Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1924-12-24

eventualities. Through it all she won
dered why she chung to the belief that
in another day or two the storm
would be forgotten, and people play
ing quoits on deck, dancing, singing
coon songs in the mushroom, or
grumbling at the heat.
Things were ridiculous What need
was there for all this external fury?
Why should poor sailors be cast forth
to instant death in such awful man
ner? If she could only sleep and for
get-if kind oblivion would blot out
the storm for few blissful hours
But how could one sleep with his con-
sciousness of chat watery giant thun-
dering his summons upon the iron
plates few inches away?
Then came the blurred picture of
Captain Ross high up on the bridge,
peering into the moving blackness.
How strange that there should be hid
den in the convolutions of a mans
brain an intelligence that laid bare the
pretences of that ravenous demon
without. Each of the ships officers,
the commander more than the others,
fore of this clustering combination of
wind and sea. Iris knew the language
OF poker Nature was putting up a
huge bluff
What was it the captain said in his
little lecture? when a ship meets a
cyclone north of the equator on
westerly course she nearly always has
the wind at first on the port side, but,
owing to the revolution of the gale,
when she passes its center the wind
Is on the starboard side"
Yes, that was right, as far as the
first part was concerned. Evidently
they had not yet passed the central
path. oh, deari She was so tired. 1t
demanded physical effort to con-
stantly shove away an unseen force
that tried to push her over. How fun
ny that big cloud should travel up
against the wind! And so, amidst con-
fused wonderment, she lapsed into an
uneasy slumber, her last sentient
thought being quiet thankfulness
that the screw went thud-thud, thud-
thud with such firm determination.
After the course was changed and
the Sirdar bore away towards the
the barometer each half-hOur. The tell
tale mercury had sunk over two inches
in twelve hours. The abnormally low
pressure quickly created dense clouds
which enhanced the melancholy dark
ness of the gale.
For many minutes together the bows
of the ship were not visible. Masthead
and sidelights were obscured by the
pelting scud. The engines thrust the
vessel forward like a lance into the
vitals of the storm. Wind and wave
gushed out of the vortex with impo-
tent fury.
At last, soon after midnight, the
barometer showed a slight upward
movement. At 80 a. m. the change
became pronounced; simultaneously
the wind swung round a point to the
westward
Then Captain Ross smiled YEARLY.
His face frightened He opened his
oilskin coat, glanced at the compass,
and nodded approval
That's right" he shouted to the
quartermaster at the steam-w wheel
Keep her steady there, south Is west"
South Is west it is, sir" yelled the
sailor impassively watching the NOV
ing disk, for the wind alteration ne
cessltated little less help from the
rudder to keep the ships head true
to her course.
Captain Ross ate some sandwiches
and washed them down with cold tea.
He was more hungry than he i'm
agined, having spent eleven hours
without food. The tea was insipid He
called through speaking-tube for a
further supply of sandwiches and
some coffee
Then he turned to consult a chart.
He was joined by the chief officer.
Both men examined the chart in 81
1ence.
Captain Ross finally took a pencil
He stabbed it's point on the paper in
the neighborhooG of IA degrees N. and
112 degrees E.
I'VE are about there, I think"
The chief agreed "That was the To-
cality I had in my mind" He bent
closer over the sheet
Nothing in the way tonight, sir"
he added.
Nothing whatever. 1t is a bit of
good luck to meet such weather here.
We can keep as far south as we like
uhLA doJ CON- o1O NY LuotC
How did it look when you came in?"
"a trif1e better, I think"
"I have sent for some refreshments
Let us have another dekko1 before we
tackle them"
Il Hindustani for "1ook"-a word
much used by sailors in the East)
The two officers passed out into the
hurricane. Instantly the wind endeav-
ored to tear the charthouse from off
the deck. They looked aloft and ahead.
The officer on duty saw them and nod
ded silent comprehension. 1t was USE
less to attempt to speak. The weather
was peIceptibly clearer.
Then all three peered ahead again.
They stood, pressing against the wind,
seeking to penetrate the murkiness in
front. Suddenly they were galvanized
into strenuous activity.
A wild howl came from the lookout
forward. The eyes of the three men
glared at huge dismasted Chinese
junk, wallowing helplessly in the
trough of the sea, dead under the
bows
The captain sprang to the chart
house and signa1ed in fierce panto-
mime that the wheel should be put |
hard over
The officer in charge of the bridge |
pressed the telegraph lever to stop