessel
had climbed to the top of another monstrous
comber, Vincent caught his breath and
wiped the brackish spume from his drench-
ed face. Taking advantage of the hull in
the storm he released his hold on his life
line and made for the forcastle, which he
reached in safety before the ship again wal
lowed beneath the tons of water that pound
ed over its decks.
1t was Vincent's first voyage, and the I'M
known dangers that now threatened the crew
for a moment held his heart in grip of ice.
The creaking timbers, groaning protesting
ly at the buffetings of the sea, the straining
spars and cordage, all betokened disaster.
| Even the faces of the able seamen were
grave, for sailor never gets so accustomed
to the deep that its perils, manifest in such
fashion, can be taken lightly.
"She rides poorly" commented one OF
the starboard watch pessimistically. And
the way in which the others gloomily agreed
showed that the present danger was up
permost in their minds.
The fearful impact with a monster wave,
which the clipper ship met head on, coro.
horated the sailors words. Vincent, with
his senses keenly alert to all signs OF i'm.
pending danger hung on every portent
| Never before did he long so for the sweep
of the Western prairies whence he came.
In vain he tried to doze off while below
The tempest increasing in violence pound
ed menace after menace against the hull Of
the ship, and the ever-present feeling Of
danger drove all thoughts of sleep from
him. The solitude of the plains had never
impressed upon him to such an extent the
insignifcance of a human being as did the
helplessness of the vessel, tossing like chip
on the waters.
Night was still thick around the ship
when eight bells again sounded, and Vim
cent turned out for the morning watch.
which lasted from four to eight o'clock.
The storm was still raging, but the vessel
was now running free and no longer buck
ing the huge waves. The tempestuous
wind, knife-like, cut an invisible swath
through the darkness. bent the naked masts,
and distended, almost to the tearing point,
the rag of canvas still set.
| Stationed in a sheltered niche Vincen,
listened with foreboding to the shrieks Of
the storm from out of the black void. A:
he was staring fruitlessly into the darkness:
a sound came to his ears that reminded him
of the roaring concourse of stampeding cat
tie running wild across the range.
Suddenly he heard the voice of the second
mate below warning to the captain, who
was standing watch.
"There's surf dead ahead!' the second
officer cried.
Even Vincent unframed as he was to the
ways of the sea, realized the significance OF
the words. In order to save the ship the
captain had undoubtedly been forced to al
low her to 60 in the direction of the wind
and waves, and by SO doing he had evident
ly lost his bearings. They were now rapid
ly approaching the shore, whereas theil
proper course lay miles out.
''Let 60 the anchor!" The voice of the
captain doomed above the roar of the
storm.
Vincent sprang forward under the lash Of
the sharp command, The big anchor wa:
loosed from the cat-head and the chain ran
out until the mud-hook reached and caugh,
on the bottom. The vessel swung around
and pointed seward.
The heaving and lurching caused by the
resistance of the ship once more became
perceptible, Again the waves broke over
the bow and caused the crew to seek shelter.
ed positions.
"She dragging, Sir!" the mate shouted.
| That meant that the anchor was MOI
strong enough to enable the ship to hold
her own. The driving tempest was forcing
her nearer and nearer to destruction.
By this time daylight had somewha,
dispelled the gloom and brought into view
an irregular coast-line of shelving sand and
beetling rocks. Like white maned coursers,