Year: 1873

THE SECOND MATES WHISPER.

 One night during the winter we were navlng gale of wind from the north east with snow. I was seated before the fire in my room, listening to the wind as 1t went bowling around the corner of the house, and thinking: "Of the hearts chilled through with watching

 The eyes that wearily blink

 Through the binding gale and snowdrift,

 For the Lights of Neversink!"

 when my three nephews, home from school for the Christmas holidays. came clattering through the hall, and burst Ing into my room broke out with "Ain't you glad you're not at sea to- night, uncle? Just hear it blow. It's won't you p

 You youngsters think I'm as full of yarns as an old foretopman. What can tell you about? I've spun all my yarns"

 "Oh, no, you haven't; tell us about anything you think of fire, or wrecks,

 I've "knocked of" going to sea (since I left one of my legs down in Mobile bay) and haven't much to do but to think over my voyages and spin yarns about them so, as the lads seat ed themselves on the rug before the fire, lighted cigar and spun them this twister:"

 "Some years ago I was second mate of handsome little clipper ship, called the White Swallow, then loading a gen eral cargo in New York, bound for San Francisco: It was in the days before the Pacific railroad, when most of the freight for California went 'around the Horn, and there were always magnifi- cent ships on the berth for Frisco to be found along South street, New York, so 1t was not an unusual thing that when we sailed we did so in company with two ships of rival lines. The White Swallow was a new ship, having made but one voyage to China and home, during which she wasn't noted for any unusual speed. The captain and chief mate had been in her on her first voyage, and they said on the passage out that she was badly loaded, and they couldn't carry sail on her as they wish ed ; homeward bound there was no op- portunity, as the passage, consuming one hundred and twenty days. was a succession of light winds and calms, For this passage, Capt. Adams and mate looked ont for the stowage of the cargo, and when we sailed the ship was in fine trim, with the exception of being little too deep, perhaps. We made the run to San Francisco in one hun dred and one days, beating the other ships ten and thirteen days. I was quite young then, not yet twenty, but I had been at sea since I was twelve, and l thought I had seen sail carried about as long as canvas and spars would stand but, by the big boot that hangs in Chatham street. the dimity was hung to that ship till her lee-rail would be a stranger to us for days on stretch :; and we never thought of coming on deck without our oil skin coats, for she threw spray in perfect showers her en- tire length.

 "When the watch on deck were not making or taking in sail, or bracing yards, every man who could use palm and needle was mending sails, for about every watch we split some of our can- vas. Notwithstanding the way we car ried sail, we lost but two spars during the passage-a main-royal yard and a

 

 After our arrival at San Francisco, crowds of people, mostly merchants and other shippers, came down on Vallego street wharf to see the ship that had made the fastest passage of the year {; and before our cargo was entirely dis charged, the ship was chartered to load hides, tallow, old iron, and rags for Liverpool.

 "Now, on the berth for the same port was an Aberdeen clipper"

 What kind of clipper is that uncle ?"

 Clippers built at Aberdeen in Scot land they are noted for fast sailing, as ours built at Mystic in Connecticut, and Newburyport in Massachusetts are. The Scotch ship was about 1900 tons burden, built of iron, and as handsome as yacht. She was called the Sea Horse, and had made some fine passages from China to London. She was load ing wheat, and about half her cargo was on board when we commenced taking In our old iron, hides, tallow, and rags One evening was seated in the read lng-room of the What Cheer House, and near me sat sailor-like looking man of forty or more years, enjoying cigar, when gentleman came up to him and said:

 "'Good evening, Capt. Daly how goes on the loading 2

 "' Oh, so-so we'll get off in fort night, hope

 "' Well, we intend to have the White Swallow full in two weeks.

 "'I hope you may. I should like to beat that ship to Liverpool, and will, too, if she don't have more than three days start of me.

 1T made up my mind to tell Capt. Adams what had accidentally heard, and then, if he wanted race, here was his chance. Our captain was quiet, rather reserved man, troubling his off cers but little with any conversation be- sides that which related to the sailing of the ship. He was young, not more than thirty, rather fne-looking, and sailor man, every inch of him. The morning after overhearing what the captain of the Sea Horse had said, re- marked to our skipper, while at the breakfast-table:

 "' The Sea Horse will be ready for sea about the time we are, sir

 "'Yes, 1hope so.'