AN AWFUL LEAP.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 3268, 22 December 1881, Page 4

AN AWFUL LEAP.

It was a cold, wild night in tho Atlantic. It had been blowing hard all day, and now the dark masses of clouds whirled across the dreary expanse of leaden sky, already blurred by the pitiless rain ; the occasional heavy squalls which laid our good ship over nearly on her beam*|ends, and now and again a glittering flash of lightning lighting up the angry sea for miles around, sufficiently denoted to the experienced sailor the continuation of a "dirty night." So at least thought the crew of the Roslin Castle, East Indiaman, outward bound to Calcutta, as they gathered at the after capstans before the watches were formed for the night. One old " salt" related how he had seen a flight of "Mother Carey's Chickens" that afternoon, and intimated a ■wish to be " blowed if something did not turn up afore long." The second officer advanced to the end of the poop and called out tbe muster roll, after winch, eight bells (eight o'clock) was struck, the wheel and look-out relieved, and the starboard watch went below. I being in the port or first officer's watch, it was my duty to walk the lee-side of the poop, and strike the bell every half hour: so muffling myself in a comforter, sou-wester, monkey jacket, and sea boots, I

proceed to the fulfilment of my unpleasant task.

It had barely gone two bells (nine o'clock) when a darkening towards tbe east, together with a perceptible increase of wind from that point, decided the officer in furling the mizzen upper topsail. After the yard had been lowered away and hauled down by the down hauls, and the gear all taut, we jumped aloft to take it in. I clambered to the weather side, and found outside me a Em named Jacob, and an Irishman, W- H 7 waiting to pass the clew-lashing as soon as the sail become a little manageable. After fisting and smothering it. for about a quarter of an hour we at last got it folded up on the yard and were passing the gaskets securely around it when the boatswain (who stood in the slings or middle of the yard) sang out something I did not hear owing to the howling of the wind amidst the rigging. However, guided by the glances of the others, I looked aloft, and on the main topgallant yard arm descried a ball of light (called by sailors a corposant, and attributable, I believe, to some electrical agency) which moved about as we gazed, and at last remained stationary where we had seen it first. On the Fin (Jacob) its effect was terrible ; with a bound be reached the yard from the foot-rope, und holding on by tbe lift, gazed with blanched cheeks and distended eyes at the light. Suddenly placing both hands before his face as if to shut out its glare, he turned round and jumped into tbe boiling surges of tho Atlantic fifty feet below, leaving us astounded at this abrupt denouement. In a few seconds the thrilling cry of '• Man orerboard " resounded over the ship, bringing the watch below out of their bunks on deck ; but, alas, nothing could be done for the unfortunate man who had thus thrown himself into the presence of his Maker. A shipmate of bis told me afterwards that he had been drinking heavily before leaving C , and must have been labouring under a fit of delirium tremens at the time he destroyed himtelf, probably accelerated by the appearance of the corposant.—Exchange.